Page:The Atlantic Monthly Volume 1.djvu/705

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1858.] The Story of Karin. 697 THE STORY OF KARIN. A DANISH LEGEND.

KARIN the fair, Karin the gay, She came on the morn of her bridal day,— She came to the mill-pond clear and bright, And viewed hersel' in the morning light. "And oh," she cried, "that my bonny brow May ever be white and smooth as now! "And oh, my hair, that I love to braid, Be yellow in sunshine, and brown in shade! "And oh, my waist, sae sleuder and fine, May it never need girdle longer than mine!" She lingered and laughed o'er the waters clear, When sudden she starts, and shrieks in fear:— "Oh, what is this face, sae laidly old, That looks at my side in the waters cold?

She turns around to view the hank, And the osier willows dark and dank;— And from the fern she sees arise An aged crone wi' awsome eyes.

"Ha! ha!" she laughed, "ye're a bonny bride! See how ye'll fare gin the New Year tide! "Ye'll wear a robe sae blithely gran', An ell-long girdle canna span.

"When twal-months three shall pass away, Your berry-brown hair shall be streaked wi' gray.

"And gin ye be mither of bairnies nine, Your brow shall be wrinkled and dark as mine."

Karin she sprang to her feet wi' speed, And clapped her hands abune her head:— "I pray to the saints and spirits all That never a child may me mither call!"

The crone drew near, and the crone she spake:— "Nine times flesh and banes shall ache.

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