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352

THE MOTHER UNDER THE MOULD

1

Svend dyring rode on the island-way
Yea have I not myself been young,
And there he's wedded so fair a may
Fair words give joy to many a heart.

2

Seven years the twain together sat
And children six between them gat.

3

Then came a death into the land
And died that lovely lily-wand.

4

Then Svend he rode on the island-way
And there he's wedded another may,

5

He's wedded a may and home is she
As grim and evil as may be.

6

When she came a-driving to the door
There stood the six babies weeping sore,

7

There stood they weeping many a tear,
With her foot she thrust them forth from her.

8

She gave them neither ale nor meat:
O ye shall have both hunger and hate.

9

She took from them the bolster blue,
Said, [In] the bare straw lie alow.
353

10

She's taken from them the great wax lights:
In murk house shall ye lie anights.

11

Late in the eve the bairns they grat,
The Mother under the Mould heard that.

12

That heard she under earth as she lay:
O now must I to my babes away.

13

Then did she stand the Lord before:
O may I go see my babes once more?

14

So long there did she stand and pray
That the Lord let her go her way.

15

But come thou back at cock-crow-tide,
No longer away must thou abide.

16

Then forth her weary feet put she
To meet both wall and imagery.

17

But when she came unto the stead
Under the sky the hounds they bayed,

18

And when to the door she drew near-hand
There did her eldest daughter stand.

19

O daughter mine, why stand'st thou there,
How do thy little brethren fare?
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20

Thou art never Mother of mine,
For ever was she fair and fine.

21

My Mother was white with cheeks full red,
But thou art pale and like the dead.”

22

O how should I be fine and fair,
For dead folk all pale cheeks must bear.

23

O how should I be white and red
So long as I've been cold and dead.

24

But when she came to the chamber door,
There were [the] bairns and grat right sore.

25

The first she brushed, the second she plaited,
The third she dandled, the fourth she patted,

26

The fifth upon her breast she set
As though sweet food it thence should get.

27

Then to her eldest daughter said she,
Go bid Svend Dyring come to me.

28

So when within the hall he stood
She spake to him in wrathful mood.

29

I left behind me ale and bread
Yet must my babes [of both] have need.
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30

Bolsters blue did I leave enow,
In the bare straw lie my babes alow.

31

I left behind me waxlights high
But in chamber dark must my little ones lie.

32

Look to it that if I come once more
Ill fate for you there lieth in store.

33

But now is the red red cock a crowing
And under the earth must the dead be a going,

34

Now croweth the black cock on high
And heaven's gate openeth presently.

35

And now the white cock croweth clear,
No longer is there biding here.

36

So every time the hounds they bayed
They gave the children ale and bread.

37

No sooner did they hear them bay
But they thought the dead was on the way.

38

The hound's voice did they no sooner hear
Than sure they thought the dead was there.
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