And to change me about from Peer Gynt to a troll.
What did I do then? I stood out against it,—
Swore I would stand on no feet but my own;
Love, power, and glory at once I renounced,
And all for the sake of remaining myself.
Now this fact, you see, you must swear to in Court
The Old Man.
No, I'm blest if I can.
Peer.
Why, what nonsense is this?
The Old Man.
You surely don't want to compel me to lie?
You pulled on the troll-breeches, don't you remember,
And tasted the mead
Peer.
Ay, you lured me seductively;—
But I flatly declined the decisive test,
And that is the thing you must judge your man by.
It's the end of the ditty that all depends on.
The Old Man.
But it ended, Peer, just in the opposite way.
Peer.
What rubbish is this?
The Old Man.
When you left the Rondë,
You inscribed my motto upon your escutcheon.[1]
- ↑ Literally, "Wrote my motto behind your ear"
