FOURTEENTH SONG

THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD

THE King down set him,

His guards around him,
The foe awaiting

In calm.

The King his head rested
Upon Finn Arnesson,

Sank at once into slumber,
And saw

Bright and wonderful visions.
Wavering in the heavens,
Saw the Lord's host angelic
In the sun.

Building out of the sunbeams
A bridge, upward arching
Straight from the plain terrestrial
To God.

The King bore they with them,

Light as air uplifted

As on the wings of longing

To the light,

Up the effulgent ladder

Mounted he to heaven,

Through the infinite spaces,

Toward God.

Brighter grew the sunbeams,

Multiplied the angels,

Songs came to his hearing
From God.

Many, many worlds
Onward were pressing,

For a station straining

Near God.

And when they attained it,

Vaster the space was

Than all the thronging worlds
They passed.

Praise-songs were sunbeams,
Sunbeams were praise-songs,
World without end rising
To God.

"King, get thee up!

Near is the foe,

Wood and dale he fills

With a mighty host."

Finn it was who spoke then,

The King him answered:

"Ah, thou shouldst have waited

Yet a while.

The Lord to my gaze now

His face was revealing.

In that flaming glory

I trembled."

Finn answered: "Soon thou mayest Gaze on the Lord,

Itself bestirred,

Filled all the plain,

Poured from the forest,

Ranged itself.

Down by the hillside,
Not an arrow-shot's
Distance they stood.
Many warriors

The King knew,

And with sorrow

Friends from of old.

The King knew

Kalv Arnesson,

Thus to him spoke:

"Castest thou spear-flight

Upon my army?
Thus was it not
When last we parted

Southward at Möre.

Kin hast thou with me,

And four of thy brothers."

Answered then Kalv:

"What time thou didst leave us,

Got we a greater,

Where we stand

We are fixed.

Me had it vantaged,

Were I with thee.”

Said then Finn,

Fourth of his brothers:

"That was Kalv—

Fairest of speech,

Worst in his thought.”

Torgeir of Kvistad

Made despiteful

Speech to the King: "Now shalt thou win

The peace we won
Before, when we had thee
For our chieftain."

The King him answered: "Indeed I blundered

What time I showed thee

The path of glory,

But of thy course

Here and this day

Be silent:

Within one hour

Diest thou!"

Shone the King's visage

While thus he was speaking,

Seemed far more imposing

Than before.

His eyes like lightning-flashes

Struck, where he turned them;

Knew him the bonders

And flinched.

"On, on, King's men,

Cross-men and Christ-men!"

Shouted he, and the army

Rushed forward.

As when the freshet

Bursts in the springtime,

Over the hillside

They surged,

Trumpet-notes, war-cries,

Flashing of weapons,

Banners uplifted

"On, on!

“On,

Press on, King's men,

Cut down the bonders!"

Heard they, then bore down

The foe,

Pressed them retreating

Until the foremost

Stood where the hindmost

Stood before.

First of all Arnljot,

Iamtland's chieftain,

Afrafaste, Tore,

Beside him.