We went to the fjord and in wonder beheld
The ashen-gray bauta, that record of eld;
Still older she stood and her silence kept,
While stone-studded hows all around us slept.

Our hands she then took and away o'er the hill
She led to the church ever lowly and still,
Where humbly our forefathers knelt to pray,
And mildly she taught us: "Do ye as they!"

She scattered her snow on the mountain's steep side,
Then bade on swift skis her young manhood to glide;
The North Sea she maddened with scourge of gales,
Then bade her young manhood to hoist the sails.

Of beautiful maidens she gathered a throng,
To follow our daring with smiles and with song,
While she sat enthroned with her saga's scroll
In mantle of moonlight beneath the Pole.

Then "Forward, go forward!" was borne on the wind, "With forefathers' aim and with forefathers' mind, For freedom, for Norsehood, for Norway, hurrah!" While echoing mountains voiced their hurrah.

Then life-giving fountains burst forth on our sight, Then we were baptized with her spirit of might, Then gleamed o'er the mountains a vision high, That summons us onward until we die.

SONG FOR NORWAY

(1859)

NATIONAL HYMN

YES, we love this land that towers

Where the ocean foams;

Rugged, storm-swept, it embowers

Many thousand homes.

Love it, love it, of you thinking,
Father, mother dear,

And that night of saga sinking
Dreamful to us here.

This the land that Harald guarded
With his hero-throng,

This the land that Haakon warded,
Hailed by Eyvind's song.

Olaf here the cross erected,

While his blood he shed; Sverre's word this land protected 'Gainst the Roman dread.

Peasants whetted axes carried,

Broke th' invader's blow; Tordenskjold flashed forth and harried, Lighted home the foe.

Women oft to arms were leaping,

Manlike in their deed;

Others' lot was naught but weeping,Tears that brought their meed.

Many truly were we never,

But we did suffice,

When in times of testing ever

Worthy was the prize.

For we would the land see burning,

Rather than its fall;

Memory our thoughts is turning
Down to Fredrikshald!

Harder times we bore that tried us

Were cast off in scorn;

In that crisis was beside us

Blue-eyed freedom born.

That gave father-strength for bearing

Famine-need and sword,

Honor death itself outwearing,

And it gave accord.

Far our foe his weapons flinging

Up his visor raised;

We in wonder to him springing

On our brother gazed.

Both by wholesome shame incited

Southward made our way;

Brothers three, in heart united,

We shall stand for aye!

Men of Norway, high or lowly,
Give to God the praise!

He our land's Defender Holy

In its darkest days!

All our fathers here have striven

And our mothers wept,

Hath the Lord His guidance given, So our right we kept.

Yes, we love this land that towers Where the ocean foams; Rugged, storm-swept, it embowers Many thousand homes.

As our fathers' conflict gave it

Vict'ry at the end,

Also we, when time shall crave it,

Will its peace defend.

THE CALL

(FROM A HAPPY BOY)

COME calf now to mother,
Come lamb that I choose,
Come cats, one and t' other,
With snowy-white shoes,
Come gosling all yellow,
Come forth with your fellow,
Come chickens so small,

Scarce walking at all,

Come doves, that are mine now,
With feathers so fine now!

The grass is bedewed,

The sunlight renewed,

It's early, early, summer's advancing
But autumn soon comes a-dancing!

EVENING

(FROM A HAPPY BOY).

EVENING sun in beauty is shining,
Lazy puss on the step's reclining.
"Two small mice,

Cream that was so nice,
Four fine bits of fish,

Stolen from a dish,

And I'm so good and full,

And I'm so lazy and dull!”

Says the pussy.

Mother-hen her wings now is sinking, Rooster stands on one leg a-thinking: "That gray goose,

High he flies and loose;

But just watch, you must admit,
Naught he has of rooster-wit.

Chickens in! To the coop away!

Gladly dismiss we the sun for to-day!" Says the rooster.