(4)
“She's a ring-bedight oak of the ale-cup,
And her eyes never left me unhaunted.
The strife in my heart I could hide not,
For I hold myself bound in her bondage.
O gay in her necklet, and gainer
In the game that wins hearts on her chessboard,--
When she looked at me long from the doorway
Where the likeness of Hagbard is carved.”
Then the girls went into the hall, and sat down. He heard what they said
about his looks,--the maid, that he was black and ugly, and Steingerd,
that he was handsome and everyway as best could be,--“There is only
one blemish,” said she, “his hair is tufted on his forehead:”--and he
said:--
(5)
“One flaw in my features she noted
--With the flame of the wave she was gleaming
All white in the wane of the twilight--
And that one was no hideous blemish.
So highborn, so haughty a lady
--I should have such a dame to befriend me:
But she trows me uncouth for a trifle,
For a tuft in the hair on my brow!”
Said the maid, “Black are his eyes, sister, and that becomes him not.”
Cormac heard her, and said in verse:--
(6)
“Yes, black are the eyes that I bring ye,
O brave in your jewels, and dainty.
But a draggle-tail, dirty-foot slattern
Would dub me ill-favoured and sallow.
Nay, many a maiden has loved me,
Thou may of the glittering armlet:
For I've tricks of the tongue to beguile them
And turn them from handsomer lads.”
At this house they spent the night. In the morning when Cormac rose up,
he went to a trough and washed himself; then he went into the ladies'
bower and saw nobody there, but heard folk talking in the inner room,
and he turned and entered. There was Steingerd, and women with her.
Said the maid to Steingerd, “There comes thy bonny man, Steingerd.”
“Well, and a fine-looking lad he is,” said she.
Now she was combing her hair, and Cormac asked her, “Wilt thou give me
leave?”
She reached out her comb for him to handle it. She had the finest hair
of any woman. Said the maid, “Ye would give a deal for a wife with hair
like Steingerd's, or such eyes!”