The Icelandic Canadian - 01.11.2007, Page 12

54
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 61 #2
Stod eg uti’ i tunglsljosi
Stod eg uti’ i tunglsljosi, stod eg ut vid skog
storir komu skarar, af alfum var j^ar nog,
blesu joeir { sbngludra’ bar ]aa ad mer skjott
og bjollurnar gullu a heidskfrri nott.
Hleyptu p\J?eir a fannhvitum hestum yfir grund,
hornin joa gullrodnu blika vid lund
eins og J?egar alftir a fsa grarri spong
fljuga sudur heidi med fjadra^yt og song.
Heilsadi’ hun mer drottingin og hlo ad mer um leid,
hlo ad m'r og hleypti hestinum a skeid.
Var j?ad ut af astinni ungu, sem eg ber?
eda var J^ad feigdin, sem kallar ad mer?
The ride of the Elves
translated by David Gislason
Standing in the moonlight, and sheltered near a wood,
Scores of elves came riding, a host, near where I stood.
Trumpeting their bugles, they burst upon my sight,
Chiming their bells on the clear, starry night.
Hooves were flashing silver, their horses white as snow.
Hard upon the heather, so quickly they did go.
Like a flock of swans o’er the moorland icy grey,
Song on the wing, flying south a wintr’y day.
Laughingly she hailed me, the queen, as she rode by.
Laughed at me and left me alone to question why?
Was it for the love that I innocently bore?
Or was my fate sealed on the moorland evermore?