OLAF.
Véd du, hvornår jeg først hende fandt?
Jeg red fra Guldvik en aften silde,
det bæres mig for, der var holdt et gilde.
Mit sind var tungt, mit hjerte var klemt!
noget havde mig krænket; hvad det var, har jeg glemt.
Jeg red mig alene op under li,
ved midnatstider kom jeg elven forbi,
da lød det som en klingende harpestreng,
det gik som en slåt over mark og eng,
det hørtes som et lokkende, klagende kvæde,
jeg folded mine hænder, jeg prøved at bede,
men tungen svigted og tanken med;
mig tonerne fristed, jeg måtte afsted.
Snart klang det som gråd og snart som latter,
snart lød det som lyst, og snart lød det atter,
som var der et bristende hjertes nød,
som var der en dødsens ve og vånde
lagt i det koglende kvæde, der flød
lig en strøm omkring mig! – Knapt kunde jeg ånde!
Så sært forvildet blev sans og sind;
det var som om både stærke og milde
magter drog mig i lien ind,
jeg måtte herop, om jeg end ikke vilde.
Og stedse det lokked og lød på min vej;
hvorlangt jeg red, det mindes jeg ej.
OLAF.
Know you when it was that I saw her here first?
I rode late one evening from Guldvik hall,
Some kind of feast I seem to recall.
My spirit was heavy, my heart full of woe!
That something had grieved me is all that I know.
I rode all alone up the mountain side,
At midnight I passed by the river so wide;
Then heard I beyond a melodious wail,
That rang like a song over mountain and dale.
It seemed a plaintive, bewitching lay;
I folded my hands, I tried to pray,
But tied was my tongue and my thoughts went astray;
The strains did beguile and lure me away.
’Twas now like weeping and now like laughter,
’Twas now full of mirth, and now ever after
As were it the cry of a perishing man,
As were it a soul in the anguish of death,
That I heard in the song so beguiling, that ran
Like a stream around me!--I scarce got my breath!
So sorely bewildered was I in my soul;
It was as if powers both gentle and strong
Enticed me and lured me away from my goal,
I needs must come up, I was carried along.
And ever rang out the mysterious call;
How far I rode on I no longer recall.
