A man in coat of ice arrayed <br />Stood up once by the Arctic Ocean; <br />The whole earth shook with proud emotion <br />And honor to the giant paid. <br /> <br />A king came, to him climbing up, <br />An Order in his one hand bearing: <br />'Who great become, this sign are wearing.' <br />-The growling giant said but 'Stop!' <br /> <br />The frightened king fell down again, <br />Began to weep with features ashen: <br />'My Order is in this rude fashion <br />Refused by just the greatest men. <br /> <br />'My dear man, take it, 't is but fit, <br />Of your king's honor be the warder; <br />On your breast greater grows the Order, <br />And we who bear it, too, by it.'- <br /> <br />The Arctic giant was too good,- <br />A foible oft ascribed to giants, <br />Who foolish trust in little clients,- <br />He took it,-while we mocking stood. <br /> <br />But all the kings crept to him then, <br />And each his Order brought, to know it <br />Thereby renewed and greater, so it <br />Gave rank to needy noblemen. <br /> <br /> <br />Honi soit <br />… and all the rest; <br />Soon Orders covered all his breast. <br />But oh! they greater grew no tittle, <br />And he grew so confounded little.<br /><br />Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/post-festum/
