Little Engel: a ballad; with a series of epigrams from the Persian

A lively ballad introduces the daring Little Engel, a handsome youth who rides out to seize a maiden and whisk her away to a secluded spot by the river. Their night together is quickly shattered when Engel is haunted by a night‑marish vision of wolves, foreshadowing the danger that soon closes in. A boastful warlord, Sir Godey Loumand, arrives with a legion of men, demanding the couple’s surrender, while Engel’s clever companion Solwey Johnsen urges him to flee.

The story shifts to a desperate siege of a holy church, where Engel and his companions seek refuge amid the onslaught of Loumand’s forces. Flames engulf the sanctuary, and the desperate defenders resort to grim measures to protect themselves and their treasured relics. Amid the chaos, bonds of love and loyalty are tested, setting the stage for further trials that will shape Engel’s fate.