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The Sea-King

A metrical romance, in six cantos. With notes, historical and illustrative. By J. Stanyan Bigg
Bigg, J. Stanyan (1828-1865)
  
[dedication]

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[section]
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THE SEA-KING.
 I. 
CANTO I. The Legend of Otlauga.
collapse sectionII. 
CANTO II. The Scald.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
  
THE SCALD'S TALE.
  
THE SCALD'S TALE, continued.
  
The Valkyries' Chorus.
  
THE SCALD'S TALE concluded.
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CANTO III. The Legend of Ragnar Lodbrog.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
 XIX. 
XIX.
 XX. 
XX.
 I. 
PART I.—The Journey.
 II. 
PART II.—The Shipwreck.
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CANTO IV. The Tomb of Orvar.
 I. 
I.
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PART III.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
  
THE SONG.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
 XIX. 
XIX.
 XX. 
XX.
 XXI. 
XXI.
 XXII. 
XXII.
 XXIII. 
XXIII.
 XXIV. 
XXIV.
 XXV. 
XXV.
 XXVI. 
XXVI.
 XXVII. 
XXVII.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII.
 XXIX. 
XXIX.
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CANTO V. The Mysteries.
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PART IV. THE LEGEND OF RAGNAR CONTINUED.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
 XIX. 
XIX.
 XX. 
XX.
 XXI. 
XXI.
 XXII. 
XXII.
 XXIII. 
XXIII.
 XXIV. 
XXIV.
 XXV. 
XXV.
 XXVI. 
XXVI.
 XXVII. 
XXVII.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII.
 XXIX. 
XXIX.
 XXX. 
XXX.
 XXXI. 
XXXI.
 XXXII. 
XXXII.
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII.
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV.
 XXXV. 
XXXV.
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI.
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII.
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII.
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX.
  
THE SONG.
 XLIV. 
XLIV.
 XLV. 
XLV.
 XLVI. 
XLVI.
 XLVII. 
XLVII.
 XLVIII. 
XLVIII.
 XLIX. 
XLIX.
 L. 
L.
 LI. 
LI.
 LII. 
LII.
 LIII. 
LIII.
 LIV. 
LIV.
 LV. 
LV.
 LVI. 
LVI.
 LVII. 
LVII.
 LVIII. 
LVIII.
 LIX. 
LIX.
 LX. 
LX.
 LXI. 
LXI.
 LXII. 
LXII.
 VI. 
CANTO VI. The Recognition.

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XXIX.

This quickly passed away; and then he said
“Thy love, thy gratitude, may all be vain,
For on thy raptured eye,
The azure arching sky,
May never break again.
There is but one, one only way,
Between this vault, and upper day,
And that is full of danger;—
Many have entered in these vaults,
But none e'er issued out!
And didst thou not behold that ghastly band,
Who, fixed forever, naked stand
The red torch glaring in their hand?
And these are they;
161

Who, issuing from these gloomy vaults,
Have perished on the way.
'Twas fear that ruined them, and it was fear
That tore the living flesh from off their bones,
And placed them where they stand.
I tell thee now what thou knewest not before,
Their dreadful suffering ended not with death,
Well had it been for them if it were so;—
But ah! their last, their quivering vital breath
Was but a prelude of their future woe!
And know'st thou what it is that in their hand
Blazes an ever flaming brand?
Thou canst not tell,—it is their deathless soul!
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