And his white hand to her the bold monarch tends.

Then unto her brother she gives her fair hand:
“ I joy much to see thee returned to the land.”

Much favour and friendship to her he display’d
And that Queen Sophia so furious made.

The king to the brim filled a beaker with wine:
“I beg of thee drink to me, dear sister mine!”

“Now hear, little Kirsten, what I to thee say,
Thou shalt sing before me some pretty love-lay.”

“I never in all my life learnt a love-lay,
But I’ll sing another as well as I may.”

“O thou with thy dancing, and eke with thy voice,
The hearts of my guests shalt this evening rejoice.”

To sing then a song little Kirsten began,
To the tune danced so many a bold knightly man.

The King himself sprang ’mid the dancers’ gay band,
And his sister he took by the lilly-fair hand.

He out and in with her eagerly danced,
But nothing amiss in her movements he glanced.

So often the King proved the voice of the maid,
And still to her gait more attention he paid.

And the King measured her by the girdle with care,
But still he of nothing amiss was aware.

“O Sophia, may thee shame and evil betide,
My dear little Kirsten thou’st foully belied.”

“It is the Lord’s truth that I’ve told, and no lie,
She has brought forth a daughter in secrecy.”

The Queen has yet worse little Kirsten distrest,
Her two lovely breasts she tore out from her vest.

And, craving her ruin, with hand resolute
She pressed out the milk before Valdemar’s foot.

She pressed out the milk ’fore the King on the floor:
“My King and my husband, canst doubt any more?”

Then black as the earth grew King Valdemar’s face,
And Kirstenlil swooned ’neath the load of disgrace.

“I intended to wed thee but full speedily,
Now thou shalt this evening with agony die.

“To a mighty lord I’d resolv’d thee to espouse,
Now this very night thy young life thou shalt lose.

“The death the most cruel and painful of all,
This night thou shalt suffer in this very hall.”

Little Kirsten she fell ’fore the King on her knee:
“Dear brother! I pray shew some pity to me.”

“Thy kneeling, O Kirsten, will profit thee nought,
The basest and vilest of sins thou hast wrought.

’Tis folly to hope I shall mercy display,
Thou injured me hast in such infamous way.

I promised thy hand, for of this nought I knew,
To the son of a king ’cross the Haf’s water blue.”

He turned to the foot-swain who stood at his side:
“ Fetch hither five horse-whips,” King Valdemar cried.

Little Kirsten she fell down upon her bare knee:
“Now mighty Lord God! look with mercy on me.”

“For four whips or five whips thou needest not send,
One will be quite enough to bring me to my end.”

The King in his hand the horse-scourges has ta’en,
His bosom with sorrow was filled, and with pain.

“ Rise, rise Queen Sophia! and beg for me now,
For brought me to this have thy brother and thou.”

“Little worthy were I of the title of Queen,
Were I to essay such a harlot to screen.”

“I’ll punish her so, though I love her full dear,
That all shall thereof with astonishment hear.”

He lashed her so long, and he lashed her so sore,
That grovelling she lay in a stream of red gore.

She crept for defence ’neath Sophia’s array,
With her foot she with vehemence spurned her away.

“O ’neath your red scarlet my poor body hide,
For the sake of the Christ who for us sinners died.

I let fall so many a big briny tear,
God’s mercy upon me! my fate has been drear.

O brother, O brother, your cruel hand stay,
For a moment, that soul-gifts distribute I may.

I give to thyself all my castles so grand,
Because that my life thou dost hold in thy hand.

To my daughter so dear my red gold I bequeath,
For she shall cause vengeance be ta’en for my death.

I give to Queen Sophy my silver-cased knife,
Because she it was who betrayed my young life.