{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/morris/ep2/ep219.htm","path":"neu/morris/ep2/ep219.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/morris/ep2/ep219.htm","text":"The Earthly Paradise, (September-November), by William Morris, [1870]\nThe Sword comes back without the Scabbard.\nWHEN of this wedding first came tidings true\n To Bathstead, then it was that Gudrun knew\n How much of hope had been before that day\n Within her heart; now, when a cast-away\n Upon the lonely rocks of life, she was\n With nought to help whate\u2019er might come to pass;\n Deaf, dumb, and blind, long hours she went about\n Her father's house, till folk began to doubt\n If she would ever speak a word again;\n Nay, scarce yet could she think about her pain,\n Or e\u2019en know what it was, but seemed to face\n Some huge blank wall within a lonely place.\n And Bodli watched her with a burning heart\n Baffled and beaten back, yet for his part\n Something like hope \u2019gan flit before his eyes,\n Hope of some change e\u2019en if new miseries\n Wrapped it about.\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As on a day she went\n Slow-footed through the hall without intent,\n Taking no heed of aught, of Kiartan's name\n She heard one speak, and to her stunned heart came p. 457\n A flash of hope and pain, against her will\n Her foot must stay her, and she stood there still,\n And turning round she saw where Ospak stood,\n And slowly talking in a sullen mood\n Unto his brother Thorolf; but they made\n As though they saw her not, and Ospak said:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Thou art young, Thorolf, and thy words are vain,\n So it has been, so it shall be again,\n One man shall deem all others made for him,\n And \u2019neath his greatness shall all fame grow dim;\n Till on a day men try if he is man\n Eh! what then falleth\u2014let him, if he can\n Play Thor among the mannikins, and cast\n The swords aback when he is caught at last.\"\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Hist!\" Thorolf said; \"there sister Gudrun goes!\n Kiartan has froze her heart up: stand we close!\"\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then Ospak laughed: \"She will not hear us yet,\n She hath a hope she cannot quite forget,\n That he who twice has flung her love aside,\n Will come some day to claim her as his bride,\n When he has slain our long-faced champion there!\n Good sooth, the house of Hauskuld waxeth fair,\n We shall have kings in Iceland ere our day\n Is quite gone by.\"\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Slowly she gat away\n Stung to the heart by those coarse words of hate, p. 458\n Wondering withal what new thought lay in wait\n To change her life; she sat her down alone\n And covered up her face, and one by one\n Strove to recall the happy days past by,\n And wondering why they past so happily\n While yet none strove for happiness; at last\n She raised her head up and a glance she cast\n Unto the open door and down the hall\n A streak of sun on Bodli's head did fall\n As he turned round and saw her; then she said\n Unto herself: 'Nay, then, love is not dead\n Since Bodli lives: why should I hate him then\n Because he heeded not the shame of men\n Amidst his love? but thou, I once called love,\n On whom I flung my heart, with whom I strove\n For ever, thy weak measured love to make\n Equal to mine, what didst thou for my sake?\n Thy soul is saved, thy fame is won, and thou\n Hast a fair damsel's arms about thee now\u2014\n Not mine\u2014and thou art happy. Who can tell,\n O Bodli Thorleikson, but down in hell\n We twain shall love, and love, and love again,\n When the first wave of the eternal pain\n Has washed our folly from us, and I know\n Why upon earth I loved a weak heart so\n That loved me not, while I was ice to thee,\n O loving lovesome traitor.\"\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Wearily\n She hung her head with parted lips awhile, p. 459\n Silent she sat, until a bitter smile\n Bemocked her face: \"Yet if I call thee love,\n And kiss thee with sweet kisses, such as move\n Great men to great deeds, trust me not too much,\n But think of honied words and tremulous touch\n As things that slay. If Kiartan lay there dead,\n How I should love him!\"\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Once more sank her head,\n And long she sat in silence, till at last\n She heard how Bodli toward her bower passed,\n And rose and met him coldly, with no sign\n That anywise her vexed heart did incline\n To ease the bitter burden that he bore.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Unheeding all, the year moved as before,\n And autumn came again. What hearts soe\u2019er\n The younger folk each unto each might bear\n Olaf and Oswif chose to shut their eyes,\n And close their ears, as peaceful men and wise,\n And make believe that nought amiss there was\n \u2019Twixt the two houses; so it came to pass\n That Bathstead to the Herdholt feast did go\n At autumn-tide once more at least; and though\n Kiartan was loth enow those folk to face,\n Yet so hard Olaf prayed that he would grace\n His father's house with his great fame, and sit,\n Yet once again while he might look at it,\n A glory to the feast, that he put by\n His doubts once more, and there with troubled eye p. 460\n Noted the twain among the Bathstead crowd,\n And Oswif's ill sons, insolent and loud,\n And turned pale when the words of greeting came\n From out his lips. Meanwhile, with shrinking shame\n And anxious heart, did Refna gaze upon\n Gudrun's great beauty, deeming she had won\n A troublous lot; and Kiartan, noting that,\n And how scarce like the mistress there she sat,\n Yet to his eyes seemed fairer, because love\n Had forged the fear that so her heart did move,\n Grew wroth that still so many memories\n Must vex his heart, and turn aside his eyes\n To Gudrun, the world's wonder there, whose face,\n Now coldly watchful, scanned the busy place.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Men say that at this feast three things betid,\n Whereby the flame the elders deemed well hid,\n Showed through the heap of smouldering love and hate.\n First, when the new-come guests did stand and wait\n Till they were marshalled to their seats, the maid\n Who did this for the women turned and said\n To Kiartan, \"Who the high-seat fills to-day\n Beside the goodwife?\"\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In most bright array\n Stood Gudrun, gazing ever at the bride,\n As though she saw not anything beside;\n And Kiartan noted her, and therewith deemed\n That in her eyes a look of hate there gleamed,\n And saw withal Refna's soft eyes fall down p. 461\n Before hers; then he spake out, with a frown:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Nay, thou art foolish, damsel: who shall sit\n In the best place, if I may deal with it,\n Saving my wife?\" But as he said the word,\n The struggling devil so his vexed heart stirred,\n That he must look at Gudrun; their eyes met,\n Paler she grew than he had seen her yet,\n Then red as blood; but he waxed wroth and said:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Ah, wert thou e\u2019en so foolish, then, O maid?\n For such a guest belike we have got here\n As thinketh everything of great or dear,\n Honour, and hearts of men, and women's tears\n Are but for her.\" Then tingling took the ears\n Of those that stood thereby; as he strode off,\n Gudrun's cold smile was bitterer than a scoff\n Spoken aloud: but Ospak laughed, and said\n In a loud whisper, close to Bodli's head:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Nay, thou shalt have to fight for Gudrun yet,\n Even though Refna did the bride-bed get.\n He deems our sister may not quench the thought\n Of all the joy she erst to Herdholt brought.\n Ah, we shall yet see Refna lie a-cold,\n Brother-in-law, unless thou waxest bold.\"\nSuch a beginning to the feast there was.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Moreover, the next day it came to pass, p. 462\n As folk ere supper sported in the hall,\n That unto her did goodwife Thorgerd call\n The gentle Refna, bidding her as one\n Who well might bid, to do the rich coif on,\n The wonder of the Greeks, the fair queen's gift:\n Then Refna reddened, and her eyes did lift\n To Kiartan, e\u2019en as asking him thereof;\n But he spake nought, her soft look might not move\n His heart from deep thought; so she went her ways,\n Scarce happy \u2019neath his far-off moody gaze,\n And came back glittering like a new-born star,\n And sat upon the dais seen afar\n Down the dusk hall. Then Ospak noted how\n Gudrun turned pale, and he his teeth did show\n Like a crossed hound, and muttered:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Past belief,\n As men may deem it, sister, yet a thief\n Asgeir begat; for longeth not that gold\n To Bathstead, if the tale be rightly told?\"\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Now Kiartan seemed to wake as from a dream,\n When in the torches' flare that gold did gleam,\n And went across to Refna's side, and said,\n Smiling and whispering: \"More I love thy head\n Uncovered, O my love; yea, and withal,\n Sharp swords thy helm from out their sheaths may call:\n Look down there, how the sons of Oswif scowl\n Around poor Bodli's face; the storm doth growl\n Afar already\u2014nay, nay, fear thee nought!\u2014 p. 463\n But good I deemed it thou shouldst know my thought.\"\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sour and sick-hearted Gudrun turned away,\n Noting how Kiartan's hand on Refna's lay,\n And how their cheeks were close each unto each.\n And Refna's eyes that love did so beseech,\n Her soft mouth, tremulous with longing sore\n For yet more kisses, long time hung before\n Her weary eyes upon that weary night,\n Yea, and till mirth of men was slain by light.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Hearken once more: the morn the guests should go,\n About the stead Kiartan went to and fro,\n Busied in such things, as his father's son,\n For honour's very sake, must see well done;\n And as he ordered how the folk should ride,\n His sword, 'The King's Gift' named, which by his side\n Was ever wont to hang, upon his bed\n He left awhile, and, when the guests were sped,\n Came back to seek the same, and found it gone.\n Then questioning there was of everyone,\n And mighty trouble; An the Black meanwhile,\n A sturdy house-carle, slipped out with a smile,\n Just as old Olaf to his son \u2019gan talk\n In such wise:\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Son, hate far abroad will walk\n E\u2019en when new-born, although we nurse it not:\n Now my heart tells me much must be forgot,\n Many words hidden, many sights be seen p. 464\n By thine eyes only, son, if I, between\n Death and the end of life shall see thee last;\n And hold thy living hands as life goes past,\n Mine eyes a-waxing dim: wait then, and hope:\n Thou shalt grow stronger with the world to cope,\n If thou sitst down with patience, casting not\n Long days and sweet on drawing of a lot.\"\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Such things and more he spake, and Kiartan heard\n With kind eyes, if his heart were little stirred.\n But, as they sat and talked thereof, came back,\n Smiling, but panting sorely, An the Black,\n And in his cloak he carried something wrapped.\n\"Well,\" Olaf said, \"and what new thing hath happed?\"\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Soon told,\" said An; \"I followed them afar,\n Knowing what thieves those Bathstead skinkers are,\n And at the peat moss where the road doth wind\n About the dale, young Thorolf lagged behind;\n I saw him take a something from his cloak,\n And thrust it down just were the stream doth soak\n The softest through the peat; then swift again\n Ride on: so when they might not see me plain,\n O ho, says I, and comes up to the place,\n And here and there I peer with careful face\n Until at last I draw this fair thing forth;\n \u2014A pity though, the scabbard is of worth!\n Clean gone it is.\" p. 465\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then from his cloak he drew\n 'The King's Gift' bright and naked. Olaf grew\n Joyous thereover, praising An right well.\n But Kiartan \u2019gan to gloom: \"Ah, who can tell,\"\n He muttered, as he took the sword to him,\n \"But this shall end the troublous tale and dim?\u2014\n Well, I at least cast not the sheath away;\n Bewail not ye too much, who have to pay\n For pleasure gained; his may the worst hap be,\n Who best can bear the pain and misery.\"","title":"The Earthly Paradise (September-November): The Lovers of Gudrun: The Sword comes back without the Scabbard","type":"page"}