Alf the Freebooter, Little Danneved and Swayne Trost, and Other Ballads

Sir Alf he is an Atheling,
Both at Stevn and at Ting. [5]
Know ye little Alf?

Alf he builds a vessel stout,
For he will rove and sail about.

Alf he builds a vessel high,
The trade of pirate he will try.

He draws on the sand a circle mark,
And with a bound he gained the bark.

Upon the prow Alf foremost stood,
And Copenhagen’s koggers view’d.

p. 6O’er the wide sea he flung a look,
He knew the course the vessels took.

“There koggers nine salute mine eyes,
All, all they bear shall be my prize.”

Alone into a boat he goes,
And briskly to the koggers rows.

“Well met, ye Courtmen, clad in mail
Unto what haven do ye sail?”

“Unto that haven we are bound,
Where Alf is likeliest to be found.”

“What will ye on the man bestow
Who unto ye Sir Alf can show?”

“Silver and gold to him we’ll give,
All he can wish for shall he receive.

Presents of worth he shall not miss,
The robber’s vessel shall be his.”

“And what shall be the pirates’ lot,
If Alf the pirate escape you not?”

p. 7“His mariners we’ll hew and slay,
Himself we will in irons lay.”

“Ha! little Alf ye here may see,
Slight victory ye shall win from me!”

“Up, up and board, my gallant crew,
Cable and rope asunder hew!”

Till he was weary Alf he hew’d,
In fifteen Courtmen’s gore he stood.

He captured all the koggers nine,
And sailed for Norway o’er the brine.

To Rostock in the tiding goes,
Then palened many a cheek of rose.

Widow and child lamented sore,
This hurtful hawk had made them poor.

But they must thole this damage all,
Their tears but bootless, bootless fall.
Know ye little Alf?