The night was clear, Frost’s bite was keen,
And by the ocean’s frothy breen,
Alight with Welkin’s starry sheen
A crown-prince on his mount was seen–
The good Prince Gudlossad.
He galloped swift the ocean by,
Then stopped as gold flashed to his eye,
A ring inset with sapphires tri
Upon the silver sod.
So got he down upon the sand,
And knelt he whilst his horse did stand.
Then taking up the ring in hand,
Did gaze upon the simple band
The Crown-Prince Gudlossad.
The sapphires glimmered faintly blue
And Moon’s light did unto him shew
In runic script, the which he knew,
The strange words, “Fyllt av Nåd.”
He cast him then up off the loam
Onto his steed, and turned his roam
Away from west and east tow’rd home
For to discover unto whome
Belonged this ring he hod.
He rode in at a rapid rate,
Encharged his horse there at the gate,
And entered in the feast hall great
Of his Sire Gudlossad.
He nobly strode, form straight and tall,
Into the noisy banquet hall,
And in rich voice did loudly call,
“Hath any let this trinket fall
“Which I have newly got?”
The ladies looked each at the ring
But laughed, “This is but some child’s thing.”
So went unto the royal wing
The tired Prince Gudlossad.
Upon a table by his bed
He laid the ring, then laid his head
Upon his pillow as he said,
“Who can it be this ring hath shed?
“I wonder, but wot not.”
I near sleep moments had he lain
When heard a noise his foggèd brain
Like to the tap of falling rain,
And wakened Gudlossad.
There, on the table, gold and blue,
The ring was dancing all askew,
And jumped and rolled and fell and flew.
And as it rattled, rattled too
The stunned Prince Gudlossad.
Then jumped the ring onto his face,
And quickened, dancing still, its pace,
And caused the heart to pulsing race
Of ‘mazèd Gudlossad.
Then as the ring revolved and weaved,
A throbbing Gudlossad perceived,
A sobbing, as the ring were grieved,
Or so the wond’ring Prince believed,
The Crown-Prince Gudlossad.
The dancing ring brought words to mind,
“I must do good, be fair and kind,
“And of this ring the owner find,”
Thought noble Gudlossad.
Next morn he took his sword and shield
(A cross of white on crimson field.)
His Sire-King blessed him as he kneeled.
Then mounted he his horse and wheeled,
And rode Prince Gudlossad.
His armor flashed beneath the sun;
His milk-white steed did swiftly run.
He would not stop till he had won
The answer that he sought.
He rode throughout the day and night
And came upon a manor white
That in the dark shone out with light.
So said, “Perchance I’ve come aright,”
The hopeful Gudlossad.
He knocked upon the gate and said,
“I am a trav’ller wanting bed.”
The guard admitted him and led
Him to a cozy cot.
Upon the morrow with him dined
The widowed Lady, who was kind.
But even asking, sad he pined
Her hands, for they were not designed
To bear the ring he hod.
So thanking he his hostess gode,
He set out on the eastward road,
And by the gurgling river trode,
Himself all lost in thought.
Came he upon a wedding feast,
With lovely bride, and groom, and priest.
He slowed his horse, its movement ceased.
“Mayhap I now may end my queest,”
Said he as down he got.
“Have any lost a ring?” cried he.
About him came the girls to see,
If hope! perchance! their toy it be.
But sorrow, it was not.
His horse he rode a stream’s flow by
When did he to his fore espy
A black-clad beauty who did cry,
“O! Husband, household lost have I,
“My ring gone, I have naught.”
Dismount then from his faithful steed
And to the woman rush with speed
Did he to see if this indeed
Was her that he had sought.
“My Lady, do thy weeping cease,
“For I, perhaps, can bring thee peace.
“This ring thou spake of, tell me, please,
“Doth it resemble this fair piece?”
Asked gentle Gudlossad.
She looked at him with tear-filled eyes,
And shook her head with sorrowed sighs.
“I weep for quite a greater prize.
“That ring is worth scarce aught.”
Then did the Prince his pouch unfold
And thence withdrew a fist of gold.
“Be cheered, dear Lady, and be bold,
“This shall thee for a time uphold,”
Comfórted Gudlossad.
Then leapt he on his trusty beast
And ventured further tow’rds the east.
“Would I have started had I wist
“Such luck would be my lot?”
He dashed across the flowered lea
And overrode the grassy bree,
But never did the owner see
Of that gold ring with graved words three,
That were these, “Fyllt av Nåd.”
He met a swift, wide flowing rill
And on the other bank a hill
Rose up into the sky until
Within the clouds ’twas caught.
O’er all the hill that highly tow’red
Were lovely plants that golden flow’red.
Their brilliant blooms were so empow’red
To cheer as sunbeams from high show’red.
So cheered they Gudlossad.
“I’ll smell those flow’rs,” said he to him,
And with his horse, across did swim.
The waters did revive the vim
Of questing Gudlossad.
A curiousness seized his heart,
And up the hillside did he start,
While round him butterfles did dart.
Contented grazed his horse apart,
As climbed Prince Gudlossad.
And as he reached the misty height,
He half withdrew his sword from fright,
He’d thought to see no living wight.
But this was sight quite odd.
There in a stony, bowèled dip
Was formed a pool by water’s drip,
And standing by, her hand on hip,
With night black hair and ruby lip,
The fairest work of God.
He looked at her, astounded first,
Then said, “Fair maid, I have great thirst,”
Bemusèd, she her full lips pursed,
Then smiling, gave a nod.
“I have no cup,” she sweetly said.
“My hands shall form thy cup instead.”
So by her knelt and bowed her head
And drank a drink to raise the dead
The charmed Prince Gudlossad.
The ring was dancing at his breast.
High leaped his heart within his chest.
“Is this for whom I made the quest?”
Asked he, “O! happy thought!”
His grateful thanks to her he told.
He paused a space and then made bold,
Removing from his tunic’s fold
The chain which held the ring of gold.
Then questioned Gudlossad:
“Fair maiden, canst thou tell me true,
“This ring of gold and sapphires blue,
“Is it like aught thou ever knew?
“Or ken’st thou ‘Fyllt av Nåd?’ ”
“O! glory, praises be to God!
“Thou hast to me my dear ring brought,
“Which I have from my mother hod
“Since first they laid her in the sod,
“For I am Fyllt av Nåd.”
“Thou seem’st indeed filled up with grace,”
Quoth he, “judged by the kindly face.”
She blushed. He said with heart a-race,
“I am Prince Gudlossad.”
“My mother gave to me this ring,”
Spoke she, “and told me if some thing
“Should chance me into danger bring
“To throw it to the sea and sing
“A song she to me taught.
” ‘Ring of sapphire, ring of gold,
” ‘Bring a knight good, kind, and bold
” ‘To rescue me and loving hold!’
“Good Prince, it hath thee brought!”
Took Fyllt av Nåd the golden ring
And did it to her sweet lips bring.
“Could’st thou kiss me and not that thing?”
Asked, eyes with mirth a-twinkling,
Enamoured Gudlossad.
She leaned and gave him light a kiss
And filled his heart with depthless bliss.
“This ring, I joy that I found this,
“For it me here hath brought.”
“But how have not I yet thee told?”
Cried she, “O! Prince both kind and bold,
“An ogre lives here, tough and old.
“His slave am I since years three-fold.
“Be caught here thou must not!”
But then the earth was rumbling,
Like ancient mountains grumbling.
And out the trees a-stumbling,
An ogre clumsy shot.
Gudlóssad caught the ogre’s sight,
Who looked at him, then laughed outright.
“But my, we shall dine well tonight!
“You’ve done me well, my sweet slave-wight!
“I never would have thought.”
With that he raised his club-like board
And frenzied raced Gudlóssad tow’rd.
The Prince, calm seeming, drew his sword.
Hard clashed the two, and fought.
The Prince his sword did ably wield,
And fended blows off with his shield.
The two paced round about the field,
Yet neither would have yet been kielled,
If not for Fyllt av Nåd.
She took a stone that lay thereby
And threw it at the ogre’s eye.
Full on it struck and did he cry,
“You wicked little rot!”
Gudlóssad took the offered chance
To through the ogre’s body lance
His sword. The monster did a dance,
Did wildly scream and rave and prance,
Then fell stiff as a rod.
They left the site of battle grim.
Their hearts with joy and love did brim.
Long he praised her, and she praised him,
Both with the other awed.
O’er-climbing hill and fording brock,
The horse did slowly homeward walk.
And as they rode, he her would rock,
And did they to each other talk
Of all things on the Sod.
And once, as set the blazing sun,
She watched their shadow swiftly run
And said, “Both riders seem as one!”
She smièled at the thought.
When came they to his father’s hall,
The King did all his subjects call.
The court was filled from wall to wall,
And joy, like rain from heav’n, did fall
As bride and bridegroom trod.
So wed were they, the two made one,
Like streams into a river run.
Their love was like the noonday sun,
And sanctified by God.
Prince Gudlossad when King ruled well.
He slew great many monsters fell.
His fame spread far o’er hill and dell,
And all that told did truly tell,
“He justly wields the Rod.”
His queen was gentle, kind and more.
Her subjects all did her adore.
Most gracious queen in times of yore
Is called fair Fyllt av Nåd.
Jeremy Brown. 1994.
based on ‘The Ring’ by Helena Nyblom, in ‘Great Swedish Fairy Tales’, illustrated by John Bauer, translated by Loger Lundbergh, selected by Elsa Olenius, (1973) Dell Publishing Co. Inc.
