Tore's Daughter at Vange
Tore's daughter in Vange deep
Did one morning too long sleep;
Mass she missed, she slept it thro'.
But God will surely bless her too.
To the loft Mistress Martha goes
- cold is the forest air -
Karin, her daughter, she arose,
- When green the trees are there.
Her daughter wakes with eyes awide
Prepares to Kaga Church to ride.
Proud Karin sits upon her bed
Platting her golden locks about her head.
Proud Karin dons her silken robe,
A work of fifteen maidens sewed.
Proud Karin dons her petticoat fine
Richly embroidered with golden twine.
Proud Karin dons her blue cloak bright,
She rides to Church now it is light.
She rides around a giant tree,
Now three herdsmen does she see.
They say to her, "Come be our wife,
Or thou shalt forfeit thy young life."
"Do not lay a hand on me,
or my father's wrath ye'll see."
"For thy kinsmen care not we,
We'll kill them all as well as thee."
The herdsmen three took her to wife
And then they took from her her life.
They took her by her golden hair
And dragged her 'neath a birch tree there.
They took her by her golden head
And left her 'gainst a birch tree, dead.
And on that spot her body lay,
Busts forth a spring, so legends say.
They stripped her of her golden robe,
Into their bundle was it stowed.
Her body in the mire they lay
And with her garments went away.
When this foul deed had they done,
They took the way that she had come.
They went along that wooded lane
Until they Vange village came.
They came up to the farm of Tore
And found the farmer at his door.
Tore stood outside all clad in hide,
He came and let the men inside.
Then went they into Tore's homestead,
Where they partook meat and bread.
A thought in Tore's mind did turn:
Why does my daughter not return?
Ere Martha joined her man in bed,
The herdsmen came to her and said:
"Wilt thou have this silken robe,
Upon which some nine maidens sewed?"
Martha saw the robe in horror,
It filled her heart with deepest sorrow.
Martha kept herself from weeping.
Approached her man who was sleeping.
"Awake now, dearest husband mine,
For they have killed daughter thine."
"They have her robe, I know her fate,
This strikes my heart a blow so great."
Tore to avenge his daughter's life
Rushes on the men with unsheathed knife.
He kills one, he kills another,
Now he falls on the little brother.
Now Tore casts his knife away.
"O Lord, forgive my deed this day."
"How can I this deed atone?
To God, I'll build a church of stone."
"Gladly shall we do such work
- cold is the forest air -
Karna shall we call the kirk."
- When green the trees are there.
The church of Kärna...
