s: If you made this ditty, 't was surely not I.


s: "Three more such sunshine-days, and everything will


s: be in,"--said mother, and went to make my bed.


s: "Little hood, be with me to this resigned,


s: She steps to the chest where the hood has lain,


s: She guides her hand to its place apart,--


s: Ready with leaves and with buds stood the tree.


s: "Shall I take them?" the frost said, now puffing with glee.


s: All trembling from tree-top to root came the plea.


s: Flowers unfolding the birds gladly sung.


s: "Shall I take them?" the wind said and merrily swung.


s: Protested the tree, while it quivering hung.


s: The cherries came forth 'neath the sun's glowing eye.


s: "Shall I take them?" a rosy young girl's eager cry.


s: Low bending its branches, the tree brought them nigh.


s: The youth in the woods spent the whole day long,


s: For there he had heard such a wonderful song,


s: But while he was listening, it fled from his ear,


s: When he would seize it, his sleep took flight,


s: Answered the Lord: "'T is your friend alone,


s: A land there is, lying near far-northern snow,


s: Where only the fissures life's springtime may know.


s: But surging, the sea tells of great deeds done,


s: And loved is the land as a mother by son.


s: What time we were little and sat on her knee,


s: She gave us her saga with pictures to see.


s: We read till our eyes opened wide and moist,


s: While nodding and smiling she mute rejoiced.


s: We went to the fjord and in wonder beheld


s: The ashen-gray bauta, that record of eld;


s: Still older she stood and her silence kept,


s: While stone-studded hows all around us slept.


s: Our hands she then took and away o'er the hill


s: She led to the church ever lowly and still,


s: Where humbly our forefathers knelt to pray,


s: And mildly she taught us: "Do ye as they!"


s: She scattered her snow on the mountain's steep side,


s: Then bade on swift skis her young manhood to glide;


s: The North Sea she maddened with scourge of gales,


s: Then bade her young manhood to hoist the sails.


s: Of beautiful maidens she gathered a throng,


s: To follow our daring with smiles and with song,


s: While she sat enthroned with her saga's scroll


s: In mantle of moonlight beneath the Pole.


s: Then "Forward, go forward!" was borne on the wind,


s: "With forefathers' aim and with forefathers' mind,


s: For freedom, for Norsehood, for Norway, hurrah!"


s: While echoing mountains voiced their hurrah.


s: Then life-giving fountains burst forth on our sight,


s: Then we were baptized with her spirit of might,


s: Then gleamed o'er the mountains a vision high,


s: Though some hope may now break, forsooth,


s: Something near thee is calling: "Here!"--


s: Close this straw-thatched cottage humble,


s: Through the fence she looked with longing,


s: Thought's wide realm, with vision gladder


s: Play of thought 'mid tears and laughter,


s: Where far it rolls in its calm and grandeur,


s: The weight of mountain-like fogbanks bearing,


s: The skies may lower, the land may call it,


s: It knows no resting and knows no yielding.


s: In nights of summer, in storms of winter,


s: Its surges murmur the self-same longing.


s: Where far is lifted its broad, cold forehead!


s: Thereon the world throws its deepest shadow


s: Though warm and blithesome the bright sun stroke it


s: With joyous message, that life is gladness,


s: It drowns the sorrow and drowns the solace.


s: The full moon pulling, the tempest lifting,


s: Must loose their hold on the flowing water.


s: Down whirling lowlands and crumbling mountains


s: What forth it draws must the one way wander.


s: No message comes thence, no cry is heard thence;


s: Its voice, its silence, can none interpret.


s: Yes, toward the ocean, far out toward ocean,


s: A strange alliance with Death unites it,


s: That _all_ it give Him,--itself excepting!


s: To thee let fly all my anxious longings:


s: May thy cool breath to my heart bring healing!


s: Let Death now follow, his booty seeking:


s: The moves are many before the checkmate!


s: Though Death ride fast on thy howling tempest;


s: Thy billows raging shall bear the faster


s: And some swift-coursing by night are passing,


s: To note the ground-swell's resistless current,


s: The sighing heart of the breathing ocean --


s: Or small waves plashing along the planking,


s: The night's, the water's united coldness


s: Prepares my spirit for death's dark dwelling.


s: Then comes day's dawning! My soul bounds upward


s: On beams of light to the vault of heaven;


s: My ship-steed sniffing its flank is laving


s: With buoyant zest in the cooling billow.


s: With song the sailor to masthead clambers


s: To clear the sail that shall swell more freely,


s: And thoughts are flying like birds aweary


s: Round mast and yard-arm, but find no refuge.  ...


s: With keel unswerving the cold thought cleaving,


s: But hope deriving from lightest breezes!


s: Death's eager fingers so near the rudder,


s: While heaven's clearness the way illumines!


s: To feel the bolts and the nails are yielding


s: And Death is pressing the seams asunder,


s: Wet winding-sheets shall be folded round me,


s: While rolling billows my name bear shoreward


s: In spacious nights 'neath the cloudless moonlight!


s: A friend I possess, whose whispers just said,


s: "God's peace!" to my night-watching mind.


s: When daylight is gone and darkness brings dread,


s: He utters no word to smite and to score;


s: He heals with his look the place that is sore,


s: He takes for his own the deed that is such


s: He cleanses the wound with so gentle a touch,


s: He followed each hope the heights that would scale


s: He stands here just now, so mild, but so pale; --


s: The princess looked down from her bower high,


s: The youth blew his horn as he lingered thereby.


s: "Be quiet, O youth, will forever you blow?


s: It hinders my thoughts, that would far away go,


s: The youth ceased his blowing, his horn he laid by.


s: "Why are you so quiet? Now more shall you blow,


s: It lifts all my thoughts, that would far away go,


s: The youth blew again, as he lingered thereby.


s: Then weeping, she whispered: "O God, let me know


s: The name of this sorrow that burdens me so! --


s: Life's lustrous longings in infinite streaming;--


s: Glory in death o'er the mountains is spread.


s: Over the bluish-black fields softly passes,


s: Hid is yon valley 'neath thousand years' veil.


s: Great men of old stand in marble erected,


s: Vespers are ringing, through roseate air


s: Twilight in churches now broadens and rises,


s: Incense and word fill the evening with prayer.


s: Over the Sabines the flame-belt is knotted,


s: Shepherds' lights through the Campagna are dotted,


s: Rome with her lamps dimly breaks on the sight,--


s: Colors and tones in all thoughts are enthroning


s: Lost has the light in its soundless affray,


s: Heaven its vaulting of dark-blue is framing,


s: Where from infinity deep stars are flaming,


s: Fleeing the darkness, the eyes seek the city,


s: Meet with its torches a corpse borne in pity;


s: These seek the night, but a flag is each light,


s: Through all the dreaming life's arteries flowing,


s: Silence o'er all, and the darker blue sky


s: Watches serenely expectant, 'mid cheering


s: Dreams of the past and the future that's nearing:--


s: Fluctuant gleams in the gray that is nigh.


s: But they will gather, and Rome be resurgent,


s: Day-dawn from Italy's midnight emergent:


s: Cannon shall sound and the bells ring the new,


s: Mem'ries illumine the future's bright blue!--


s: Mightier yearnings sweet sleep is beguiling;--


s: Our thoughts go by stealth to make search and renew it,


s: But neither dares question nor give answer due it;


s: Two eyes, oh, two eyes made a snare and then drew it,


s: And who would escape must beware, and eschew it!


s: But look you, this knowledge, to no purpose grew it,


s: I farther will go, Heaven guard, lest we rue it,--


s: Her watch at its waking the mother was keeping:


s: "How sweet, my dear child, was your smile now while sleeping!"


s: But soon it heard laughter and mother-words tender;


s: The angels brought dreams full of childhood's rare splendor.


s: But faithful the angels their vigils were keeping,


s: She wandered so young on the shore around,


s: Her thoughts were by naught on earth now bound.


s: Soon came there a painter, his art he plied


s: He painted the shore and herself beside.


s: More slowly she wandered near him around,


s: Her thoughts by a single thing were bound.


s: And this was his picture wherein he drew


s: All driven and drawn far and wide around


s: Her thoughts now by everything were bound.


s: His heartstrings were near unto rending,


s: Her life-hope was shattered past mending,


s: Her thought was of him at life's ending,


s: Sails are let down, toward Denmark stare


s: Here hast thou before thee that constellation


s: These stars in the vault of high thoughts' mutation


s: Their prophecy, little one, we cannot know,


s: They light up the way that, unknown, thou shalt go


s: And kindle the thoughts that within shall glow.


s: See, see, here is blood on his blanching hair,


s: For cold it becomes, while vain is your vengeance.


s: Up, up, warriors, your chieftain has fallen,


s: Your honor, your father, the joy of your children,


s: Legend of all the valley, hero of all the land,--


s: Here he has fallen, will you not avenge him?


s: Murdered with malice within the king's hall,


s: The ting-hall, the hall of the law, thus murdered,


s: Murdered by him whom the law holds highest,--


s: From heaven will lightning fall on the land,


s: If thus left unpurged by the flames of vengeance.


s: If he stood here on the hill, my kinsman,


s: The fjord should not save the slayer of Einar,


s: And I should not seek you cowards who flinch!


s: Oh, peasants, hear me, my husband has fallen,


s: The high-seat of my thoughts through years half a hundred!


s: Overthrown it now is, and by its right side,


s: Can I ever again lift them up in prayer?


s: If I go and stay in the places of strangers,--


s: I shall long for those where we lived together.


s: That God in Gimle, new and fearful, who all has taken,


s: Let Him now also take vengeance! Well He knows how!


s: Drive slowly! For so drove Einar always;


s: The dogs to-day will not greet us gladly,


s: And lifting their heads the horses will listen;


s: Neighing they stand, the stable-door watching,


s: In vain for his voice will they hearken,


s: That called before him for all to arise and stand,


s: Pray, take these pearls!--and my thanks for them


s: You lavished, the home of my youth to gem!


s: The thousands of hours of peaceful luster


s: Your spirit has filled, are pearls that cluster


s: With thoughts whence the truth gleams: Thus gave his wife,


s: What wakens the billows, while sleeps the wind?


s: What kindles the stars, ere day's declined,


s: What drives the fierce dragon to ride the foam,


s: The sea-fowl are shrieking, they seek their home,


s: What maiden so strange to the strand draws nigh,


s: What is it that makes all the flowers die,


s: Flight of my eye to the great and distant


s: At the rudder stands a fool. Who can save it?


s: Space unending spans not all the questions


s: They thrust one another out of the lands.--


s: "In Nazareth a light is set!" one says aloud,


s: But the half-part perish from hunger by the wayside,


s: The other half by the sword of the heathen,


s: The pest awaits the pilgrim in Nazareth,--


s: Wast Thou there, or wast Thou not there?


s: Hast Thou millions of millions hidden in Thy future,


s: Oh, to them are the thousands that now suffer


s: And swelling in mist it mounts a mighty cloud.


s: "Oh, till to-morrow! The mountains to see


s: While his friends for mercy were praying.


s: "Oh, in the church let God's blood so bright


s: Deep sank the steel, and each seeing eye


s: "Magnus, King Magnus, good-by, good-by!"


s: Night came on, she the bridegroom seized,


s: Frida, I knew that thy life-years were counted.


s: If but before thee a lifting thought mounted,


s: Upward thy gaze turned all wistful to view it,


s: Eyes that so clear saw the wonderful vision


s: Looked far away beyond earth's indecision.


s: Snow-white unfolded the pinions that later


s: Speaking or asking thou broughtest me sorrow;


s: Eyes thine and words thine seemed wanting to borrow


s: Clearness more pure and thoughts, victory gaining


s: When thou wert dancing in all a child's lightness,


s: Shaking thy locks like a fountain in brightness,


s: Laughing till heaven was opened in gladness


s: Or when affliction in sternness had spoken,


s: So that thy heart in that moment seemed broken,


s: Far from thy thoughts in thy suffering riven


s: Then, oh, I saw then: thy joy and thy grieving


s: Ever the bounds of the mortal were cleaving.


s: All seems so little where silent we ponder,--


s: Mountains high around and ocean's deep before thee,


s: Ancient and unaging as thy Holberg's humor;


s: Breaks forth from thy rain and fog wind-driven,


s: When the clouds were darkest o'er our land.


s: Whence there sprang stout thoughts to make our country's harvest,


s: By thy nature, somber, large, and strong.


s: Wand'ring on thy strands our poet dreamed, _Welhaven_;


s: Fjords of blue convey thy life-blood through our country.


s: Great thy past, no less thy future great.


s: Took its load of thoughts and doubtings,


s: Bore them, threw them off,--and took them,


s: Powers of light gave repose to his breast,


s: Or he joined glad in their light-hearted game,


s: Gone were the clouds, in the heavens came


s: Thrush and grouse send forth their wood-calls


s: Birth of names, all laws' close kinship,


s: Storm-wind makes and storm-wind follows!


s: Gleamed his thought with light and guidance.


s: Of his thought the glint, showed kinship


s: Towards the South in constant movement,--


s: Knowledge wells in streams of fullness;--


s: That have laid them down to rest here;--


s: Rowing round the deep fjords' surface;--


s: Stood where dead men burst the earth-clods


s: "Peace be with thee! Thou hast conquered!"


s: Coursed the sea-ways toward his standard.


s: But Denmark, in sorrow most deep thou waitest,


s: For fallen the life that was warmest, greatest,


s: Bewailing the death of their kingly chief,


s: For Denmark's salvation the man was born


s: When banished in youth from the court in scorn,


s: There throve he right well, there grew he together


s: With peasants and sailors in foul and fair weather,


s: When ready for Denmark was laid the snare,


s: Now soon it was plain, he was peasant-skulled


s: The traitors' shrewd schemings were all annulled


s: He knew but one thing;--what his people thought them,


s: And therefore in danger he freedom brought them.


s: His words were but few, and of these the key:


s: He stood by the helm like a sailor good,


s: The ship to the North he unswerving directed,--


s: In storm or in fog, exposed or protected;--


s: "On deck every man!" was his last command,


s: When answered the cry from the mast-head: "Land!"


s: Were loosed from the helm the true hands that were steering,


s: In death he sank down, while the ship began veering--


s: Now, Denmark, united, with all thy force


s: But shoulder to shoulder to lend a hand,


s: They gather now fruit of his faithful training:


s: Well drilled, every man at his post is straining.


s: Naught else can they do now, but with good cheer


s: Stand guard in the darkness and have no fear,


s: It is sultry and silent, and yearning in sorrow


s: All breathless they listen and wait for the morrow,--


s: The eastern sky reddens and bright dawn speeds


s: Near Charles the Twelfth stands Tordenskjold,


s: The song thou sang'st the North t' inspire


s: Its name shall be: "The Free North's Hymn!"


s: The Danish proud frigate, no more will you hail


s: No more will the ringing command be heard


s: No dance will you see, no laughter meet,


s: From mast and from stern no garland you greet,


s: But all that we owned of the treasures on board


s: One sad winter night to the sea-waves were poured


s: It was that same night, when the frigate nigh


s: Distress-guns was firing, the surf running high


s: To help from the harbor men put out boats,


s: The frigate toward Germany drifting floats,


s: What once had been ours overboard was strown,


s: Was quickly removed, to the sea it was thrown


s: The Northern lion, that figure-head gray,


s: In pieces 'twas hewn, and the frigate lay


s: Repaired and refitted, its canvas it spread


s: With black-yellow flag and an eagle dread


s: When sailing we Kattegat sweep with our eyes,


s: First warm drop, full-flowing, cleaving,


s: We dug the wealth in mountain treasured,


s: And springtime thoughts were free to run


s: Each plot reclaimed for harvest-reaping,


s: Each spark of thought our life illuming,


s: Each deed to fruit of increase blooming,--


s: Roll forth Thy thunders, Thy lightning affright them,


s: Into the pit, the bottomless, smite them,


s: Send then Thy snowy white dove peace-bringing,


s: Olive-branch fair of Thy summer's fruition


s: I read once of a flower that lonely grew,


s: Apart, with trembling stem and pale of hue;


s: And glad exclaimed: Oh, this must sheltered be,


s: But as he dug and drew it from the ground,


s: Strange glitterings upon his hands he found;


s: For to its roots clung dust of golden hue;


s: And from the region wide came all the youth


s: To see the wonder; they divined the truth:


s: The Lord of life has lifted him and borne


s: For where the roots were of that life replete,


s: What gleams and glitters! See, they ran to meet


s: Now he is lifted up, to light are brought


s: The riches he to guard so faithful sought.


s: Come, Norway's youth! Unearth to use the hoard


s: That round this heaven-borne flower's roots was stored!


s: _The Northern cause with thee, with thee!_


s: When something great to guard was given.


s: When every breast with warmth shall glow


s: At Sweden's name, thy strength thou'lt know.


s: What's thine alone lifts not thy feeling,


s: Till honor's cause the skies are pealing,


s: Of all thou canst, this is the greatest,


s: Thou land of heart-born fancies thronging,


s: Sink the still hours to eternity's sleep.


s: Smiling their light through its cloud-veil they pour,


s: Ocean would wander and warmer lands woo.


s: Fairy-light made in the forest the snow;


s: Boughs of your longing surrounds with its spell.


s: In feasts where youth's full spirits stream,


s: From friends, from all, from fatherland!


s: Your soul's calm power is from us riven,


s: Your words, your song, to spirit's praise


s: Who anxious stood with strength untried!


s: Thanks for the spring of your life's year,


s: Thanks for the tones so sweet and clear,


s: 'T is but a short time since we saw pass by


s: A picture drawn from life, austere and dark,


s: Although religion prays and sings its hymns,


s: And poetry and art their sunshine spread,


s: That soul in slavery toils, till white the hair.


s: Was early made to feel by hard conditions,


s: That clouded life and rudely barred her soul,--


s: How men and women live as toiling slaves!


s: And she rebelled against this servitude;


s: Great powers have birth to longings for the light;


s: _Freedom she craved, that others she might free!_


s: With restless spirit outward went her quest


s: To people, books; but thoughtful she became,


s: As one whose search was vain; reserved and shy,


s: As one whose courage fails;--until one day


s: _He_, who from fairy-tale and hero-legend


s: That wondrous bow received of magic might,


s: Stood up and to the vale and mountain played:


s: "Come forth, come from our nation's heart-deep forth,


s: Creative might, that in our nation's morning


s: Didst lift its image up to dread, to greatness,


s: As mountain-walls lean o'er their own reflection,


s: In that thought-ocean we our life could see,


s: With spring, with winter, and with spring again.


s: Thou gav'st our image oft in song and story,


s: In times of darkness and in times of light;


s: But yet our nation sees it not, nor looks


s: Up from its toiling thoughts and dull routine!--


s: Oh, wake it, lift it, _make it see itself!_


s: Then shall it put to use the powers it owns!"


s: And living echoes answered! Lo, there swarmed


s: Elves of the Stage about him, as he played!


s: They made the lamps to burn, and reared the grotto,


s: They brought and brushed the costumes Holberg knew,


s: And in them played their pranks 'neath powdered wigs,--


s: Roamed on the mountains of a summer night


s: And stole the saeter-maiden while she slept,


s: And filled with mortal fear the aged wooer!


s: They danced the goblin-dance in dusk of winter,


s: Played hide-and-seek with their own shadows;


s: They snared the hypocrite in his own sighs,


s: They scattered wide the hoard a miser gathered,


s: They tripped and threw the petty parish-pope


s: They saved the tears of innocence seduced


s: And on the altar laid as lustrous pearls;


s: They melted hatred in the ice-hard breast,


s: It fell as rain upon the enemy's fields;


s: But one who freely gave himself, his all,


s: They bore to heaven upon their joyous laughter.


s: They drew the magic ring round those who loved,


s: They brought heroic forms from barrows old


s: To tower in might among the teeming present.


s: --There was not one could longer rest in peace;


s: Himself, his folly, all our country's need,


s: Wholeness victorious, halfness doomed to fail,


s: The power of honest faith, the wreck of doubt,--


s: All this our nation saw in its own image,


s: When strongly lighted on the Stage 't was set.--


s: And she was part of this! The first full tone


s: Thrilled her breast too and woke a thousand mem'ries


s: Of something that she ne'er before had known!


s: On that first evening, when the curtain rose,


s: With timid step one clad in white came forth


s: And begged for Norway's art, for our young drama


s: A home in Norway,--but with so great fear,


s: The gentle voice was trembling, dim the eyes;


s: Yet from the voice, the eyes, the form, the bearing


s: For she who spoke those first words on this Stage,


s: That maiden dark with eyes so deep and true,


s: And softly radiant through the evening hours.--


s: With fairy lightness fell its magic gleams


s: On hidden longings, sorrows half-concealed,--


s: But gently, tenderly. If joy she touched,


s: 'T was always softly. But we all could feel


s: A stream of power so full, that if she had


s: With all its deep and swelling tide sincere,


s: It would have borne herself from earth away.


s: In truth, the calmness of her course through life


s: Was never weakness, but was strength controlled;


s: For those whose souls are great: a model she


s: This wreath we weave for her pure memory.


s: But what she thus had early taught herself,


s: She taught to others. When upon the stage


s: She stood, depicting woman's painful conflict


s: With rudeness, violence, and wild desire,


s: Then,--though she wielded but a woman's weapons,


s: Her light derision, all-subduing laughter,--


s: A spirit-dawn gleamed from their flashing play,


s: She barriers raised around the woman weak


s: (Down-trodden in a half-built social order),


s: She stood forth here so many an evening-hour


s: And talked to thousands of a woman's worth.


s: All that a woman's heart may hope and dream,


s: She shielded it secure in all its beauty.


s: This conflict made her reticent, severe;--


s: But sometimes in a song her spirit could


s: Send forth glad tidings, messages of freedom,


s: Her large free soul revealing. _Then_ we heard


s: Such longing after full, unbroken peace,


s: Our thoughts were captive held by sad foreboding.--


s: 'T is now come true!--The crape of mourning droops


s: About her name, the tolling bell is still.


s: Before her stage, and here our thanks we utter


s: For what she gave us. So as _she_ had given,


s: Has no one given. She gave of her sorrow,


s: With bleeding heart beneath her winsome smile.


s: She shared with us the tears her conflict brought,


s: Thanks, prayer-borne thanks, you noble soul,


s: From all your brothers, from your sisters all!


s: From Norway's youthful art enduring thanks!


s: Farewell and thanks!--From all those whom you lifted


s: Once more a wreath is brought,--it is the last.


s: Now God in His bright heaven makes you glad,


s: And we will make you glad with good remembrance.


s: Our glasses we lift now and drink to our host!


s: Give heed to our ditty, we sing you our toast!


s: The first thing appearing is what he was nearing,


s: When uproar not fearing he came for a hearing


s: He came like an innocent spring-lambkin ewe-born,


s: So neat and so fine in his guilelessness new-born


s: The flesh so delicious was chopped up to farce-meat,


s: And later by Wergeland found for a farce meet,


s: But swift as Thor's he-goats to life again skipping,


s: Whole skinned together, and gave them a whipping


s: This made him seem worthy to join the gay party,


s: At once they received him in fellowship hearty!


s: The light from his shop spread afar and made brighter


s: His drawing-room gathered so many a fighter


s: Our taste there was made and our critical passion,


s: The shop was a power, new Norway to fashion.


s: For what you have kindled, endured, and aspired,


s: For hearts you have gladdened and souls you have fired,


s: For all your good faith in your fervor and ranting,


s: Yes, for your whole-heartedness free from all canting,


s: With friends you stalwart stand and fair,


s: Through rock-like faith and will's full stream


s: On heights of heart's-ease lifting square


s: With nixie's charm and wood-nymph's spell,


s: The red one's, they were white,--and oh,


s: I love these hands, these lips enchanting,


s: But guards them, too, lest aught betide.


s: Although you heed not what you've heard,


s: Sorrow's dark cloud-castles captured and burned;


s: Will it foster with love, in my faith, in my child.


s: From its easternmost bound to the western sea wild.


s: If by us, if by us all love's duty were done.


s: We can lift up our land, if we all lift as one.


s: And the Norman's high walls stand on many a shore.


s: And is red with life's vigor as never before.


s: Shall unite once again and their true selves shall know.


s: As a brook to the river that forward shall flow.


s: All was, all it is, all it can be again.


s: Shall the seed of our love bring it increase again.


s: A folk grown strong 'neath sail and spar;


s: Winter had sought his life's tree to o'erthrow,


s: Youthful and strong. But his blood's vernal flow


s: Saved it from death through the cold and the maiming;


s: Late in the summer bright flowers were flaming,


s: Late in the autumn they swelled to completeness,--


s: Fruits that were few, but of fragrance and sweetness.


s: Poets received them to endless seed-sowing,


s: Where for his folk endless summer is glowing,--


s: Stricken he hung o'er the death-river's shore,


s: Fighting in weakness the winter abhorred,


s: Fighting for summer, the singer's reward,


s: Fighting while failing, with modesty rare,


s: Summer received him! He now is victorious!


s: Now, while they harvest the yellowing corn,


s: Now, while the hills hear the notes of the horn,


s: Marked by our winter, in summer its source.


s: E'en as the air with its quivering sheen,


s: Leaves of the forests and red peaks serene,


s: Waters that wander 'mid meadows delaying


s: Sound with the music the sunshine is playing,--


s: If it, though failing, is faithful in strife:--


s: _Soon comes the summer with summer's pure longing._


s: High where your silvery song-notes are sounding.


s: Joyous the sprite of your poetry bringing.


s: Leading our land to the light of the morning.


s: All that fires the spirit and makes the heart's faith bright,


s: Though it shall be tested by doubt and by defeat,


s: Hid in Northern mountains are spirit-treasures true


s: They shall, when dawns the morning's blue,


s: Hearts that meet, all bonds are forcing,


s: Our Spring-meeting's fullness swells now,


s: The depth, the strength, its songs impart,


s: While forth to conquest called the wave.


s: With gulls and whales and fishing-posts,


s: And white with spawn the ocean's ground.


s: Through snow and gloom their course must be;


s: Their fathers, strong in brain and brawn,


s: Toward the windows that blood-red burned


s: To lissome hands and soft lips enthralling,


s: To smiles now stained by the teardrops falling.


s: And from the springtime all love's sweet dreaming


s: Forward and back in my soul is streaming.


s: When streams their ebbing with sinking power,


s: The sun lifts _all_ that is living, growing,


s: God's love itself in its symbol showing.


s: To church pass people from near and far,


s: --Good cheer! Your greeting hailed more than me,


s: But that in hastening you failed to see.


s: Though oft they cunningly keep in hiding;


s: And when you heard me so softly singing,


s: The tones attuned to their hearts were ringing.


s: One soul is here of such priceless worth,


s: Yes, she who smiled in my boat storm-driven,


s: And blanched not, braving the waves wind-riven,


s: In whose white arms that in love caressed me


s: Full warmth of life and of faith possessed me.


s: The snail in this I am like when faring,--


s: Where she gives light amid children's laughter.


s: Your soul is brighter, your heart more tender,


s: When by the cradle your thanks you render.


s: Who knows not love in the small and near,


s: What towers he builds will be soon o'erthrown.


s: When such a stronghold you've reared with labor,


s: Though work of woman's and children's hands,


s: Your soul finds strength where that fortress stands,


s: Can courage give unto countless strangers.


s: One home bore often a whole land's fate,


s: Thousands of _homes_, when the war was o'er,


s: The hearts of homes beating true to duty.


s: Though foreign perfumes be fine and rare,


s: Still pure alone is the home's sweet air.


s: Naught meets you there but the childlike, truthful,


s: And sin is kissed from your forehead ruthful.


s: Good cheer, to church on your way not staying!


s: For those we love we shall both be praying;


s: That leads from this to the home up yonder.


s: Good cheer! Your greeting hailed more than me,


s: But that in hastening you failed to see.


s: In all the land our race was once excelling.


s: Broad seats and fruitful; but by fate's hard stresses


s: _Our_ branch was bent and bowed to blows compelling.


s: Now toward the light again it lifts aloft


s: Its top, and fresh buds crown it, fair and soft.


s: The flowing fountain of _your_ faith has laved it,


s: To life's late evening thus your strength has saved it.


s: As rests the race in time of chill and rigor,


s: And from the deeps that lie within its being


s: Draws to it what alone can nourish, freeing


s: Of nature's might that you could not subdue;


s: It was so strong, from sire to son surviving,


s: In mystery mute descends this power's striving.


s: Upon this poured its radiant warmth pervading


s: My mother's soul; of wedded joy the glory


s: Crowns not alone your aged heads and hoary;


s: But it shall death outlive in light unfading.


s: The pictured home that in my writings lies,


s: Honor of love and faith serene, unbroken,--


s: Of father, mother, both, shall praise be spoken.


s: As from the field of toil or saga fateful


s: I conjured him; to you they shall be grateful,


s: Father, in whom love let me find him present.


s: In sun-like splendid faith and spirit true,


s: Who has their homage, my sweet-natured mother.


s: And now you'll rest the evening long and cheery


s: From the day's work in fair or troubled weather,


s: And of the by-gone time you'll talk together,


s: Of many a mile you trod with footsteps weary,--


s: Now will as sunlight on the winter's snow,


s: A warmth of thanks in through the window glow,


s: Harsh memories mellow with its golden shining,


s: Your life in faith complete find its refining.


s: But none gives thanks as now that son in gladness,


s: For whom you lived in anxious fear unceasing,


s: Since forth he flew with strength of wing increasing,


s: For whom to God you prayed in joy and sadness.


s: Oh, know, when hot my blood burned over-much,


s: I felt your soothing hands my forehead touch,


s: And oft, my heart in mute repentance bleeding,


s: In thoughts of you I heard God's gentle pleading.


s: (Since we again for life shall be united,


s: And hope 'mid mirthful mem'ries be relighted),


s: To brighten now their every evening-hour!


s: When children's children in their arms shall be,


s: Oh, let them morning in their evening see!


s: So shall they gladly lay, when death gives warning,


s: Their gray heads down to greet the dawning morning.


s: There is more than mountain-heights that tower,--


s: As in sunshine birds are soaring slowly,


s: Sparks as from your father's humor springing;


s: So its faith the wide world is enfolding,


s: The street-fight shall not reach us here.


s: When southern change of kings brought sorrow,


s: No, where the _greatest_ questions started,


s: From where the deepest thought can reach,


s: And foremost to the fight are springing.


s: _Then_ mounts your mind with freest motion,


s: Its thunder-wings the mist-banks driving,


s: Its lightning-talons cloud-walls riving,


s: Till sunlight spreads o'er land and ocean.


s: Foes flee, your battle trumpet dreading.


s: We see their struggling ranks soon rifted,


s: Your head unharmed in thought's pure air


s: We love you still--hate cannot cleave!--


s: And all things great to be great deeming,


s: 'Gainst kingly power for freedom striking,--


s: That, threatened, sailed to Iceland strong


s: Held free, with tongue and hand combined,


s: 'Gainst foreign host and foreign mind,--


s: The thoughts that armed our Eidsvold-men,--


s: To heights whereon the free soul marches,--


s: --The spirit that, when men were deeming


s: From soul-springs in our nation streaming,--


s: Still guards the altar lights and quickens;--


s: Can _this_ they make the fashion better,


s: And when our folk-high-school's young day


s: While they are hearing, trusting, singing;--


s: And will of youth the heights now storms.


s: Self-shaping seek their place and win it;--


s: There wounds him deep the serpent's tooth;


s: In child-like joy sprang forth and grew;


s: Though worn we grieve and hardened grow,


s: Fullness of joy, tears full and burning,


s: His will was _one_, the whole discerning,


s: When Thou from time to call him meantest,


s: When to our land Thou light art bearing,


s: Though shy you shrink, they still will claim


s: All that the clouds have wrapped in night;--


s: Some, long in stock, have come to grief,


s: What's true and strong has growing-room,


s: The people clapped and laughed and cheered,


s: With shouts the tiger's heart they tease,


s: The people clapped and laughed and cheered


s: To _thee_, then, in whose spring of song


s: I went to a school that was little and proper,


s: Both for church and for state a conventional hopper,


s: Feeding rollers that ground out their grist unwaiting;


s: And though it was clear from the gears' frequent grating


s: They rarely with oil of the spirit were smeared,


s: Yet no other school in that region appeared.


s: We _had_ to go there till older;--though sorry,


s: I went there also,--but reveled in Snorre.


s: The self-same books, the same so-called education,


s: That teacher after teacher, by decrees of power royal,


s: Into class after class pounds with self-negation,


s: And that only bring promotion to them that are loyal!--


s: Quickly molding to one type all the men in the land,


s: An excellent fellow who on _one_ leg can stand,


s: And as runs an anchor-rope reel off his rote-narration!--


s: The self-same books, the same so-called education


s: From Hammerfest to Mandal--('tis the state's creation


s: Of an everything-and-every-one-conserving dominion,


s: Wherein all the finer folk have but one opinion!)--


s: My comrades devoured; but my appetite failed me,


s: And that fare I refused, till, to cure what had ailed me,


s: Home leaving I leaped o'er those bars of vexation.


s: What I met on the journey, what I thought in each case,


s: What arose in my soul in the new-chosen place,


s: Where the future was lying,--this to tell is refractory,


s: But I'll give you a picture of the "student factory."


s: Full-bearded fellows of thirty near died of


s: Their hunger for lore, as they slaved by the side of


s: Like sparrows in spring, scatter-brained and careless.


s: --Vigorous seamen whose adventurous mind


s: First drove them from school that real life they might find--


s: But now to cruise wide on the sea they were craving,


s: Where the flag of free thought o'er all life wide is waving.


s: --Bankrupted merchants who their books had wooed


s: In their silent stores, till their creditors sued


s: And took from them their goods. Now they studied "on credit."


s: Beside them dawdling dandies. Near in scorn have I said it!


s: --"Non-Latin" law-students, young and ambitious,


s: "Prelims," theologs, with their preaching officious;


s: --Cadets that in arm or in leg had a hurt;


s: --Peasants late in learning but now in for a spurt:--


s: _Here_ they all wished through their Latin to drive


s: In _one_ year or in two,--not in eight or in five.


s: They hung over benches, 'gainst the walls they were lying,


s: In each window sat two, one the edge was just trying


s: Of his new-sharpened knife on an ink-spattered desk.


s: Through two large open rooms what a spectacle grotesque!


s: At one end, half in dreams, Aasmund Olavsen Vinje's


s: Long figure and spare, a contemplative genius;


s: And a coal-black, preposterous beard, Henrik Ibsen.


s: I, the youngest of the lot, had to wait for company


s: Till a new litter came in, after Yule Jonas Lie.


s: But the "boss" who ruled there with his logical rod,


s: "Old Heltberg" himself, was of all the most odd!


s: In his jacket of dog's skin and fur-boots stout


s: He waged a hard war with his asthma and gout.


s: No fur-cap could hide from us his forehead imperious,


s: His classical features, his eye's power mysterious.


s: Now erect in his might and now bowed by his pain,


s: Strong thoughts he threw out, and he threw not in vain.


s: If the suffering grew keener and again it was faced


s: By the will in his soul, and his body he braced


s: Against onset after onset, then his eyes were flaming


s: And his hands were clenched hard, as if deep were his shaming


s: That he seemed to have yielded! Oh, then we were sharing


s: Amazed all the grandeur of conflict, and bearing


s: Home with us a symbol of the storms of that age,


s: When "Wergeland's wild hunt" o'er our country could rage!


s: There was power in the men who took part in that play,


s: There was will in the power that then broke its way.


s: Now alone he was left, forgotten in his corner:--


s: But in deeds was a hero,--let none dare to be his scorner!


s: He freed thought from the fetters that the schools inherit,


s: Independent in teaching, he led by the spirit;


s: Personality unique: for with manner anarchic


s: He carved up the text; and absolute-monarchic


s: Was his wrath at mistakes; but soon it subsided,


s: Or, controlled, into noblest pathos was guided,


s: Which oft turned in recoil into self-irony


s: And  a downpour of wit letting no one go free.--


s: So he governed his "horde," so we went through the country,


s: The fair land of the classics, that we harried with effront'ry!


s: How Cicero, Sallust, and Virgil stood in fear


s: On the forum, in the temple, when we ravaging drew near!


s: 'T was again. the Goths' invasion to the ruin of Rome,


s: It was Thor's and Odin's spirit over Jupiter's home,


s: --And the old man's "grammar" was a dwarf-forged hammer,


s: When he swung it and smote with sparks, flames, and clamor.


s: The herd of "barbarians" he thus headed on their way


s: Had no purpose to settle and just there to stay.


s: "Non-Latins" they remained, by no alien thought enslaved,


s: And found their true selves, as the foreign foes they braved.


s: In conquering the language we learned the laws of thought,


s: And following him, his fine longing we caught


s: For wanderings and wonders, all the conqueror's zeal,


s: To win unknown lands and their mysteries reveal.


s: Each lesson seemed a vision that henceforth was ours,


s: Inspiring each youth's individual powers.


s: His pictures made pregnant our creative desire,


s: His wit was our testing in an ordeal of fire,


s: His wisdom was our balance, to weigh things great and small,


s: His pathos told of passions, burning, but held in thrall,


s: Oft the stricken hero scarce his tedious toil could brook,


s: He wished to go and write, though it were but a single book,


s: To show a _little_ what he was, and show it to the world:


s: He loosed his cable daily, but ne'er his sails unfurled.


s: His "grammar" was not printed! And he passed from mortal ken


s: To where the laws of thought are not written with a pen.


s: His "grammar" was not printed! But the life that it had,


s: In ink's prolonging power did not need to be clad.


s: It lived in his soul, so mighty, so warm,


s: That a thousand books' life seems but poor empty form.


s: To whose thought he gave life and who give it again


s: In the school, at the bar, in the church, and Storting's hall,


s: In poetry and art,--whose deeds and lifework all


s: Have proved to be the freer and the broader in their might,


s: Because Heltberg had given their youth higher flight.


s: Straight for his home and kingdom steering,


s: Are they walls, on the ocean that lower?


s: Shining domes in the cloud-mists, that hovered.


s: Stand and hallow his young faith within it.


s: We welcome you this wondrous summer-day,


s: When childhood's dreams on earth are streaming,


s: To bloom and sing, to brighten and to pale;


s: A fairy-tale, our Northland all is seeming,


s: And holds you in its arms a festal space


s: With grateful glee and whisperings face to face.


s: Whence all our dreams, whence all our dreams have come.


s: We welcome you! Our nation all is young,


s: Still in that age of dreams enthralling,


s: When greatest things in fairy-tales are nursed,


s: And he is first, who hears his Lord's high calling.


s: Of childhood's longings you the meaning know,


s: And to the North a goal of greatness show.


s: Where, past the small things that you hate,


s: We yet shall find, we yet shall find the great.


s: May Seventeenth in Eidsvold's church united,


s: When they who there our charter free indited,


s: Together for our land were met to pray,--


s: We both were there with thanks to those great men,


s: With thanks to God, who to our people then


s: In days of danger courage gave unbounded.


s: And when so mighty through the church now sounded


s: "Praise ye the Lord!" lifting our pallid prayer


s: To fellowship with all her sons, our brothers,


s: I saw you, child-like, weep in secret there


s: Upon the breast we love, our common mother's.


s: Then I remembered that from boyhood's hour


s: With all your strength to serve her you have striven,


s: Your youthful fire, your counsel cool have given,


s: And till it waned, your manhood's wealth of power.


s: With blessing then and praise of you I thought


s: In thankful prayer, as one of those who fought


s: To shield our land from storms of fate's hard weather,


s: Till 'neath the roof in peace we sat together.


s: Of you I thought;--but so think few and fewer.


s: Your manhood's fame ere you yourself has crumbled,


s: And you, alas, will not find justice truer,


s: Till you and yours one day have fallen, humbled.


s: For see, the roads you drew o'er hill and plain


s: For all our people's onward-pressing longing,


s: You dare not travel with the joyous train,


s: That greater grows while towards its future thronging.


s: You knew not what it was your labor wrought,


s: When steam and powder, bursting every barrier,


s: Gave new-born cravings each its speedy carrier


s: And to the people's spirit power brought.


s: The new day's work, as 't were the tempest's welter,


s: In din about you seemed a dream, a fable,


s: And with your like you built in fear a shelter


s: From soul-unrest, a looming tower of Babel.


s: While now you wait for the impending fight,


s: With gentle eye and stately head all hoary,


s: And o'er the mountains gleams the morning's glory,--


s: Your foes half hid amid the mists of night,--


s: These words I send, of peace a token mild.


s: You fear the people? 'Tis your own that rally,


s: And like the fog arisen from the valley.


s: You think them rebels, void of sense and oneness?


s: Yes, spring's full floods obey no rule precise;


s: Storm-squalls and slush render the roads less nice,


s: The snow's pure white is partly soiled to dunness.


s: But spring is born! The man of genius free,


s: For genius shares the soul of what shall be.


s: This you have not and never had an hour,


s: And so you shrink before the people's power.


s: You were a foreman with the gift of leading,


s: When pioneers cleared up a pathless tract;


s: Your lucid thinking and your gracious tact


s: Oft helped them over obstacles impeding.


s: But what new growths the ancient fields have filled,


s: From western seed to feed our land's wants tilled,


s: And what new light shines through your window-pane,


s: Longing for truth beneath religion's reign,


s: And what new things but whispering we say,--


s: And what foretells the dawning reckoning-day,--


s: You fail to understand and find but madness


s: In our young nation's fairest growth and gladness.


s: You answer: Poet's deeming is but dreaming,


s: And in the statesman's art most unbeseeming.


s: I answer: None has might men's life to sway,


s: If impotent the worth of dreams to weigh.


s: From cravings, powers that seek their form, ascending,


s: They fill the air; their right to be defending,


s: Till all men wakened to one goal are tending.


s: His nation's dreams are all the statesman's life,


s: Create his might, direct his aim in strife,


s: And if he this forgets, the next dreams blooming


s: Bring forth another, unto death him dooming.


s: The tempest-clouds that mount afresh and thicken


s: Cannot so dense before the morn's light hover


s: That we may not through cloud-rifts clear discover


s: Great thoughts that new-born victories shall quicken.


s: Such thoughts are radiant over me to-day,


s: And to my heart the warmer blood is streaming,


s: And all we live for, all that we are dreaming,


s: Its summons sends and strengthens for the fray.


s: The war-horns soon beneath the woods shall bray,


s: Through dewy night th' assailing columns dash,


s: Amid the sudden gleams of shot and slash


s: The fog dissolve before our new-born day.


s: Soon, though you threaten, will the heights be taken


s: Can thence o'erlook the land in might unshaken,


s: With even hand and right to rule the whole.


s: It soon shall roll war's billows on to battle,


s: While from the clouds the fathers' weapons rattle!


s: O aged man, look round you where you stand,


s: For soon you have against you all our land.


s: But when you fall defeated on the field,


s: Then shall we say by your inverted shield:


s: He stood against us, since he knew not better,


s: A noble knight and never honor's debtor.


s: With death's dark eye acquainted she had been made ere this,


s: When to her son, her first-born, she gave the farewell kiss,


s: And when afar she hastened beside her mother's bed,


s: It followed all her faring with warning fraught and dread;


s: It filled her with foreboding when standing by the bier:


s: More sheaves to gather hopeth the harvester austere.


s: So soon she saw her husband, that man of strength, succumb,


s: She said with sorrow stricken: « I knew that it would come!"


s: She thought that he was chosen by God from earth to go,


s: Would check, her hands upthrusting, the harsh behest of woe;


s: And with her slender body, too weak for such a strife,


s: Would ward her gallant consort,--and gave for him her life.


s: She smiled, serene and blissful, as death's dark eye she braved;


s: Her sacrifice was given, her heart's proud hero saved.


s: Our love and admiration lifted a starry dome


s: Of happiness above her in life's last hour of gloam,


s: And snow-white pure she passed then to her eternal home.


s: Such tender love and holy to heaven's bounds can bear


s: The souls that it embraces in sacrifice and prayer.


s: When winds o'er hidden harp-strings pour,


s: Song brings us light with the power of lending


s: Glory to brighten the work that we find;


s: Song brings us warmth with the power of rending


s: Rigor and frost in the swift-melting mind.


s: Time that is gone and to come in the soul,


s: Fills it with yearnings that flow without ending,


s: Seeking that sea where the light-surges roll.


s: Song brings us union, while gently beguiling


s: Song brings us union and leads, reconciling


s: --Some can pass over its long bridge of light


s: Higher and higher to visions that solely


s: Faith can reveal to the spirit's pure sight.


s: Songs from the past of the past's longings telling,


s: Pensive and sad cast a sunset's red glow;


s: Present time's longings in sweet music dwelling,


s: Grateful the soul of the future shall know.


s: Youth of all ages in song here are meeting,


s: Sounding in tone and in word their desire;


s: --More than we think, from the dead bringing greeting,


s: E'en as the Sibyl in Northland-dawn drew


s: Told all the past, all the future so true,


s: Thus goes his spirit the Northland before,--


s: Visions unfolding like sun-clouds, when o'er


s: Northern lands' future, till time is no more,


s: His day was the greatest the Northland has seen,


s: It one was with the midnight-sun's wonders serene:


s: The light wherein he sat was the light of God's true peace,


s: And that has never morning, nor night when it must cease.


s: In light of God's peace shone the _history_ he gave,


s: The spirit's course on earth that shall conquer the grave.


s: Might of God's pure peace thus our _fathers'_ mighty way


s: Before us for example and warning open lay.


s: In light of God's peace he beheld with watchful eye


s: The people at their work and the spirit's strivings high.


s: In light of God's pure peace he would have all learning glow,


s: And where his word is honored the "Folk-High-Schools" must grow.


s: In light of God's peace stood 'mid sorrow and care


s: For Denmark's folk his comfort, a castle strong and fair;


s: In light of God's pure peace there shall once again be won


s: And thousand-fold increased, what seems lost now and undone.


s: In light of God's peace stands his patriarch-worth,


s: The sum and the amen of a manful life on earth.


s: In light of God's pure peace how his face shone, lifted up,


s: When white-haired at the altar he held th' atoning cup.


s: In light of God's peace came his word o'er the wave,


s: In light of God's pure peace sound the sweet psalms he gave.


s: In light of God's pure peace, as its sunbeam curtains fall


s: To hide him from us, stands now his memory for all.


s: --Takes the helm and through thick and thin


s: Steers the course with his trusty "grin,"


s: He, whose strength had such heights attained,


s: Sing 'neath the standard of honor bright,


s: Oh, when will you stand forth, who with strength can bring aid,


s: That my house have beset, and with malice blockade


s: Every pathway I out for my powers have laid,


s: In my beautiful home where defenseless we wait?


s: Oh, when will you stand forth? This detraction through years


s: Hides my poetry's fount in the fog of its fleers,


s: So it merely a pool of self-worship appears;


s: That their hunger of hate at a feast they may blunt.


s: When I publish a book: "It is half like himself;"


s: What I build in the stage-world of fancy's free elf


s: 'Tis because my poor breast no king's "Order" displays.


s: Oh, when will you stand forth, who shall sunder in twain


s: That they have of heart-passion and will-wielding brain,--


s: Undismayed, till the light all the host shall ensweep?


s: Come, thou Spirit of Norway, God-given of yore


s: While the lightning thou ridest, thy answer's loud roar


s: Drowns the din that the dwarfs in defiance outpour;


s: When at Hafur thy standard in honor we bore.


s: Hail, thou Spirit of Norway! To think but of thee


s: Makes so small all the small things I felt.


s: To thy coming I hallow me, wholly to thee,


s: And I humbly look up to thy face, unto thee,


s: To rouse heroes for thee on our forefathers' ground.


s: Shall sing with all the world our praise.


s: Dishonored by the higher, but loved by all the low,--


s: Say, is it not the pathway that the new has to go?


s: By those who ought to guard it betrayed, oh yes, betrayed,--


s: Say, is it not thus truth ever progress has made?


s: Some summer day beginning, a murmur in the grain,


s: It grows to be a roaring through the forests amain,


s: Until the sea shall bear it with thunder-trumpets' tone,


s: Where nothing, nothing's heard but it alone, it alone.


s: With Northern allies warring we take the Northern


s: For God and for our freedom--is the watchword we bring.


s: That God, who gave us country and language, and all,


s: We find Him in our doing, if we hear and heed His call.


s: That doing we will forward, we many, although weak,


s: 'Gainst all in fearless fighting, who the truth will not seek:--


s: It goes now as a roaring through the forests amain.


s: 'T will grow to be a storm ere men think that this can be,


s: With voice of thunder sweeping o'er the infinite sea.


s: 'T is well, if now our strength is steeled


s: Here once high thoughts in word were freed,


s: From his fire gleam thought-rays bright,--


s: Billowy rhythms whose thoughts fill with love me,


s: Follow thy form in bright colors above me,


s: Naught is so black as thy fjord, when storm-lashes


s: Sea-salted scourge it and inward it dashes,


s: Naught is so mild as thy strand, as thine islands,


s: Naught is so strong as thy mountain-linked ring,


s: Naught is so sweet as thy summer-nights bring.


s: Houses and gardens where good friends wander!


s: Strong shines the sun on that mountain-rimmed beauty,


s: Fast is the fight, let each man do his duty.


s: Friends, who your favor would never begrudge me,


s: Only with life ends the fight for the right.


s: Thought flees to you for a refuge in light.


s: That fruit of love's seed may be present,


s: This song at your heart-strings catches,


s: The thanks that his nation would render,


s: To their souls sweet strains have spoken


s: Mute they wander. Sweet strains ending--


s: All things speak! They sound and shimmer,


s: (Note: That is, without the mark of union with Sweden.)


s: Thou liftest us high when life's sternest,


s: That spirit and body shall never know dearth.--


s: I honor you, who, though refused, affronted,


s: Have heard the voice, and victory have won;


s: I honor you, who still by malice hunted,


s: I honor you, God-thirsting soul so driven,


s: 'Mid scorn and need the spirit's war to wage;


s: I honor you, by Gudbrand's valley given,


s: And of her sons the foremost in this age.


s: I do not share your faith, your daring dreaming;


s: This parts us not, the spirit's paths are broad.


s: For, all things great and noble round us streaming,


s: The whole earth shook with proud emotion


s: "Who great become, this sign are wearing."


s: Come up on deck! The morning is clear,--


s: The salt-licking skerries, weed-wound, smeary!


s: On this side, on that side, they frolic before us,


s: Good friends, but wild,--in frightened chorus


s: Sea-fowl shriek round us, a flying legion.


s: We fare the fishermen's venturesome way!


s: Far out the bank and the big fish shoaling,


s: The captain narrates; and just now unrolling


s: Sails run to shore a swift racing match;--


s: They _know_ how to sail, when need's at hand.


s: But I'm forgetting to look towards land!


s: Stand mountain-giants, both here and yonder,


s: The loin of one by the other's shoulder,


s: Naught else to where earth and sky are blending.


s: The dread of a world's din daunts the beholder;


s: The silence vastens the vision unending.


s: In marching columns their purpose pursue.


s: Away, you small folk!--In there "The Preacher"


s: Of magnates primeval, their patriarch owning!


s: Of what does he preach, my childhood's teacher?


s: In light that fell from his whiteness holy.


s: Great thoughts that in life and legend we treasure


s: Stream towards the scene in persistent endeavor,


s: The mighty impression to grasp and measure,--


s: Aeschylus' thunders that purge and free,


s: They widen and heighten, they cloud and brighten


s: --Like small ants scrambling and soft-cooing doves,


s: They tumble backward and flee affrighted;--


s: The mountains approached and to dance invited.


s: How life with the great must make you greater.


s: If you are humble, they'll say it themselves,


s: That something is greater than e'en their greatest.


s: High in the notch within limits straitest,


s: Through ice first burrowed and stone, a brook,


s: Unmoved before, their face now and bearing


s: They had to change 'mid the spring-flood's laughter;


s: Millions of years have followed thereafter,


s: In stamps the fjord now to look on their party,


s: Lifts his sou'-wester, gives greeting to them.


s: Whoever at times in their fog could view them


s: Has seen him near to their very noses;--


s: The fjord's not famed for his well-bred poses.


s: Towards him hurry, all white-foam-faced,


s: If ever the mountains the fjord would immure,


s: Their narrows press nigher, a prison sure;--


s: His water-hands then with a gesture haughty


s: Seize the whole saucy pass like a shell;


s: With western-gale-lungs,--and then you may know it,


s: Loud is the noise, and the swift currents swell.


s: Forcing the coast, a big fjord, black and gray,


s: Waterfalls rushing on both sides rumble.


s: Cloud-masses over the mountain-flanks fumble;


s: All things I see, have eyes and have voices.


s: The people? I know them, each man understand,


s: Though never I saw him nor with him have spoken;


s: I know this folk, for the fjord is their token.


s: _One_ is the fjord in the storm's battle-fray,


s: He bears on his breast with affection warm,


s: Be it so brief as a brook's fleeting bubble.


s: Oh, what a brightness! Beauty, soul-ravishing,


s: Shines from his prayer, that now he be shriven


s: Of all the past! And penitence lavishing,


s: All he confesses; with glad homage given


s: Deep the mountains' high peaks and passes.


s: The old giants think now: He's not really bad;


s: In greater degree he's wrathful and glad


s: Than others perchance; is false not at all,


s: But reckless, capricious,--true son of Romsdal.


s: Right are the mountains! This race-type keeping,


s: Toil on the sea, though their take was meager,


s: Plow the steep slope and trench the bog-valley,


s: To bouts with the rock the brown nag rally.


s: But know not defeat,--hoist the sail undaunted!


s: Different the districts; but all in all:


s: Spirits vivacious, with longings that spur them,


s: Depths full of song, with billows that stir them,


s: Folk of the fjord and the sudden squall.


s: High-built the wall, broad sea-floor thereunder,


s: Hall lit by sun-bows on waterfall vapors,


s: Hangings of green,--your dwellers the drapers.


s: Not all who have tried to succeed, were able.


s: It costs to recover the wealth of the fjord


s: From wanton waste and in power to hoard.


s: It costs;--but who conquers is made a man.


s: Spring's herald, hail! You've rent the forest's quiet?


s: Your hair is wet, and you are leaf-strewn, dusty ...


s: What noise about you of the flood set free,


s: That follows at your heels,--turn back and see:


s: It spurts upon you! --Was it that you fought for?


s: You were in there where stumps and trunks are rotting


s: Where long the winter-graybeards have been plotting


s: To prison safe that which a lock they wrought for.


s: But power gave you Pan, the ancient god!


s: They cried aloud and cursed your future lot?


s: Your gallant feat they held a robber's fraud?


s: --Each spring it happens; but is soon forgot.


s: You cast you down beside the salt sea's wave.


s: It too is free; dances with joy to find you.


s: You know the music well; for Pan resigned you


s: His art one evening by a viking's grave.


s: But while on nature's loving lap you lie,


s: The tramp of battle on the land you hear,


s: You see the steamers as they northward steer


s: With freedom's flag;--of your name comes a cry.


s: And so is torn between the two your breast:--


s: Freedom's bold fighters, who now proudly rally,


s: In nature's life and legend dreamy rest;


s: The former chide, the latter lures to dally.


s: Your songs sound, some as were a war-horn braying,


s: Some softly purl like streams on reedy strand.


s: Half nature-sprite and half as man you stand,


s: The two not yet one law of life obeying.


s: (The faun's love that the viking's longing tinges),


s: We welcome you, no lock is left nor bar,--


s: You bring along the door and both the hinges.


s: Just this it is that we are needing now:


s: The spring, the spring! These stifling fumes we bear


s: Are bad for morals and for lungs: Fresh air!


s: Rather a draught of Songs Venetian, cheerful,


s: With southern wantonness and color-wonders,--


s: Rather "Two Shots" (although they make us fearful)


s: Against our shallow breeding and its blunders.


s: Spring's herald, hail! come from the forest's choir,


s: From ocean's roar, from armèd hosts and grim!


s: Though sometimes carelessly you struck the lyre,--


s: Where rich growth is, one can the rank shoots trim.


s: The small trolls jeer the gestures of a giant,


s: I love you _so_,--unique and self-reliant.


s: ... O'er uplands fresh swift sped my sleigh ...


s: The latter laughed, their white boughs shone;--


s: And see the snowflakes swarm and swim;--


s: A star fell on my glove ... right here ...


s: In these white gleams that finely glance,


s: In times of need with new life pregnant,


s: 'Neath thought of God, cold-gray with error,


s: He sees grow green each fresh, new sprout.


s: To borrowed clothes some highness wears,


s: Who, suffering, still the wrong defies).


s: The new and weak, when waves grow rougher,


s: That life's strong chain shall ever bind me!


s: Honor the springtide life ever adorning,


s: Things smallest have some resurrectional morning,


s: Nothing so small but there's something still smaller,


s: Nothing so great but there's something still greater


s: Infinite all, where the smallest and greatest


s: No one has seen what was first,--and the latest


s: Eternity's offspring and germ are we all now.


s: Roots in our race's first morning; they fall now,


s: Join in the joy of all life, every being,


s: Honor th' eternal, our human lot freeing


s: Who art _Thou_, whom a thousand names trace


s: Through all times that are gone and each tongue?


s: Thou wert hope when the yoke heavy hung,


s: Thou wert darkening death-terror's guest,


s: Thou wert sun that with life-gladness blessed.


s: Still Thine image we changefully fashion,


s: Each man holds his for true with deep passion,--


s: As the limitless search in my soul--it is Thou!--


s: For the new that's revealed, it is Thou, it is Thou!


s: Though we never can knowledge attain, it is Thou!--


s: And with joy I avow, it is Thou, it is Thou!


s: We stand still, while no way we can see.


s: Is there balm in the dreams that have burst?


s: Shall they sink in death's terrors nocturnal,


s: By His spirit my own,--is it Thou, is it Thou --:


s: I take humbly my law; for I know, it is Thou!


s: When Thou wilt, as Thou wilt,--it is Thou, it is Thou!


s: He goes where light and warmth are greater


s: With new-born spring comes new-born song;


s: But if in death the cold waves swallow--?


s: Thither, when thwarted our longings, we sail,--


s: Sighs to the clouds, that we breathe when we fail,


s: Grows in the ages when _our_ names shall wane,


s: Gathered with others', 't is stored in the true


s: Tears that are shed over evil's foul blight,


s: Blood-sweat in conflict to win higher right,


s: Rooting out wrong, that the good we may sow,


s: Golden in sunlight that glad makes and strong,


s: Present in children's eyes, looking to-day


s: Winning good victories gives us the power


s: Rising in blue from the sea's gray and green,


s: Mate among mountains, wood-ridge and slope


s: Wandering follow. Where the wastes lighten,


s: Glistening heights where skis swiftly go,


s: Harbors with fishermen, salts, and craftsmen,


s: Herdsmen and horns and the glacier-glow.


s: Runes in the woodlands, and wide-mown swaths,


s: Cities like flowers, streams that run dashing


s: White of the sea, where the fish-school froths.


s: Threatening peaks, while stern seas bound it,


s: All that it saw when alone with its laughter,


s: All that it suffered in times that came after,


s: Mournful it tells, that the wind may know.


s: Great new crowns to the tree-tops given,


s: Cheering the brooks to the broad ocean riven.


s: Saw the procession. And as its rear-guard,


s: Strong men, and women with flower-decked presence;


s: Come now the peasants, come now the peasants.


s: Österdal's forest's magnificent chieftain


s: Greet it the thousands in thought of its story:


s: Never that lion bore crown that was foreign,


s: Never that cloth was by Dannebrog cloven.


s: When with that banner by Wergeland's column


s: Peasants stood solemn, peasants stood solemn.


s: Most of our loss in the times that have vanished,


s: Most of our victories, most of our longing,


s: Deeds of the past and the future's bold daring


s: Peasants are bearing, peasants are bearing.


s: Sorely they suffered for sins once committed,


s: But they arise now. Here in the Storting


s: All, as they come from our land's every region,


s: Hold what they won, with a will to go farther;


s: Whole we must have independence and honor!


s: Wergeland's summer bears soon its best flower,--


s: Your spirit and your heart's fresh faith,


s: And not when they are young and greenest.


s: Is friendship's feast round autumn's altar.


s: And Denmark's songs by the cradle singest,


s: Who badest in Hald the war-flames flare,


s: And, heard in our children's joy, gently ringest,--


s: Thou borest him home to a brighter morning,


s: Didst serve him with armor and whet his sword


s: For satire's assaults and for laughter's warning.


s: Kierkegaard thou to the deeps didst bring,


s: Where life's full currents in God he sounded.


s: For Wergeland wert thou the eagle's wing,


s: That lifted him sunward to heights unbounded.


s: Thou to the spring of our freedom gavest.


s: Thy carpet of flowers, a bridge that nigher


s: Can bring dear friends to meet even now,--


s: While faith grows greater and heaven higher.


s: Thou waitedst for me in the eyes of mother.


s: And leave me last of them all wilt thou,


s: lyrical passages from the drama King Sverre; the second edition


s: This translation presents in the same order the contents of the


s: fourth edition, with the exception of the following ten pieces:


s: De norske studenter til fru Louise Heiberg.


s: De norske studenters hilsen med fakkeltog til deres kgl. höiheder


s: Til maleren Hans Gudes og frues guldbryllup.


s: Nine of these are occasional longs in the narrowest sense, with


s: little or no general interest, and showing hardly any of the


s: The translation aims to reproduce as exactly as possible the


s: verse-form, meter, and rhyme of the original. This has been


s: judged desirable because music has been composed for so many


s: of these songs and poems, and each of them is, as it were, one


s: necessary historical and biographical information. Of the persons


s: norsk literaturhistorie, and by various authors, including Swedes


s: anledning af hans 70 aars födelsdag. To all of these special


s: NILS FINN. "There has hardly been written later so excellent a


s: with which Björnson wished 'to astonish the Danes.'" (Collin, ii,


s: when nature and human life have fullest light and power.


s: adventurous longing for what is great and distant. ... Written in


s: Henrik Wergeland (see Note 78) the chief of Norwegian patriotic


s: festivals. In 1870 Björnson conceived and put into practice the


s: narrow, tall, memorial stone, from the bronze age.


s: SONG FOR NORWAY. Written in the summer of 1859 in connection


s: with the tale Arne, but not included in that book. The people of


s: Norway have adopted this poem as their national hymn, because


s: Stanza 2. Harald Fairhair (860-933) was the first to unite all


s: Eyvind Finnsson, uncle of Haakon, was a great skald, who sang his


s: established himself as King and spread his authority as a stern


s: Sverre (1182-1202) was a man of unusual physical and mental


s: Tordenskjold, Peter (1691-1720), a great Norwegian naval hero,


s: representative assembly at Eidsvold declared its independence,


s: adopted a Constitution on May 17, 1814, and chose as King, Prince


s: abdication of Christian Frederik. Negotiations then led to the


s: federation of Norway as an independent kingdom with Sweden in a


s: union. This was formally concluded on November 4, 1815, by the


s: The last four lines of stanza 6 refer to "Scandinavism," i.e., a


s: movement beginning some time before 1848 to bring about a close


s: ANSWER FROM NORWAY. First printed in a newspaper, April 7, 1860,


s: However, no viceroy was appointed alter 1859, and in 1873 the


s: question was amicably settled as Norwegians desired.


s: inexperienced" Norway's demand of equality with Sweden was like a


s: The (pure, i.e., without the mark of union) Swedish flag consists


s: showed a mark of union, a diagonal combination of the colors of


s: expeditions against the rebellious Svein Jarl.


s: Stanza 3. Lützen. In the battle of Lützen, November 16, 1632,


s: Grandsire's ancient seat, symbol of Norway's ancient power and


s: Stanza 4. Sverre Priest, see Note 5.  When young he was a priest.


s: adoption of the Constitution and the Act of Union.  In a sense he


s: Stanza 8. Torgny. At the Ting in Upsala, February, 1018, when the


s: concluding thus: "If you will not do what we say, we shall attack


s: drama. His vaudeville was a lighter musical-dramatic genre,


s: astronomical observatory at his residence; he published an


s: stage was in 1864. She favored the performance of Björnson's and


s: "New Year" ringing o'er the Northland. Shortly before Christmas,


s: Vikar, a brother of Arnljot Gelline, who sailed with Olaf


s: Trygvason on the Long Serpent, and died fighting in his post of


s: ALONE AND REPENTANT. This poem was first printed in 1865, but was


s: literature possesses a memorial of his way of receiving what was


s: confided to him.  It lies in the poem: 'A friend I possess.'  I


s: OLAF TRYGVASON. Grandson of Harald Fairhair, and King from 995 to


s: inheritance from Haakon Jarl (see Note 14), he had fortune with


s: him; for as he steered into the Trondhjem Fjord, he received the


s: enemies outside of the land: the Danish King, Svein Forkbeard,


s: the Swedish King, Olaf, and Erik, son of Haakon Jarl. By a large


s: BERGLIOT. Einar Tambarskelve was one of the most powerful men in


s: vassal Einar became.  He followed King Magnus and his co-regent


s: reconciliation, Harold lured Einar with his wife and son Eindride


s: Haakon Ivarson was a man of force and influence.


s: kingdom.  By agreement they divided the royal power and their


s: wealth.  Before his death Magnus determined that Harald should be


s: however, tried unsuccessfully to conquer Denmark. He died in


s: Ting-peace. The spelling "ting" is adopted in place of "thing."


s: Gimle, the heaven of the new Christian faith.


s: Heath of Lyrskog, in Jutland. Magnus the Good, at the time also


s: King of Denmark, won a decisive victory here in 1043 over a much


s: larger invading army of Wends. (See also Note 23.)


s: Trönder, one from the region about Trondhjem.


s: Haakon from Hjörungavaag.  Haakon Jarl (970-995) was the last


s: pagan King in Norway. His defeat in 986 of the Jomsborg vikings,


s: Valhall, the hall where those slain in battle dwell after death.


s: cover the sheet over me.  There is much in a man that needs to be


s: IN A HEAVY HOUR. Written in Italy rather late in 1861, after


s: KAARE'S SONG. Helga was the daughter of Maddad, a prominent and


s: hate and disdain showed her by so many, especially by the Earl's


s: Eystein in Norway. He loved a young Icelandic girl, but had not


s: and caused him to fight in his army. He died in the sea-battle of


s: SIN, DEATH. Written during the latter half of 1862 in Munich, and


s: impressions received from German ecclesiastical art: "It is only


s: FRIDA. This poem was first printed March 24, 1863, soon after the


s: America, and did not return to Copenhagen until 1904.  He was a


s: control began, continuing until late in the sixteenth century. In


s: surpassed by Copenhagen.  The people of Bergen have always been


s: distinctly liberal in thought and feeling.


s: Holberg, Ludvig (1684-1754), was born in Bergen, but resided in


s: most of his life in Denmark. His comedies, which founded modern


s: Danish-Norwegian literature, are indeed immortal.


s: Dahl, John Christian Clausen (1788-1857), a Norwegian landscape


s: Ole Bull (1810-1880), a violinist of world-wide renown.  In his


s: later life he passed most of his time in the United States, but


s: large volumes, published from 1851 to 1863. This and his other


s: writings greatly strengthened the national self-consciousness and


s: Björnson placed Munch by the side of Wergeland (see Note 78) as a


s: Norway brought home again from Danish captivity in history also,


s: --we can remember how eventful it was for us, and how it had its


s: share in molding us. ... He had his large share in what our


s: generation has done.  I put his work in this way by the side of


s: Through provincial Asian forests, etc. These lines refer to the


s: so-called "immigration-theory" advanced by Rudolf Keyser and


s: Norse literature, as being the product of Norway and Iceland, was


s: Who again shall reunite fit? Munch left no peer in international


s: KING FREDERIK THE SEVENTH. His death occurred November 15, 1863,


s: just before the crisis with Prussia and Austria.  He was born


s: October 6, 1808, the son of Prince Christian Frederik, later King


s: unsympathetic teachers and almost no trace of parental guidance.


s: All his life he had less than average attainments in knowledge,


s: except in a practical way in Scandinavian archaeology. He had


s: natural dignity, but a broad, undisciplined nature, and shunned


s: court etiquette and constraint.  In 1834, he was in effect


s: banished to Jaegerspris, a royal estate near Frederikssund, and


s: later was sent on a cruise to Iceland.  Afterwards he resided in


s: disfavor in Fredericia, where his tendencies to plain, direct


s: government circles. This became known among the people


s: and made him a still greater favorite.  In 1847 he submitted a


s: Frederik VII ascended the throne January 20, 1848.  The change of


s: Kings united the countries more closely and lifted political


s: "Scandinavism" to the height it reached shortly before the war of


s: This "Scandinavism" is referred to in the poem by the words "to


s: until 1905, when Norway's full independence of Sweden led to


s: emphasis on individual nationality.  The war of 1914-15 may bring


s: TO SWEDEN. This poem and several following breathe the spirit of


s: Yellow-blue. The flag of Sweden shows a yellow cross on a blue


s: Palnatoki, the legendary leader of the Jomsborg vikings. Ancient


s: enemies are now allies, and so also Tordenskjold (see Note 5)


s: fights by the side of, not against, Charles XII.


s: Lützen. Gustavus Adolphus prayed and his troops sang hymns before


s: Narwa, where Charles XII, in November, 1700, was victorious over


s: along the river Eider, which the Germans crossed on February 1,


s: host, though they be many together. I shall follow you into this


s: battle and join in the fight, when you hear my horn.' At dawn the


s: a bell, and those of the King's men who had been in Nidaros


s: WHEN NORWAY WOULD NOT HELP.  Written upon the adjournment of


s: the extraordinary meeting of the Norwegian Storting, called in


s: March, 1864.  The action of the Storting providing for Norway's


s: Schleswig was taken by the Germans on April 18, 1864.


s: Dannebrog, the traditional name of the Danish flag, consisting of


s: THE NORRÖNA-RACE. Written for the fiftieth anniversary of the


s: adoption of the Act of Union with Sweden.


s: Surtr. According to Norse mythology there were in the beginning


s: two worlds, the first of which, called Muspell, was filled with


s: Yggdrasil. The tree Yggdrasil is a symbol of the present world.


s: Dragons, warships with carved dragons as figure-heads.


s: Poland's night. For Gustavus Adolphus the Polish War, which he


s: waged before he took part actively in the Thirty Years' War in


s: Germany, was also undertaken for the defense of Protestantism.


s: LECTOR THAASEN. Johan Edvard Thaasen (born in 1825; died February


s: DURING A JOURNEY IN SWEDEN. Written in the summer of 1866,


s: Björnson's speeches then made a sensation by reason of the warmth


s: SONG FOR THE STUDENTS' GLEE CLUB. Written in 1863 for the journey


s: Arendal. This city is an important shipping center.


s: MRS. LOUISE BRUN. Louise Gulbrandsen was born in Bergen, December


s: appearance as an actress at the opening performance of Ole Bull's


s: Johannes Brun, Norway's most gifted comedian. They came to


s: Carsten Hauch (1790-1872).  It was his most frequently performed


s: He, who from fairy-tale, etc. Ole Bull, see Note 19.  Thus is


s: introduced here a poetical history and eulogy of Ole Bull's


s: TO JOHAN DAHL, BOOKDEALER. Johan Fjeldsted Dahl was born in


s: Copenhagen, January 1, 1807, and died in Christiania, March 16,


s: newspaper feud between Wergeland and Dahl. After everybody's


s: feelings had grown calmer, Wergeland wrote about the burlesque


s: occurrence in a farce entitled The Parrot, and Dahl had humor


s: enough, himself to publish this satirical skit.


s: The light from his shop. Wergeland derisively styled Dahl's store


s: TO SCULPTOR BORCH. Christopher Borch (1817-1896) was a lifelong


s: friend, of whom in 1857 Björnson wrote in letter: "The most


s: childlike, natural man I know, with his even, light walk, and his


s: CHOICE. A Danish publisher issued a calendar with poems on the


s: Hafursfjord's great day (see Note 5), near Stavanger.


s: HALFDAN KJERULF was born September 15, 1815, and died August 11,


s: (see Note 78). He was an adherent of Danish culture and of the


s: rewarded with abuse, and called "traitor to his country" and


s: "matricide." In reality Welhaven was a dreamer, a worshiper of


s: Welhaven their farewell greeting, marching with flags to his


s: residence, where this poem of homage was sung.


s: Björnson a copy of the first part of his Lyriske Smaastykker, has


s: shall not give it up.  It must come.'  Then we parted. The next


s: glad and shining like a sun, there was a general jubilee, and we


s: were the first to hear the beautiful new poem."


s: After 1864 the chief aim of these gatherings was to improve the


s: position and strengthen the influence of the student in the


s: Gjallar-horn, Heimdall's horn, to be blown especially at the


s: NORSE NATURE. See note to the preceding poem.


s: King Halfdan the Black (died 860) was the father of Harald


s: Nore, the largest mountain of Ringerike.


s: sentimental, but just plain and direct.  I wrote it to glorify my


s: TO MY FATHER. Written in 1869. Peder Björnson was settled as a


s: pastor at Kvikne in Österdal at the time of the poet's birth.


s: Originally he was an independent farmer, like his father and


s: hereditary in his father's family.  Our race. Allusion to the


s: TO ERIKA LIE (-NISSEN) (1847-1903).  One of the great pianists in


s: AT MICHAEL SARS'S GRAVE. He was born in Bergen, August 30, 1805,


s: and died in Christiania, October 22, 1869.  In 1823 he became a


s: student of the University in Christiania, where for a time he


s: development of these lower, minuter forms of life,--ovology,


s: embryology, organology. It was his work that led to the deep-sea


s: expeditions of The Challenger and other similar voyages.


s: TO JOHAN SVERDRUP. Written in November, 1869. Johan Sverdrup


s: (1816-1892) was the greatest political leader and statesman of


s: of health; from 1884 to 1889 he was Prime Minister. A consistent


s: democrat, he created and led the party of the Left, or "Peasant-


s: Left," and contended all his active life for the establishment of


s: bitterly assailed by political opponents, and few so idolized by


s: followers. He was a masterful orator, inferior only to Björnson.


s: Magnus the Good, Note 6.  Immediately after the death of Magnus


s: My childhood's faith unshaken stands.  Björnson was at the time


s: What ought just now to be.  The whole political programme of the


s: _One_ nation only and _one_ will, Sverdrup's ideal, as outlined


s: That impelled the viking, see note on Harald Fairhair, Note 5.


s: Wesssel's sword, seeTordenskjold, Note 5.


s: Wesssel's pen. Johan Herman Wessel (1742-1785) was a grand-nephew


s: That in faith so high, etc., refers to the teaching of Grundtvig


s: (see Note 57), who looked upon the Edda-gods as representing a


s: religion originally akin to Christianity.


s: popular poet, he was the creator of the older national hymn and


s: other patriotic songs; an ardent lover of his country, opposed to


s: Hauge. Hans Nilsen Hauge (1771-1824), a peasant lay-preacher, of


s: enlightenment. The peasant political movement started soon after


s: Sweden, in particular to the plan of a Union-Parliament, all of


s: prepared the way for the latter, with whom he then coöperated.


s: ANTON MARTIN SCHWEIGAARD, jurist and statesman, was born in


s: accompanied and conditioned Norway's surprisingly rapid material


s: contributed most to the high esteem in which he was universally


s: ruptured.  Their joint funeral was held on February 5.


s: TO AASMUND OLAFSEN VINJE. Vinje, the son of a poor cottager, was


s: schoolbook.  He went then to Heltberg's School (see Note 50) in


s: Christiania, soon after became a student in the University, and


s: passed the state examination in law in 1856. But his life was


s: devoted to literary pursuits, and he was most gifted as a lyric


s: poet. In 1858 Vinje went over completely to the Landsmaal


s: paper, Dölen, in which he treated all the current interests.


s: Vinje had no home of his own until after his marriage on June 20,


s: early peasant tales, and other rather personal attacks.


s: Guests, the angel of life and the angel of death.


s: You stand sick, with the incurable disease which caused his death


s: Great and wondrous visions, probably (cf. also the  following


s: stanza) of the truth of the orthodox faith, which Björnson at the


s: GOOD CHEER. This poem stood last in the first edition, with the


s: title "Last Song."  It is a vigorous, partly humorous, beautiful,


s: Christiania and Norway just prior to 1870, and a statement of his


s: which this poem was written. Compare also the poem, Oh, When Will


s: OLD HELTBERG. Henrik Anton Schjött Heltberg was born February 4,


s: spirit ever controlled him, a "power-genius" of independent


s: course of two years formature pupils, whose ages ranged between


s: sixteen and thirty-five years, the so-called "Student Factory," a


s: University. It was, however, attended also by those who for other


s: I went to a school, etc. When ten years old Björnson was sent to


s: seventeen years old, he went to Christiania and the "Factory."


s: Prelims, those who had passed only an examination preliminary to


s: the "Norwegian" (not Latin) official examination.


s: Grammar. Heltberg's method was a grammatical short-cut system, to


s: Storting for this purpose. But it was always to be improved, and


s: nothing was published except a fragment after his death.


s: TO HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.  Although Hans Christian Andersen


s: (1805-1875) traveled frequently and far in the earlier years, he


s: made after 1863 only one journey out of Denmark.  This was to


s: especially in Rome, and by correspondence.  Andersen's genius was


s: Björnson admire and sympathize with him.


s: A fairy-tale. Andersen's chief work, Tales told for Children,


s: appeared in 1835; his New Tales and Stories in 1858-61.


s: and the first railroad were instituted.  He retired because of


s: For the opening lines compare the poem Toast for the Men of


s: AT THE BIER OF PRECENTOR A. REITAN.  Anders Jörgensen Reitan, a


s: attending the Teachers' Seminary, he took up this calling, and in


s: birthplace. He remained in this position the rest of his life,


s: teachings of Jesus. His effort was to present to Scandinavia


s: enthusiastic followers, through whom his religious and political


s: sagas and poetry.  It was Gruntvigianism that, especially through


s: practical philosophy of life.  Björnson once said: "Grundtvig and


s: Sibyl.  In The Sibyl's Prophecy, a poem of the Elder Edda, she


s: (according to one reading of the text) sinks from sight after


s: geographer, ethnologist, publicist, editor, and political leader,


s: elected three times to the Storting. He was early a leader of the


s: excellent influence.  Because of his political opposition to the


s: Conservative government of Stang,  he did not receive the merited


s: OH, WHEN WILL YOU STAND FORTH?  Written early (in February?) in


s: conflicts, in all of which Björnson had a large part. His


s: personality was fanatically admired by many adherents, but was


s: AT HANSTEEN'S BIER. The astronomer and physicist, Christopher


s: astronomy and applied mathematics in the University until his


s: retirement in 1861. He was the leader of the world's study of


s: SONG OF FREEDOM. See the poem, Rallying Song, etc., and notes


s: TO MOLDE. This poem, begun in 1878, was finished the next year in


s: HAMAR-MADE MATCHES.  To this poem Björnson appended a note: "The


s: founder of Norway's first folk-high-school, Herman Anker, built


s: (1839-96) studied theology, and after the death of his father, a


s: instruction aims directly at making good citizens.  The method of


s: Denmark, whence they spread to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the


s: November to April.  Many were established after 1864, which have


s: Norway.  In February, 1814, a decree of Prince Regent Christian


s: staff.  Article 11 of the Constitution of 1814 declared: Norway


s: shall have its own merchant-flag; its war-flag shall be a


s: union-flag. Because of the Barbary Coast pirates, however, the


s: Swedish flag with the mark of union was used south of Cape


s: resolution as the merchant-flag, to be used north of Cape


s: Scandinavism lost its force, and the pure flag began to be used


s: proclaimed as law without the King's sanction.


s: acceptable in Norway, as being the colors characteristic of free


s: states, typified by the French tricolor.


s: Ridderstad. The author and journalist, Karl Fredrik Ridderstad


s: Olsen Skrefsrud, born in Gudbrandstal in 1840, at first a metal


s: worker, led for a time a wild life, and was committed under a


s: sentence of four years to a penitentiary, where he remained from


s: himself by work as an engraver, and by unflagging private study


s: acquired learning and the knowledge of languages. He went to a


s: I do not share your faith. The memorable speech which Björnson


s: delivered to the students in Christiania on October 31, 1877, the


s: religious faith of his early life. The theme of his speech "Be in


s: freedom of thought and fidelity to the truth as expanding


s: through the influence of Grundtvig, from the strict dogmatic


s: that began Björnson's breach with the Church.  He saw how this


s: doctrine enslaved and dwarfed the souls of the peasants, and


s: blighted all liberal development, both personal and political.


s: reception for him on his return to Stockholm, April 24, 1880, at


s: surprising gentleness Björnson has kinship." The last line of the


s: born in 1846 and died in 1908. Here he received from Björnson a


s: reply to verses of homage addressed by him to the latter in 1878.


s: exhibits Drachmann at the height of his poetic production.


s: Songs, written in Venice in the spring of 1876, to which time


s: belongs also his finest story, Two Shots. During the next decade


s: radicalism, and the religion of esthetic freedom.


s: liberator of his people from falsehood and ignorance, and the


s: SONG FOR NORWAY'S RIFLEMEN.  In 1881 the constitutional conflict


s: between the Left and the Right over the nature of the King's veto


s: suspensive or absolute as to amendments of the Constitution.  The


s: WORKMEN'S MARCH.  Published in the third edition of 1890, and


s: Vardö = northernmost, Viken and Vinger = southernmost Norway.


s: Runes in the woodlands, as it were written records of the labors


s: with his active entrance into public life. He labored for the


s: enlightemnent of his people through his writings and his personal


s: rationalistic-republican didactic poem, Creation, Man, and


s: In his own time Wergeland was in spirit the head of the radical-


s: Come now the peasants.  In this volume of translations "peasant"


s: is the rendering of the Norwegian word "bonde."  The meaning is


s: other European country; this is due to the topography and to the


s: absence of a powerful nobility. At the present time scarcely one-


s: social life of the country, especially since the adoption of the


s: Österdal's ... chieftain, a peasant of large stature, named


s: Hjelmstad, a radical member of the Storting.


s: The old banner. A flag much used in earlier times as specifically


s: Akershus in Christiania.  The future, i.e., the independence


s: Björnson made his acquaintance in 1860, and, beginning with King


s: dependence of Norway upon Denmark for centuries had prevented the


s: been a blow to the cause of Norwegian independence, and to have


s: delayed the rise of a thriving, stable business, but on the other


s: establish for perhaps half a century a certain dominance of the


s: OUR LANGUAGE. Written in defense of the Norwegian-Danish speech


s: Landsmaal (rural language). The Landsmaal arose from a movement


s: Kierkegaard. Sören Aaby Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was the most


s: subtle and profound thinker produced by Denmark, with a prose


s: The design of the projector of this volume was, that it should


s: contain the Best of the shorter humorous poems in the literatures


s: Holmes, Saxe, and Lowell are, therefore, only REPRESENTED in this


s: never, it seems, suggest the successful epigram, or inspire happy


s: collection ever made of the sportive effusions of genius.


s: Written after swimming from Sestos to Abydos     Byron


s: The Bachelor's Cane-bottomed Chair     Thackeray


s: To the Lady in the Chemisette with Black Buttons     Willis


s: Take thy Old Cloak about thee     Percy Reliques


s: The Baffled Knight, or Lady's Policy     Percy Reliques


s: The Search after Happiness     Scott (Sir W.)


s: The King of Brentford's Testament     Thackeray


s: Titmarsh's Carmen Lillienses     Thackeray


s: The Railway Traveler's Farewell to his Family     Punch


s: Selling off at the Opera-house     Punch


s: The Lay of the Lover's Friend     Aytoun


s: The Milling Match between Entellus and Darcs     Moore


s: A Theatrical Curiosity     Cruikshank's Om


s: "Oh! wilt thou Sew my Buttons on? etc."     Punch


s: after-supper-polka at Mrs. Tompkins' Ball


s: Louis Napoleon's Address to his Army     Aytoun


s: On seeing Verses written upon Windows at Inns


s: On seeing the Busts of Newton, Looke, etc.


s: On Dean Swift's Proposed Hospital, etc.,


s: On some Lines of Lopez de Vega     Dr. Johnson


s: On a Full-length Portrait of Beau Nash, etc.,    Chesterfield


s: Edmund Burke's Attack on Warren Hastings


s: On George the Third's Patronage of Benjamin West


s: On a Stone thrown at a very great Man, etc.


s: Epigrams from the German of         Lessing.


s: On being Obliged to Leave a Pleasant Party, etc.


s: Written in a Young Lady's Common-place Book


s: On Butler's Monument                      Wesley


s: Epigrams from                             Punch.


s: The Orator's Epitaph                         Lord Brougham


s: The Jovial Priest's Confession     Leigh Hunt


s: A Catalectic Monody     Cruikshank's Om.


s: A Letter from Mr. Hosea Biglow, etc.     Lowell


s: A Letter from a Candidate for the Presidency     Lowell


s: A Swell's Homage to Mrs. Stowe     Punch


s: The Mad Cabman's Song of Sixpence     Punch


s: Riddles by     Dean Swift and his friends.


s: To you, my purse, and to none other wight,


s: For, certes, ye now make me heavy chere;


s: That I of you the blissful sowne may here,


s: Or see your color like the sunne bright,


s: Now purse, thou art to me my lives light,


s: And saviour, as downe in this world here,


s: Out of this towne helpe me by your might,


s: For ever toying, ogling, kissing, billing;


s: The joys for which I thousands would have given,


s: Will presently be scarcely worth a shilling.


s: Thy neck is fairer than the Alpine snows,


s: And, sweetly swelling, beats the down of doves;


s: Thy cheek of health, a rival to the rose;


s: Thy pouting lips, the throne of all the loves;


s: Yet, though thus beautiful beyond expression,


s: That beauty fadeth by too much possession.


s: We should be prudent, never live too fast;


s: Profusion will not, can not, always last.


s: Lovers are really spendthrifts--'tis a shame--


s: Nothing their thoughtless, wild career can tame,


s: Grown calmer, wiser, how the fault they curse,


s: And, limping, look with such a sneaking grace!


s: Job's war-horse fierce, his neck with thunder hung,


s: Sunk to an humble hack that carries dung.


s: Smell to the queen of flowers, the fragrant rose--


s: Smell twenty times--and then, my dear, thy nose


s: Will tell thee (not so much for scent athirst)


s: The twentieth drank less flavor than the FIRST.


s: Love, doubtless, is the sweetest of all fellows;


s: Yet often should the little god retire--


s: Absence, dear Chloe, is a pair of bellows,


s: Now senseless, floating on the fragrant wave;


s: Why not content the cakes alone to munch?


s: Dearly thou pay'st for buzzing round the bowl;


s: Lost to the world, thou busy sweet-lipped soul--


s: Thus Death, as well as Pleasure, dwells with Punch.


s: Now let me take thee out, and moralize--


s: Thus 'tis with mortals, as it is with flies,


s: Though Fate, with all his legions, be at hand,


s: The beasts, the draught of Circe can't withstand,


s: But in goes every nose--they must, will sup.


s: Mad are the passions, as a colt untamed!


s: When Prudence mounts their backs to ride them mild,


s: They fling, they snort, they foam, they rise inflamed,


s: Insisting on their own sole will so wild.


s: Gadsbud! my buzzing friend, thou art not dead;


s: The Fates, so kind, have not yet snapped thy thread;


s: By heavens, thou mov'st a leg, and now its brother.


s: And kicking, lo, again, thou mov'st another!


s: And now thy little drunken eyes unclose,


s: And now thou feelest for thy little nose,


s: And, finding it, thou rubbest thy two hands


s: Much as to say, "I'm glad I'm here again."


s: And well mayest thou rejoice--'tis very plain,


s: That near wert thou to Death's unsocial lands.


s: Now shaking the rich liquor from thy back,


s: Now fluttering nectar from thy silken wings.


s: Now standing on thy head, thy strength to find,


s: And poking out thy small, long legs behind;


s: And now thy pinions dost thou briskly ply;


s: Preparing now to leave me--farewell, fly!


s: Go, join thy brothers on yon sunny board,


s: There wilt thou meet a mistress, or a wife,


s: That saw thee drunk, drop senseless in the stream


s: Who gave, perhaps, the wide-resounding scream,


s: And now sits groaning for thy precious life.


s: Yes, go and carry comfort to thy friends,


s: And wisely tell them thy imprudence ends.


s: Let buns and sugar for the future charm;


s: These will delight, and feed, and work no harm--


s: While Punch, the grinning, merry imp of sin,


s: Smiles in his face, as though he meant him bliss,


s: I've said it often, and I think so still;


s: Know then, each mortal is an actual Jove;


s: Can brew what weather he shall most approve,


s: But here's the mischief--man's an ass, I say;


s: Too fond of thunder, lightning, storm, and rain;


s: That spreads a smile o'er hill and plain!


s: The mistress of his soul must be a cloud!


s: Who told him that he must be cursed on earth?


s: Heaven whispered him, the moment of his birth,


s: In colors let thy soul be dressed, not crape.


s: "Roses shall smooth life's journey, and adorn;


s: Thou mean'st to fling the blessing in my face,


s: Thou hast full leave to tread upon a thorn."


s: Yet some there are, of men, I think the worst,


s: Poor imps! unhappy, if they can't be cursed--


s: As though life's pleasure were a deadly sin;


s: Even at a dinner some will be unblessed,


s: However good the viands, and well dressed:


s: Squint with a face of verjuice o'er each dish,


s: Fault the poor flesh, and quarrel with the fish,


s: Curse cook and wife, and, loathing, eat and growl.


s: Ill har'sts, daft bargains, cutty-stools,


s: Where'er that place be priests ca' hell,


s: Thou, Toothache, surely bear'st the bell,


s: Turn'd up in scornful curve at yonder pig,


s: It would be well, my friend, if we, like him,


s: Were perfect in our kind!..And why despise


s: Thou answerest; ugly, and the filthiest beast


s: That banquets upon offal. ...Now I pray you