Rolandskvadet [English translation]

"Six of my earls will stay home, to guard the precious gold

The other six will swing their cold iron in heathen lands"

-They rode out of the Frankish lands on saddled beasts

Blow your horn Olivant at the Roncevaux Pass

They raised their square rig high on the yard

They sailed out to the heathen lands for two workweeks.

The oars and the anchor reached white sand:

It was Roland, the king's kinsman, who was the first ashore.

They fought at the Roncevaux Pass for two to three days;

The bluemen fell before Roland's sword like grass before a sickle.

Then came the army of bluemen, so many they blocked the sun;

Most frighten was a peer begging Roland to blow his horn.

Roland put the horn to his bloodied mouth, and gave a fury blow;

The sound range over mountains & seas, for three days & nights.

Go quick“ take with you the strongest companions,

See if you can take Dvelgedolgen of Rolands hand”

The horn reached King Charlemagne, immediately he got worried:

"What happened to my kinsman? I hear the sound of his horn!"

It was King Charlemagne,

who found his kin:

Roland the king’s kinsman laying dead,

holding on to his sword

King Charlemagne returned home,

And everyone with him was exhausted.

The ship was filled with silver and gold

And all the heathens layed behind dead

• Artist:Harald Foss