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244
Penda to the Mercians.
CLXXI.
Penda to the Mercians.
A.D. 642.
Ho! children of the forest, hark and hear!
Let these my words be kindling to your hearts,
As they are sparks and children of the flame
That burns in me.
Out of the steaming South
A sweet and poisonous message comes to us;
We are to heave off all our ancient faith,
Yea! drown our high gods in the barren sea,
Because a mild man lived and taught and died,
Far, far away, six hundred years ago.
Hear me, my brothers! bloody war, I say,
Against these women-men, these willow-wands,
These Christians; hearken! let us up and fight
For red-haired Thor the Strong, and Father Odin!
Open the nostril wide; smell the wet woods!
Be ye as boars in fight, as rutting stags!
Remember Hatfield—all our woodland life,
Our free life of the forest, heath and wold,
Dies with this new faith: up! be men, be boars!
Redden your white tusks in their craven blood
That would unman the Mercian; bloody war!
Ho! let the flashing of your eyes be red,
Red as the flaring beard of thirsty Thor.
Let us make fat our land with Christian blood!
Humility! Love! yes, I have heard their message;
Worship we him who splits the giants’ skulls
With his great hammer and his heavy fists;
Worship we him who makes the sea to rear
His crested spine against the arch of heaven,
And rides upon the wind, his eight-hoofed steed,
Let these my words be kindling to your hearts,
As they are sparks and children of the flame
That burns in me.
Out of the steaming South
A sweet and poisonous message comes to us;
We are to heave off all our ancient faith,
Yea! drown our high gods in the barren sea,
Because a mild man lived and taught and died,
Far, far away, six hundred years ago.
Hear me, my brothers! bloody war, I say,
Against these women-men, these willow-wands,
These Christians; hearken! let us up and fight
For red-haired Thor the Strong, and Father Odin!
Open the nostril wide; smell the wet woods!
Be ye as boars in fight, as rutting stags!
Remember Hatfield—all our woodland life,
Our free life of the forest, heath and wold,
Dies with this new faith: up! be men, be boars!
Redden your white tusks in their craven blood
That would unman the Mercian; bloody war!
Ho! let the flashing of your eyes be red,
Red as the flaring beard of thirsty Thor.
Let us make fat our land with Christian blood!
Humility! Love! yes, I have heard their message;
Worship we him who splits the giants’ skulls
With his great hammer and his heavy fists;
Worship we him who makes the sea to rear
His crested spine against the arch of heaven,
And rides upon the wind, his eight-hoofed steed,