En Havfrue op af Vandet steg, Og spaade Herr Sinklar ilde. SINCLAR'S VISA.
A mermaid from the water rose, And spaed Sir Sinclar ill.
Fortune-telling has been in all countries a gift of the sea-people. We need hardly mention the prophecies of Nereus and Proteus.
A girl one time fell into the power of a Havfrue and passed fifteen years in her submarine abode without ever seeing the sun. At length her brother went down in quest of her, and succeeded in bringing her back to the upper world. The Havfrue waited for seven years expecting her return, but when she did not come back, she struck the water with her staff and made it boil up and cried--
Hade jag trott att du varit så falsk, Så skulle jag kreckt dig din tiufvehals!
Had I but known thee so false to be, Thy thieving neck I'd have cracked for thee.[216]
Duke Magnus looked out through the castle windów, How the stream ran so rapidly; And there he saw how upon the stream sat A woman most fair and lovelie, Duke Magnus, Duke Magnus, plight thee to me, I pray you still so freely; Say me not nay, but yes, yes!
"O, to you I will give a travelling ship, The best that a knight would guide; It goeth as well on water as on firm land, And through the fields all so wide. Duke Magnus, &c.
"O, to you will I give a courser gray, The best that a knight would ride; He goeth as well on water as on firm land, And through the groves all so wide." Duke Magnus, &c.
"O, how should I plight me to you? I never any quiet get; I serve the king and my native land, But with woman I match me not yet." Duke Magnus, &c.
"To you will I give as much of gold As for more than your life will endure; And of pearls and precious stones handfùls; And all shall be so pure." Duke Magnus, &c.
"O gladly would I plight me to thee, If thou wert of Christian kind; But now thou art a vile sea-troll, My love thou canst never win." Duke Magnus, &c.
"Duke Magnus, Duke Magnus, bethink thee well, And answer not so haughtily; For if thou wilt not plight thee to me, Thou shalt ever crazy be." Duke Magnus, &c.
"I am a king's son so good, How can I let you gain me? You dwell not on land, but in the flood, Which would not with me agree." Duke Magnus, Duke Magnus, plight thee to me, I offer you still so freely; Say me not nay, but yes, yes![217]