Andreas: The Legend of St. Andrew | Page 7

stout and bold.
[Footnote 1: Lit. "bath-road."]
So at the dawning, when the day first broke,
He gat him o'er the
sand-downs to the sea,
Valiant in heart, and with him went his thanes


To walk upon the shingle, where the waves
Loud thundered, and
the streams of ocean beat
Against the shore. Full glad was that brave
saint
To see upon the sands a galley fair 240 Wide-bosomed. Then,
behold, resplendent dawn,
Brightest of beacons, came upon her way,

Hasting from out the murky gloom of night,
And heaven's candle
shone across the floods.
Three seamen saw he there, a glorious band,

Courageous men, upon their ocean-bark
Sitting all ready to depart,
like men
Just come across the deep. The Lord himself
It was, the
everlasting Lord of hosts,
Almighty, with His holy angels twain.
In
raiment they were like seafaring men, 250 These heroes, like to
wanderers on the waves,
When in the flood's embrace they sail with
ships
Upon the waters cold to distant lands.
Then he who stood there, eager, on the shore,
Upon the shingle,
greeted him and said:--
"Whence come ye, men in seamanship expert,

Seafaring on your ocean-coursing bark,
Your lonely ship? whence
has the ocean-stream
Wafted you o'er the welter of the waves?"
Then answered him again Almighty God, 260 In such wise that the
saint who heard His words
Wist not what one of speaking men it was

With whom he was conversing on the strand.
"From the land of
Mermedonia are we come,
Borne hither from afar; our high-prowed
ship
Carried us o'er the whale's road with the flood,
Our sea-horse
fleet, all girt about with speed,
Until we reached the country of this
folk,
Sea-beaten, as the wind did drive us on."
Then Andrew humbly answered him again:-- 270 "I fain would beg
thee, though but little store
Of jewels or of treasure I can give,
That
thou wouldst bring us in thy lofty ship,
Over the ocean[1] on thy
high-beaked boat,
Unto that people; thou shalt meed receive
From
God, if kindness thou but show to us
Upon our journey."
[Footnote 1: Lit. "whale's home."]

The Defense of kings,
Maker of angels, answered from His ship:--

"Wide-faring foreigners can never dwell
There in that country, nor
enjoy the land; 280 But in that city they must suffer death
Who
thither bring their lives from distant shores.
And dost thou wish to
traverse the wide main,
That thou mayst spill thy life in bitter war?"
To him did Andrew answer give again:--
"Our hearts' strong hope and
yearning drives us forth
To seek that country and that far-famed town,

If thou, most noble sir, wilt show to us
Thy gracious kindness on
the wave-tossed deep."
Then from His vessel's prow, the angels' Lord, 290 The Savior of
mankind, replied to him:--
"Gladly and freely we will carry thee

Across the ocean[1], e'en to that far land
Which thy desire doth urge
thee so to seek,
When thou shalt give us the accustomed sum,
Thy
passage-money; so upon our bark
We seamen will grant honor unto
you."
[Footnote 1: Lit. "fish's bath."]
Then straightway Andrew spake to him in words,
That friendless
saint:--"I have no beaten gold, 300 No treasures, neither wealth nor
sustenance,
No golden clasps, no land, nor bracelets woven,
That
thy desire I now may satisfy,
Thy worldly wishes, as thou sayst in
words."
The Prince of Men gave answer where He sat
Upon the
gangway, o'er the dashing surge:--
"How comes it thou wouldst visit,
my dear friend,
The sea-hills, boundaries of the ocean-streams,
To
seek a vessel by the cold sea-cliffs 310 All penniless? Hast thou no
store of bread
To comfort thee upon the ocean-road,
Or pure drink
for thy thirst? The life is hard
For him who journeys far upon the
flood."
In answer then did Andrew, wise in wit,
Unlock to him the treasure of
his words:--
"It is not seemly that with arrogance
And words of
taunting thou demand reply,
When God hath given thee abundant

wealth
And worldly fortune; better for each man 320 That with
humility he kindly greet
A traveler bound to other lands far off,
As
Christ commanded, Lord most glorious.
We are His thanes, chosen as
champions;
He is the King by right, Author and Lord
Of wondrous
glory, one eternal God
Of all created things; by His sole might
He
comprehendeth all the heavens and earth
With holy strength, Giver of
victory.
He spake the word himself, and bade us fare 330 Throughout
the spacious earth, converting souls:--
'Go now to all the corners of
the earth,
Far as the waters compass it about,
Far as the meadows
lie along the roads,
And preach the glorious Faith throughout the
towns
Upon earth's bosom; I am your defense.
No gold nor silver
treasures need ye bear
Upon this journey. I will freely give
All
things that ye may need.' Lo, thou thyself
Mayst hear the story of our
journeying 340 With thoughtful mind. Right quickly shall I learn

What kindness thou wilt show us on our way."
The Lord eternal answered him again:--
"If ye are thanes of Him who
did exalt
His glory o'er the world, as ye declare,
And ye have kept
the Holy One's commands,
I'll gladly bear you o'er the ocean-streams,

As ye do beg me."
Then upon