The Giant of Bern and Orm Ungerswayne: A Ballad. Borrow George

      The Giant of Bern and Orm Ungerswayne: A Ballad

      THE GIANT OF BERN

      It was the lofty Jutt of Bern

         O’er all the walls he grew;

      He was mad and ne’er at rest,

         To tame him no one knew.

      He was mad and ne’er at rest,

         No lord could hold him in;

      If he had long in Denmark stayed

         Much damage there had been.

      It was the lofty Jutt of Bern

         Bound to his side his glaive,

      And away to the monarch’s house he rode

         With the knights a fray to have.

      Now goes the lofty Jutt of Bern

         Before the King to stand:

      “Thou shalt to me thy daughter give,

         And a brief for half thy land.

      “Here as thou sitt’st at thy wide board,

         Hail Monarch of the Danes!

      Thou shalt to me thy daughter give,

         And the half of thy domains.

      “Thou shalt to me thy daughter give,

         And divide with me thy land,

      Or thou shalt find a kempion good

         In the ring ’gainst me to stand.”

      “O thou shalt ne’er my daughter get,

         Nor a brief for half my land,

      I’ll quickly find a kempion good

         Shall fight thee hand to hand.”

      Then strode the Monarch of the Danes

         To his castle hall amain:

      “Now which of ye, my courtiers, will

         The lovely Damsel gain?

      “Here sit ye all my Danish swains

         On whom I bread bestow,

      Now which of ye will risk his life

         To lay the Berner low?

      “I’ll give to him my daughter dear,

         The wondrous lovely may,

      Who in the ring with Jutt of Bern

         Shall dare the desperate fray.”

      In silence all the kempions sat,

         None dared reply a word,

      Except alone Orm Ungerswayne,

         The lowest at the board.

      Except alone Orm Ungerswayne,

         He bounded o’er the board:

      I tell to ye in verity

         He spake a manly word.

      “Wilt thou to me thy daughter give,

         And divide with me thy land?

      O then will I the kempion be,