Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by DavidPrice, . Many thanks to Norfolk andNorwich Millennium Library, UK, for kindly supplying the imagesfrom which this transcription was made.
FINNISH ARTS
or
sir thor and damsel thure
a ballad
by
GEORGE BORROW
London:
printed for private circulation
1913
p. 6Copyright inthe United States of America
by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. for ClementShorter.
p.7FINNISH ARTS
OR
SIR THOR AND DAMSEL THURE.
Sir Thor was a knight of prowess tried,
The son of a king he was beside.
He was a knight excelled by none,
At home such deeds of might he’d done.
And not alone in his native home,
But manhood had he displayed at Rome.
He faithfully served the emperor,
And hatred to all his foes he bore.
King of Norroway was his sire,
His fame spreads over the world entire.
He was a King both aged and grey,
So he summoned his son from Rome away.
He summoned his son from Rome away,
To help him Norway’s land to sway.
p.8As soon as the tidings reached Sir Thor,
He hied to the Roman Emperor.
“Hail, Emperor Ludvig, great and brave!
Thy leave to return to my sire I crave.”
“Freely shalt thou permission gain,
And thy post shall vacant for thee remain.”
He greeted all the knightly train,
They begged him quickly return again.
When from Rome he came to his own countrie,
His father welcomed him heartilie.
His dear son married he fain would see,
And divide with him his domain would he.
He envoys sends with all despatch
To seek a maid with his son to match.
They travelled wide with unwearied mind
Before his equal they could find.
O’er land and sea so wide they speed,
Until they reached the land of Swede.
p.9And when they reached the Swedish State,
They found one worthy to be his mate.
Damsel Thura the maiden hight,
In Swedish land was none so bright.
The loveliest maiden in all the land,
Her father was high Sir Sallemand.
He was a noble rich and great,
His equal was not in Sweden’s State.
So glad to Norroway back they wend,
That the matter be brought to a happy end.
They the tidings to their lord declare
That they had found a damsel rare.
No fairer was in the Swede countrie,
Nor in all the isles there round that be.
The heart of Sir Thor with joy beat loud
When they described the damsel proud.
He spoke to his men, so gallant and stout,
Who were to attend him in his rout:
p.10“We must quickly away, so ready make,
I’ve sworn an oath I dare not break,
“As soon as the lovely rose was found,
To her o’er land and sea to bound.”
They hoisted their sails on the yard so high,
And out of the haven away they fly.
So gay thence sailed they every one,