Oehlenschlaeger's Hakon Jarl 39 



Hakoii. What wrinkled hag hath willed to thee 

 Her art, that baffles Hakon's brawny arm. 



Einar. Indeed, my mother, sir, has taught me this. 

 A witch, perhaps, as thou hast said, but not 

 A wrinkled hag ; she 's white and red as milk 

 And blood ; her name is Health, and comes as thou 

 Of ancitnt northern stock. 



Hakon. Thine hour has come ! 



Einar. Not yet, my lord ! But twenty winters crown 

 My head. Thou 'dst come to want, my noble Jarl, 

 If thou didst slaughter Norway's sturdy youth. 



Hakon. Thou wretch ! How nearly thou hadst slaughtered me ! 



Einar. By Odin, aye, by Norway's Freia, no ! 

 I only wished to sever crest from helm ; 

 No more I swear. 



Hakon. And for thy practice, boy, 



Thou choosest as thy target Hakon's head ? 



Einar. His crest, my master, only Hakon's crest. 

 To frighten thee did please me, for they say 

 That Hakon never flinches, hence I struck 

 The feather from thy helm. That wound may soon 

 Be healed, and cost at most a cockrel's tail. 

 For quittance, sir, pray hold within thy hand 

 This coin, and if my arrow fails the mark 

 Or wounds thy finger, shame me, call me woman, 

 Or hang me to the nearest tree. 



Hakon. I trust 



Thee, boy. Thine eye speaks true. In yonder birch 

 Thou seest a blemish, small and black, i' the bark; 

 Aim well, and if thine arrow squarely hits 

 The mark, thou 'st spoken true. 



Einar. [Aims and shoots.] It's done, my lord. 



Hakon. A splendid marksman ! Constantly I '11 have 

 Thee at my side. 'T was fortunate I met 

 Thee here. The rumor goes throughout the state 

 About a lad, who far excels with bow 

 And arrow. I have summoned him to Hlade. 



77 



