I had a daughter fair and gay, with wisdom in her eyes;
she would not give a man her flesh because she saw his lies.
His wrath flared up like hellfire, and his hate o’erflowed like water;
he cursed and cursed my daughter’s name, and through the town he sought her;
he raced and chased her through the town, and by the arm he caught her;
and there, I swear, that bastard raped and killed my only daughter.

My wrath it flashed like lightning, and my hate was like the rain.
It beat on me incessantly and battered at my brain!
This coruscating loathing filled my soul with eager light,
and thus my reason wavered—I was conquered by my spite.
I yearned to ground him and to grind him into bloody mud,
to rip his bloody heart out and to drink his bloody blood!

“Oh Vengeance, Vengeance, guide me!” did I cry into the night,
“For e’er I’ll be your servant if you aid me in this fight!
Oh, make my arm an iron axe and temper it like steel,
I swear to serve!” I cried, and with my own heart’s-blood did seal,
and went to see the blacksmith for to buy a vicious sword—
and whetted it to vicious edge, for Vengeance was my Lord.

I walked out filled with vitriol, and through the town I sought him.
When he saw me he tried to flee, but no! I caught and fought him;
I stabbed him in his liver and I stabbed him in his brain,
and when I’d stabbed him fifty time, I stabbed him thrice again.
I hewed his bloodied body, filled with relish at his pain,
and laughed without remorse, for Vengeance is my suzerain.