King Byrge And His Brothers

________________________________________________
Title:     King Byrge And His Brothers
Author: George Borrow [More Titles by Borrow]

Dame Ingeborg three brave brothers could boast,
For the crown of Sweden their lives they lost.

The nobles to Sweden would fain away,
Dame Ingeborg bade them at home to stay.

Dame Ingeborg stood at Helsingborg's gate,
"Dear brothers, go not, I beg and entreat!"

Then with one voice the brothers cried:
"We've long for our realms paternal sighed.

"And we have too long with thee remained,
Our hearts within us are sorely pained."

"Five days with me, dear brothers, wait,
Whilst I my dreadful dream relate.

"Methought that your mantles were of lead,
With them, dear brothers, ye were arrayed.

"They were fast tied about your throats,
And treachery towards ye that denotes."

To Dame Ingeborg's rede no ear they lent,
But to Sweden that very same day they went.

And when they had won to the sand beach white,
There met them Brouk, that faithless knight.

"Ye brothers both, thrice welcome be,
Ye'll come and drink Yule with His Majesty?"

The nobles repair to Nykoping street,
There they a deceitful counsel meet.

"Now off your bodies your armour lay,
And hie to the castle in court dress gay."

In at the doorway the nobles stepped,
Up to receive them the monarch leapt.

"My dear brothers both, thrice welcome be,
Will ye drink Yule with our Majesty?"

With his brothers down sate King Byrge to food,
Much serious discourse betwixt them ensued.

"Now welcome, my brothers, thrice welcome I say,
May I not alone the country sway?"

"May God to our brother grant happiness,
But he cannot alone the land to possess."

The nobles they ate and they drank for a trice,
Brouk has discovered another device:

"What will ye now do, ye worshipful knights,
Have drinking and dancing for ye delights?"

Then they danced out and danced in with glee,
And Brouk the clear wine poured so free.

On the floor stood the nobles and 'gan to sing,
Whilst Brouk proceeded to plot with the King.

Then unto his brother Duke Valdemar said:
"O Erik, we drink too much wine, I'm afraid.

"Be we on our guard 'gainst Brouk's pleasantries,
He knoweth all manner of villanies."

Duke Erik held up his good right hand:
"Shall we fear aught in our fatherland?

"We are come with a safety assurance fair,
And of no quarrel are we aware."

They drank and they danced till the day had ta'en flight,
Then illumined was torch and big wax light.

To hie now to bed the nobles desired,
And repose on the bolsters their bodies tired.

Then in to the prison tower they were led,
The King himself went in his cloak of red.

They thought that in jest the thing was done,
'Till he slammed the doors to every one.

Manlike fought Erik and scorned to yield,
As long as he'd sword or a post to wield.

Broke sword! broke post! they no more could defend!
Into prison they naked were forced to wend.

The noble brothers suffered sore,
From frost and from cold and from hunger much more.

"We'll give thee, Brouk, the gold so red,
If thou'lt give us but water and bread."

"Ye shall not obtain in Sweden here,
Or bread or water your hearts to cheer."

"Our dear brother's wife we are confident,
To let us be starved will ne'er consent.

"We know the Queen has a pitying breast,
She will straw send us whereon to rest.

"The hunger within us is sharp and strong,
Our hearts must certainly burst ere long."

Then Brouk at that word so wrathful grew,
The keys he into the salt fiord threw.

Twas dismal to hear how with hunger they roared,
Each others shoulders they devoured.

And there is yet more woe to relate,
The flesh from the sides of each other they ate.

Much misery and woe there was that tide,
In each other's arms the brothers died.

And thus things stood till five months were fled,
King Byrge came home from the war-field red.

"Now whither departed are brothers mine?
Why didst thou not give them their fill of wine?"

Then answered straight the little child:
"Brouk into the tower the nobles beguiled."

King Byrge peeped in the window through,
The state of the brothers was piteous to view.

"Now hear thou, Brouk, straight to me declare,
Where the prison keys are I gave to thy care?"

"May the blessed Christ my soul ne'er save,
If I cast them not in the briny wave."

"O Brouk, shame fall thy head upon,
So evilly towards me thou has done.

"Thou fool and villain! I've lost thereby
The keys to Sweden's sovereignty."

"If I have betrayed thy brothers twain,
Thou mayest alone over Sweden reign."

That deed such grief to the Dukes' friends gave,
And that grief they carried to the grave.

With his Queen King Byrge must fly from his throne,
Beheaded was Magnus, his beautiful son.

But Brouk to the infamous wheel was consigned,
May all such traitors a like end find!

When sovereigns many there are to a land,
You'll never see them go hand in hand.

The one 'fore the other must certainly fall,
Not seldom destruction comes o'er them all.

Though fraud and deceit for a time have success,
At length on their owner they'll bring distress.

[The end]
George Borrow's poem: King Byrge And His Brothers

________________________________________________



GO TO TOP OF SCREEN