It's "knightly duty" to free now
The flag from the marring mark.
The "parity" that mark preaches
Flies false over all the seas;
A pan-Scandinavian Sweden

Can never our nation please.
From "knightly duty" the smaller
Must say: I am not a part;
The mark of my freedom and honor
Is whole for my mind and heart.
From "knightly duty" the greater
Must say: A falsehood's fair sign
Can give me no special honor,
No longer shall it be mine.
For both it is "knightly duty,"
With flags that are pure, to be
A warring world's bright example

Of peoples at peace, proud and free.

I

TO MISSIONARY SKREFSRUD IN

SANTALISTAN

HONOR you, who, though refused, affronted, Have heard the voice, and victory have won; I honor you, who still by malice hunted, Show miracles of faith and power done.

I honor you, God-thirsting soul so driven, 'Mid scorn and need the spirit's war to wage;

I honor you, by Gudbrand's valley given,
And of her sons the foremost in this age.

I do not share your faith, your daring dreaming; This parts us not, the spirit's paths are broad. For, all things great and noble round us streaming, I worship them, because I worship God.

POST FESTUM

A MAN in coat of ice arrayed

Stood up once by the Arctic Ocean; The whole earth shook with proud emotion And honor to the giant paid.

A king came, to him climbing up,

An Order in his one hand bearing:

"Who great become, this sign are wearing." -The growling giant said but "

"Stop!"

The frightened king fell down again,
Began to weep with features ashen:
"My Order is in this rude fashion
Refused by just the greatest men.

"My dear man, take it, 't is but fit,

Of your king's honor be the warder;
On your breast greater grows the Order,
And we who bear it, too, by it.".

The Arctic giant was too good,

A foible oft ascribed to giants,

Who foolish trust in little clients,—
He took it,—while we mocking stood.

But all the kings crept to him then,
And each his Order brought, to know it
Thereby renewed and greater, so it
Gave rank to needy noblemen.

Honi soit . . . and all the rest;

Soon Orders covered all his breast.
But oh! they greater grew no tittle,
And he grew so confounded little.

ROMSDAL

COME up on deck! The morning is clear,—
Memory wakes, as the landmarks appear.

How many the islands, green and cheery,
The salt-licking skerries, weed-wound, smeary!

On this side, on that side, they frolic before us, Good friends, but wild,-in frightened chorus Sea-fowl shriek round us, a flying legion. We are in a region

Of storms historic, unique for aye.

We fare the fishermen's venturesome way!
Far out the bank and the big fish shoaling,

The captain narrates; and just now unrolling
Sails run to shore a swift racing match;-

Romsdal's boats' weather-beaten men.

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

But I'm forgetting to look towards land!
It whelms the sight

Like lightning bright,

In memory graven, but not so great.

Wherever I suffer my eyes to wander,
Stand mountain-giants, both here and yonder,
The loin of one by the other's shoulder,

Naught else to where earth and sky are blending.
The dread of a world's din daunts the beholder;
The silence vastens the vision unending.

Some are in white and others in blue,
With pointed tops that emulous tower;

Some mass their power,

In marching columns their purpose pursue.
Away, you small folk!-In there "The Preacher"

In high assembly the service intoning

Of magnates primeval, their patriarch owning! Of what does he preach, my childhood's teacher?

So often, so often to him I listened,

In eager worship, devout and lowly;

My songs were christened

In light that fell from his whiteness holy.

How great it is! I can finish never.

Great thoughts that in life and legend we treasure
Stream towards the scene in persistent endeavor,
The mighty impression to grasp and measure,-
Dante's hell, India's myth-panorama,

Shakespeare's earth-overarching drama,
Aeschylus' thunders that purge and free,
Beethoven's powerful symphony,—

They widen and heighten, they cloud and brighten:
-Like small ants scrambling and soft-cooing doves,
They tumble backward and flee affrighted;-
As if a dandy in dress-coat and gloves

The mountains approached and to dance invited. No, tempt them not! Their retainer be!

You'll learn then later,

How life with the great must make you greater.

If you are humble, they 'll say it themselves,
That something is greater than e'en their greatest.
Look how the little river that delves

High in the notch within limits straitest,

Through ice first burrowed and stone, a brook,
Slowly the giants asunder wearing!

Unmoved before, their face now and bearing

They had to change 'mid the spring-flood's laughter;
Millions of years have followed thereafter,
Millions of years it also took.