Page:The tale of Balen (IA taleofbalen00swin).pdf/103

 And gladly, bright with grief made glad, She gave the truncheon as he bade, For still she bare it with her, sad And strong in hopeless hope she had, Through all dark days of thwarting fear, To see if doom should fall aright And as God's fire-fraught thunder smite That head, clothed round with hell-faced night, Bare now before her here.

And Balen smote therewith the dead Dark felon's body through, and said Aloud, 'With even this truncheon, red With baser blood than brave men bled Whom in thy shameful hand it slew, Thou hast slain a nobler knight, and now It clings and cleaves thy body: thou Shalt cleave again no brave man's brow, Though hell would aid anew.'