And a powerful hand seized Nele by the arm, and threw her away into
the void. And the Spirits sang:
When the North
Shall kiss the West
Then shall be the end of ruin.
Find the Cincture.
"Alas!" cried Ulenspiegel. "North, West, Cincture! You speak in
riddles, Sir Spirits!"
But they went on with their singing and chattering:
The North is the Netherland,
Belgium is the West.
Cincture is friendship,
Cincture is Alliance.
"Now you are talking sense, Sir Spirits," said Ulenspiegel.
And yet again they sang:
The Cincture, little man,
'Twixt Holland and Belgium--
Firm Alliance,
And beautiful Friendship.
Alliance of Counsel,
Alliance of Action,
By death
By blood,
Were it not
For the Scheldt,
Little man, for the Scheldt.
"Alas!" said Ulenspiegel, "such is our life! Tears of man and laughter
of destiny!"
And again the Spirits repeated their rune, and their voices were like
the clicking of castanets.
Alliance by blood
And by death
Were it not
For the Scheldt.
And a strong hand took hold of Ulenspiegel and threw him into the void.