Capitals of the Northlands: Tales of Ten Cities

What must the man have been who, born and bred in this atmosphere, conceived and by one tremendous wrench, almost by his own manual labour and his own sole gigantic strength, ex...

Hail, Isle! with mist and snow-storms girt around, Where fire and earthquake rend the shattered ground,-- Here once o'er furthest ocean's icy path The Northmen fled a tyrant mon...

Thou wonnest, O warrior-wager, Tribute from folk of Gothland, And durst not men against thee With brand to ward their island. So ran the Isle-syslings' war-host; I heard that th...

Here the dark woods, with many a patriarch tree, In gloomy melancholy gaze on thee; Here rocks on rocks up-piled upon the strand, Seem the vast structure of some giant's hand; W...

Dumb was the sea, and if the beech-woods stirred, 'Twas with the nesting of the grey-winged bird Midst its thick leaves.... Great things he suffered, great delights he had, Unto...

Wild the Runic faith, And wild the realms where Scandinavian chiefs And Skalds arose, and hence the Skald's strong verse Partook the savage wildness. And methinks Amid such scen...

In Upsal's stately minster, before the altar, stands The Swedish King, brave Eric, with high uplifted hands; His royal robes are round him, the crown upon his head, And thus, be...

And now to all the brave ones here, And to the maids that love us-- To men who never knew a fear, Maids pure as saints above us. The Norway maidens! fill on high-- The Norsemen,...

Loud in Harfur's echoing bay, Heard ye the din of battle bray, 'Twixt Kiotvi rich, and Harald bold? Eastward sail the ships of war; The graven bucklers gleam afar, And dragon he...

Between fair fields the fjord With winding waters, snake-like, Creeps inward from the salt sea. Where viking hordes have harried, Fare peaceful folk to market. High tower the ta...