Ochlenschlacgcr's Hakon Jarl 25 



My ship alone lies anchored in the bay ; 

 'The rest are not dissuaded from their course. 

 One apprehension, quite unfounded, I 

 Foresaw, and hence took all precaution not 

 To rouse alarm. But who are these, my friend ?' 



Tliorcr. Thy worthy kinsmen, sir, whom thou dost now 

 Embrace, — Carlshoved he, and Jostein there, 

 Maternal cousins ; gladly they have come 

 To clasp their kinsman's hand. 



Ohf. My cousins, they? 



A double welcome then, twice dear to me. 



Jostein. Receive thy country's greetings, Ola. 



Olaf. ' Ola ? 



Thy speech betrays the honest dalesman ; round 

 And full thou roll'st the "1" ; I never learned 

 It thus ; while yet an infant I was forced 

 To flee my native land. Our kinship then, 

 Is on my mother's side ? 



Carlshoved. Thy mother, sir, 



Was Astrid, sister to our father, Halfdan. 



Jostein. Just so, my lord. 



Olaf. And hence we 're cousins, we ? 



You both resemble Astrid ; still I see 

 That face, though early she was torn away. 

 Thou, Jostein, hast her dimpled cheeks, and thou 

 My Carl, art heir to all her golden locks. 



Carlshoved. We 're glad thou seest her counterpart in us. 



Olaf. Now tell me friends, how fares our goodly land ? 

 I sail, perhaps you know, to Russia's aid ; 

 My foster-father Valdemar is dead. 

 And all the land is filled with restlessness. 

 His son,, Ivan defends the Christian faith, 

 And so I hasten to his aid with men 

 That stoutly wield the sword, as well as those 

 Who reverently bear the cross. When I 

 Embarked, I never thought of Norway; yet 

 When through the mists I saw her lofty cliffs 



63 



