Rewards and Fairies

  Song of the Red War-Boat

  Shove off from the wharf-edge! Steady! Watch for a smooth! Give way! If she feels the lop already She'll stand on her head in the bay. It's ebb--it's dusk--it's blowing, The shoals are a mile of white, But (snatch her along!) we're going To find our master tonight.

  For we hold that in all disaster Of shipwreck, storm, or sword, A man must stand by his master When once he had pledged his word!

  Raging seas have we rowed in, But we seldom saw them thus; Our master is angry with Odin-- Odin is angry with us! Heavy odds have we taken, But never before such odds. The Gods know they are forsaken, We must risk the wrath of the Gods!

  Over the crest she flies from, Into its hollow she drops, Crouches and clears her eyes from The wind-torn breaker-tops, Ere out on the shrieking shoulder Of a hill-high surge she drives. Meet her! Meet her and hold her! Pull for your scoundrel lives!

  The thunder bellow and clamour The harm that they mean to do; There goes Thor's Own Hammer Cracking the dark in two!

  Close! But the blow has missed her, Here comes the wind of the blow! Row or the squall'll twist her Broadside on to it!---Row!

  Hearken, Thor of the Thunder! We are not here for a jest-- For wager, warfare, or plunder, Or to put your power to test. This work is none of our wishing-- We would stay at home if we might-- But our master is wrecked out fishing, We go to find him tonight.

  For we hold that in all disaster-- As the Gods Themselves have said-- A man must stand by his master Till one of the two is dead.

  That is our way of thinking, Now you can do as you will, While we try to save her from sinking, And hold her head to it still. Bale her and keep her moving, Or she'll break her back in the trough... Who said the weather's improving, And the swells are taking off?

  Sodden, and chafed and aching, Gone in the loins and knees-- No matter--the day is breaking, And there's far less weight to the seas! Up mast, and finish baling-- In oars, and out with the mead-- The rest will be two-reef sailing... That was a night indeed! But we hold that in all disaster (And faith, we have found it true!) If only you stand by your master, The Gods will stand by you!

  A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE