Rolandskvadet [English translation]
Rolandskvadet [English translation]
"Six of my earls will stay home, to guard the gold
The other six will swing their cold iron in heathen lands"
-They rode out of the Frankish lands
Blow the horn Olivant at Roncevaux
They raised their silken sails high on their masts
They sailed out to heathen lands for one and two weeks
The oars and the anchor touched white sand:
Roland, the king's friend, was the first ashore.
They fought at Roncevaux for two and three days;
The blue men fell before Roland's sword and blade.
The mountain of blue men blocked the sun;
One fearful footman asked Roland to blow his horn.
Roland put his horn to his bloodied mouth and gave an angry blow;
The anguished sound carried over mountains and seas for three days.
King Charlemagne, he started to weep:
"What awaits my friend? I hear his horn sounding!"
King Charlemagne,
he sees his friend;
Dead lay Roland, king-friend,
holding on to his sword
King Charlemagne came home,
And everyone was listless.
The ship was filled with silver and gold
And the heathens lay behind, dead.
- Artist:Glittertind