The Legend of the White Reindeer 
Ill 
How often is the fate of kingdoms given 
into child hands, or even committed to the 
care of Bird or Beast! A She-wolf nursed the 
Roman Empire. A Wren pecking crumbs on 
a drum-head aroused the Orange army, it is 
said, and ended the Stuart reign in Britain. 
Little wonder, then, that to a noble Reindeer 
Buk should be committed the fate of Norway : 
that the Troll on the wheel should have reason 
in his rhyme. 
These were troublous times in Scandinavia. 
Evil men, traitors at heart, were sowing dissen- 
sion between the brothers Norway and Sweden. 
“Down with the Union!” was becoming the 
popular cry. 
Oh, unwise peoples! If only you could 
have been by Sveggum’s wheel to hear the 
Troll when he sang: 
The Raven and the Lion 
They held the Bear at bay; 
But he picked the bones of both 
When they quarrelled by the way. 
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