Yvytot

Where wail the waters in their flawA spectre wanders to and fro,And evermore that ghostly shoreBemoans the heir of Yvytot.

Sometimes, when, like a fleecy pall,The mists upon the waters fall,Across the main float shadows twainThat do not heed the spectre's call.

The king his son of YvytotStood once and saw the waters goBoiling around with hissing soundThe sullen phantom rocks below.

And suddenly he saw a faceLift from that black and seething place--Lift up and gaze in mute amazeAnd tenderly a little space,

A mighty cry of love made he--No answering word to him gave she,But looked, and then sunk back againInto the dark and depthless sea.

And ever afterward that face,That he beheld such little space,Like wraith would rise within his eyesAnd in his heart find biding place.

So oft from castle hall he creptWhere mid the rocks grim shadows slept,And where the mist reached down and kissedThe waters as they wailed and wept.

The king it was of YvytotThat vaunted, many years ago,There was no coast his valiant hostHad not subdued with spear and bow.

For once to him the sea-king cried:"In safety all thy ships shall rideAn thou but swear thy princely heirShall take my daughter to his bride.

"And lo, these winds that rove the seaUnto our pact shall witness be,And of the oath which binds us bothShall be the judge 'twixt me and thee!"

Then swore the king of YvytotUnto the sea-king years ago,And with great cheer for many a yearHis ships went harrying to and fro.

Unto this mighty king his throneWas born a prince, and one alone--Fairer than he in form and bleeAnd knightly grace was never known.

But once he saw a maiden faceLift from a haunted ocean place--Lift up and gaze in mute amazeAnd tenderly a little space.

Wroth was the king of Yvytot,For that his son would never goSailing the sea, but liefer beWhere wailed the waters in their flow,

Where winds in clamorous anger swept,Where to and fro grim shadows crept,And where the mist reached down and kissedThe waters as they wailed and wept.

So sped the years, till came a dayThe haughty king was old and gray,And in his hold were spoils untoldThat he had wrenched from Norroway.

Then once again the sea-king cried:"Thy ships have harried far and wide;My part is done--now let thy sonRequire my daughter to his bride!"

Loud laughed the king of Yvytot,And by his soul he bade him no--"I heed no more what oath I swore,For I was mad to bargain so!"

Then spake the sea-king in his wrath:"Thy ships lie broken in my path!Go now and wring thy hands, false king!Nor ship nor heir thy kingdom hath!

"And thou shalt wander evermoreAll up and down this ghostly shore,And call in vain upon the twainThat keep what oath a dastard swore!"

The king his son of YvytotStood even then where to and froThe breakers swelled--and there beheldA maiden face lift from below.

"Be thou or truth or dream," he cried,"Or spirit of the restless tide,It booteth not to me, God wot!But I would have thee to my bride."

Then spake the maiden: "Come with meUnto a palace in the sea,For there my sire in kingly ireRequires thy king his oath of thee!"

Gayly he fared him down the sandsAnd took the maiden's outstretched hands;And so went they upon their wayTo do the sea-king his commands.

The winds went riding to and froAnd scourged the waves that crouched below,And bade them sing to a childless kingThe bridal song of Yvytot.

So fell the curse upon that shore,And hopeless wailing evermoreWas the righteous dole of the craven soulThat heeded not what oath he swore.

An hundred ships went down that dayAll off the coast of Norroway,And the ruthless sea made mighty gleeOver the spoil that drifting lay.

The winds went calling far and wideTo the dead that tossed in the mocking tide:"Come forth, ye slaves! from your fleeting gravesAnd drink a health to your prince his bride!"

Where wail the waters in their flowA spectre wanders to and fro,But nevermore that ghostly shoreShall claim the heir of Yvytot.

Sometimes, when, like a fleecy pall,The mists upon the waters fall,Across the main flit shadows twainThat do not heed the spectre's call.