Song of the Men’s Side

Once we feared The Beast--when he followed us we ran
Ran very fast though we knew
It was not right that The Beast should master Man;
But what could we Flint-workers do?
The Beast only grinned at our spears round his ears--
Grinned at the hammers that we made;
But now we will hunt him for the life with the Knife--
And this is the Buyer of the Blade!

Room for his shadow on the grass--let it pass!
To left and right-stand clear!
This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid!
This is the great god Tyr!

Tyr thought hard till he hammered our a plan
For he knew it was not right
(And it is not right) that The Beast should master Man;
So he went to the Children of the Night
He begged a Magic Knife of their make for our sake
When he begged for the Knife they said:
"The price of the Knife you would buy is an eye!"
And that was the price he paid

Tell it to the Barrows of the Dead--run ahead!
Shout it so the Women's Side can hear!
This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid!
This is the great god Tyr!

Our women and our little ones may walk on the Chalk
As far as we can see them and beyond
We shall not be anxious for our sheep when we keep
Tally at the shearing-pond
We can eat with both our elbows on our knees, if we please
We can sleep after meals in the sun
For Shepherd-of-the-Twilight is dismayed at the Blade
Feet-in-the-Night have run!
Dog-without-a-Master goes away (Hai, Tyr, aie!)
Devil-in-the-Dusk has run!

Then:
Room for his shadow on the grass-let it pass!
To left and to right--stand clear!
This is the Buyer of the Blade--be afraid!
This is the great god Tyr!