To the Love-queen Gisli pray'd,
Groan'd far icebergs tall and blue
As to Lada's distaff slim,
All their ice-locked fires flew.
To the Love-queen Gisli prayed,
She, with red hands, caught and spun.
Yellow flames from crater lips,
flames from the waking sun.
To the Love-queen Gisli prayed,
She with loom and beam and spell,
All the subtle fires of earth
Wove, and wove them strong and well.
To the Spring-queen Gisli prayed,
Low the sun the pale sky trod;
Mute her ruddy hand she raised
Beckon'd back the parting God.
To the Love-queen Gisli prayed--
Weft and woof of flame she wove--
Lada, Goddess of the Spring!
Lada, Goddess strong of Love!
Sire of the strong chieftain's prayer,
Victory with his pulse of flame;
Mead its mother--loud he laughed,
Calling on great Lada's name.
"Goddess Lada--Queen of Love!
"Here stand I and quaff to thee--
"Deck for thee with buds my spear--
"Give a comely wife to me!
"Blow not to my arms a flake
"Of crisp snow in maiden guise;
"Mists of pallid hair and tips
"Of long ice-spears in her eyes!
"When my death-sail skims the foam--
"Strain my oars on Death's black sea--
"When my foot the "Glass-Hill" seeks--
"Such a maid may do for me!
"Now, O Lada, mate the flesh!
"Mate the fire and flame of life,
"Tho' the soul go still unwed,
"Give the flesh its fitting wife!
"As the galley runs between,
"Skies with billows closely spun:
"Feeling but the wave that leaps
"Closest to it in the sun.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107