The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-25
THE TROLL AND THE MAID.
An lcelandic Christmas Ballad.

@- '' h'oS
holy night
I'll bear her to my rock cave away from
mortal sight"
SO spoke the troll of Veilir, the greatest
troll Of all,
Who for a human maiden had a
guished, since the Fall
Had made the hidden troll folk q race
alone. apart,
TO lack for love. and ever to have the
longing heart.
On Christmas eve in Iceland their
yearning Is so deep
They venture from their rock caves 20
where the maidens sleep.
And peer through glowing windows
where Christmas candles burn
But, II the dawn arises, to stone they
quickly turn.
Oh, happy wa this maiden, and happy
was the youth
To whom she was betrothed. In con-
stancy and truth .
And on this eve Of Juletdme she stayed
at home TO care
For her sisters little daughter. who was
her bed to share.
And while the child was sleeping, and
at the midnight mass
The neighbor folk were singing. she
heard the great troll pass:
She said her "Pater' bravely. and like
a moorfbeam bright
She slipped into the wall bed. a lily slim
and white.
The troll IL at her window. she knows
that he is near,
And II she does not raise her eyes she
has no need to fear.
white is your hand. q maiden, white
is our snowy hand.
Untouched by any evil thing hat lives
in sea or land.
Clear as the ice your eyes. girl, clear
as the ice our eyes,"
"And In my eyes. o mighty troll. no
evil thinking lies"
IT saw your feet a moment. soft tinted
pearl and rose"
"And they have never trod where the
poison flower grows"
"Ah, ruddy red your lips. girl, ash ber-
ries in the SUM-"
IT keep them for my Christian. he 10
My hands. my eyes. my lips arc his. for
whom l walt
! Soon comes the sun. o Elf man. the
Red Horse that you hate"
20 maiden. look upon me. I have dia-
mond drops like dew.
And all my precious jewelS I offer unto
YOU"
NO. I will wed my Christian before
next Easter noon
In the great church OF Nellir-Go! fast
dies the moon"
He cannot give you diamonds as morn
ing hailstones clear,
He canno: give you rubies-ah! look. !
have them here:
They'll glow upon your neck like rose
leaves dropped on milk.
And shine like flames at night time upon
your gloves Of silk"
Up flashed her eyes a moment-he drew
her from her bed
These rubies for your neck. love, these
diamonds for our head
! She went. she called. she shrieked. The
troll will do me NJ
But backward came her crying, for the
world was very stlll.
mo man shall ever touch my lips. excep,
the man I love-
Oh. save me. blessed Mother, and all
the saints above"
The troll he laughed out loudly. You're
mine and mine and mine.
The memory of your Christian Well
shortly drown in wine"
Go west she whispered softly unto
her friend the Wind.
Say 10 the priest AZ Vellir. for surely
lie is kind.
| To speak a word in Latin, to save me
from his fate.
A word at once in Latin, or /; will be
too late
The Wind heard very kindly. for he
serves the Lord of Light
He rushed into the chapel, with al
his main and might.
abb, male Spiritus' the Wine sang "a
the West,
The priest, surprised, repeated II. IN.
stead Of "Missa est"
And much the people wondered as these
TRANCE words were said
And swift before the Red Horse thu
Wind now eastward sped
For on the eve OF Christmas both beasts
and wind are lain
To show their loving knowledge tina
christ lived not in vain.
And as the words were spoken. III,
maiden's plea was won,
And toward the fleeing troll came the
Red Horse of the Sun.
The giant troll, despairing, was quickl,
turned to stone.
And hieh above her village the nader
Stood alone,
Then downward to her home, clad II
the morning mist.
She went, soft, pure and gladstone. h,
the mad troll unkissed.
But on her milk white neck there wa
a mark of crimson flame
Like rose leaves red in now time-th'
rubies left their shame.
And where there might be diamonds
among her hair OF gold,
There lay wide streaks of silver. as I
she had grown old
IAN these | bear in memory of thu
dark flight with the troll,
These marks upon m body, but no
upon my soul"
Al Easter jocund Christian and thi,
fair maid were wed,
And many times this ale was told, a,
swift the good years sped
And when the trolls We're walking upor
the holy night,
She tightly barred the doorway an,
Rugged her babies tight.
She heard the troll a~-singlng, 20 woman
old and brown,
You may walk at ease on Christina
eve through all OF Nellir town.
oh, YOU were slim and lovely when L
the rocks we ran,
But now ,--' 'Troll.' ouoth the house
wife, you are no gentleman -
MAURICE FRANCIS EGAN.
COPY n AGES. December lgln