romantic ballads-第11章

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〃Rise；　fair…headed　swain；　and　refuse　not　to　dance；　and　I　and　my　　sister　will　sing　thee　The　loveliest　ditties　that　ever　were　heard；　and　the　prettiest　　presents　will　bring　thee。〃

Then　both　of　them　sang　so　delightful　a　song；　that　the　boisterous　　river　before　us　Stood　suddenly　quiet　and　placid；　as　though　't　were　afraid　to　disturb　　the　sweet　chorus。

The　boisterous　stream　stood　suddenly　still；　though　accustom'd　to　foam　　and　to　bellow；　And；　fearless；　the　trout　play'd　along　with　the　pike；　and　the　pike　　play'd　with　him　as　his　fellow。

The　fishes；　whose　dwelling　was　deep　in　the　flood；　up；　up　from　their　　caverns　did　sally；　The　gay　little　birds　of　the　forest　began　to　warble；　forthwith；　in　the　　valley。

〃Now；　listen　thou　fair…headed　swain；　and　if　thou　wilt　stand　up　and　　dance　for　a　minute；　We'll　teach　thee　to　open　the　sorcerer's　book；　and　to　read　all　the　　Runic　that's　in　it。

〃The　bear　and　the　wolf　thou　shalt　trammel；　unto　the　thick　stem　of　the　　oak；　at　thy　pleasure；　Before　thee　the　dragon　shall　fly　from　his　nest；　and　shall　leave　thee　　sole　lord　of　his　treasure。〃

Then　about　and　around　on　the　moonlight　hill；　in　their　fairy　fashion　　they　sported；　While　unmov'd　sat　the　gallant　and　fair　young　swain；　whom　they；　in　　their　wantonness；　courted。

〃And　wilt　thou　not　grant　us　our　civil　request；　proud　stripling；　and　　wilt　thou　deny　it？　By　hell's　ruddy　blazes；　our　gold…handled　knife　shall　lay　thee　for　　ever　in　quiet。〃

And　if　my　good　luck　had　not　manag'd　it　so；　that　the　cock　crew　out；　　then；　in　the　distance；　I　should　have　been　murder'd　by　them；　on　the　hill；　without　power　to　　offer　resistance。

'T　is　therefore　I　counsel　each　young　Danish　swain；　who　may　ride　in　　the　forest　so　dreary；　Ne'er　to　lay　down　upon　lone　Elvir　Hill　though　he　chance　to　be　ever　so　　weary。



WALDEMAR'S　CHASE。



The　following　Ballad　is　merely　a　versification　of　one　of　the　many　　feats　of　Waldemar；　the　famed　phantom　hunter　of　the　North；　an　account　　of　whom；　and　of　Palnatoka　and　Groon　the　Jutt；　both　spectres　of　a　　similar　character；　may　be　found　in　Thiele's　Danske　Folkesagn。


Late　at　eve　they　were　toiling　on　Harribee　bank；　For　in　harvest　men　ne'er　should　be　idle：　Towards　them　rode　Waldemar；　meagre　and　lank；　And　he　linger'd　and　drew　up　his　bridle。

〃Success　to　your　labour；　and　have　ye　to　night　Seen　any　thing　pass　ye；　while　reaping？〃　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　a　peasant；　〃I　saw　something　white；　Just　now；　through　the　corn…stubble　creeping。〃

〃Which　way　did　it　go？〃　　〃Why　methought　to　the　beach。〃　Then　off　went　Waldemar　bounding；　A　few　minutes　after；　they　heard　a　faint　screech；　And　the　horn　of　the　hunter　resounding。

Then　back　came　he；　laughing　in　horrible　tone；　And　the　blood　in　their　veins　ran　the　colder；　When　they　saw　that　a　fresh…slaughter'd　mermaid　was　thrown　Athwart　his　proud　barb's　dappled　shoulder。

Said　he；　〃I　have　chas'd　her　for　seven　score　years；　As　she　landed　to　drink　at　the　fountains。〃　No　more　did　he　deign　to　their　terrified　ears；　But　gallop'd　away　to　the　mountains。



THE　MERMAN。　FROM　THE　OLD　DANISH。



〃Do　thou；　dear　Mother；　contrive　amain　How　Marsk　Stig's　daughter　I　may　gain。〃

She　made　him；　of　water；　a　noble　steed；　Whose　trappings　were　form'd　from　rush　and　reed。

To　a　young　knight　chang'd　she　then　her　son；　To　Mary's　church　at　full　speed　he's　gone。

His　foaming　horse　to　the　gate　he　bound；　And　pac'd　the　church　full　three　times　round：

When　in　he　walk'd　with　his　plume　on　high；　The　dead　men　gave　from　their　tombs　a　sigh：

The　priest　heard　that；　and　he　clos'd　his　book；　〃Methinks　yon　knight　has　a　strange　wild　look。〃

Then　laugh'd　the　maiden　beneath　her　sleeve；　〃If　he　were　my　husband　I　should　not　grieve。〃

He　stepp'd　over　benches　one　and　two：　〃O；　Marsk　Stig's　daughter；　I　doat　on　you。〃

He　stepp'd　over　benches　two　and　three：　〃O；　Marsk　Stig's　daughter；　come　home　with　me。〃

Then　said　the　maid；　without　more　ado；　〃Here　take　my　troth；　I　will　go　with　you。〃

They　went　from　the　church　a　bridal　train；　And　danc'd　so　gaily　across　the　plain；

They　danc'd　till　they　came　to　the　strand；　and　then　They　were　forsaken　by　maids　and　men。

〃Now；　Marsk　Stig's　daughter；　sit　down　and　rest；　To　build　a　boat　I　will　do　my　best。〃

He　built　a　boat　of　the　whitest　sand；　And　away　they　went　from　the　smiling　land；

But　when　they　had　cross'd　the　ninth　green　wave；　Down　sunk　the　boat　to　the　ocean　cave！

I　caution　ye；　maids；　as　well　as　I　can；　Ne'er　give　your　troth　to　an　unknown　man。



THE　DECEIVED　MERMAN。　FROM　THE　OLD　DANISH。



Fair　Agnes　alone　on　the　sea…shore　stood；　Then　rose　a　Merman　from　out　the　flood：

〃Now；　Agnes；　hear　what　I　say　to　thee；　Wilt　thou　my　leman　consent　to　be？〃

〃O；　freely　that　will　I　become；　If　thou　but　take　me　beneath　the　foam。〃

He　stopp'd　her　ears；　and　he　stopp'd　her　eyes；　And　into　the　ocean　he　took　his　prize。

The　Merman's　leman　was　Agnes　there；　…

She　bore　him　sons　and　daughters　fair：

One　day　by　the　cradle　she　sat　and　sang；　Then　heard　she　above　how　the　church　bells　rang：

She　went　to　the　Merman；　and　kiss'd　his　brow；　〃Once　more　to　church　I　would　gladly　go。〃

〃And　thou　to　church　once　more　shalt　go；　But　come　to　thy　babes　back　here　below。〃

He　flung　his　arm　her　body　around；　And　he　lifted　her　up　unto　England's　ground。

Fair　Agnes　in　at　the　church　door　stepp'd；　Behind　her　mother；　who　sorely　wept。

〃O　Agnes；　Agnes；　daughter　dear！　Where　hast　thou　been　this　many　a　year？〃

〃O；　I　have　been　deep；　deep　under　the　sea；　And　liv'd　with　the　Merman　in　love　and　glee。〃

〃And　what　for　thy　honour　did　he　give　thee；　When　he　made　thee　his　leman　beneath　the　sea？〃

〃He　gave　me　silver；　he　gave　me　gold；　And　sprigs　of　coral　my　hair　to　hold。〃

The　Merman　up　to　the　church　door　came；　His　eyes　they　shone　like　a　yellow　flame；

His　face　was　white；　and　his　beard　was　green　…　A　fairer　demon　was　never　seen。

〃Now；　Agnes；　Agnes；　list　to　me；　Thy　babes　are　longing　so　after　thee。〃

〃I　cannot　come　yet；　here　must　I　stay　Until　the　priest　shall　have　said　his　say。〃

And　when　the　priest　had　said　his　say；　She　thought　with　her　mother　at　home　she'd　stay。

〃O　Agnes；　Agnes；　list　to　me；　Thy　babes　are　sorrowing　after　thee。〃

〃Let　them　sorrow；　and　sorrow　their　fill；　But　back　to　them　never　return　I　will。〃

〃Think　on　them；　Agnes；　think　on　them　all；　Think　on　the　great　one；　think　on　the　small。〃

〃Little；　O　little；　care　I　for　them　all；　Or　for　the　great　one；　or　for　the　small。〃

O；　bitterly　then　did　the　Merman　weep；　He　hied　him　back　to　the　foamy　deep：

But；　often　his　shrieks　and　mournful　cries；　At　midnight's　hour；　from　thence　arise。




MISCELLANIES。




CANTATA。



This　is　Denmark's　holyday；　Dance；　ye　maidens！　Sing；　ye　men！　Tune；　ye　harpers！　Blush；　ye　heroes！　This　is　Denmark's　holyday。

ONE　VOICE。

In　right's　enjoyment；　in　the　arm　of　love；　Beneath　the　olive's　shadow；　The　Daneman　sat；　Whilst　wet　and　steaming　wav'd　the　bloody　flag　Above　the　regions　of　the　sunny　South。　Pure　was　our　heaven；　…　Pure　and　blue；　For；　with　his　pinions；　angel　Peace　dispell'd　All　reek　and　vapour　from　mild　virtue's　sphere；　Then　lower'd　Battle's　blood…bespatter'd　son　Upon　our　coast；　…　And　haggard　Envy　lent　to　him　her　torch；　Which　sparkled　high　with　hell's　sulphureous　light；　Then　fled　the　genius　of　peace；　and　wept。

A　SECOND　VOICE。

But　mighty　thunders　peal'd；　the　earth　it　shook；　While　rattled　all　the　moss…grown　giant　stones；　｛24｝　And　Oldom's　sunken　grave…hill　rais'd　itself；　Then　started　Skiold　and　Frode；　And　Svend；　and　Knud；　and　Waldemar；　｛25｝　In　copper　hauberks　up；　and　pointing　to　Rust…spots　of　blood　on　faulchion　and　on　shield　…　They　vanish'd：　And　in　the　Gothic　aisles；　high　arch'd　and　dim；　Wild　flutter'd　of　itself；　the　ancient　banner　Which　hung　above　a　hero's　bones；　The　faulchion　clatter'd　loud　and　ceaselessly　Within　the　tomb　of　Christian　the　Fourth；　｛26｝　By　Tordenskiold's　｛27｝　chapel　on　the　strand；　Wild　rose　the　daring　Mermaid's　witching　song；　The　stones　were　loosen'd　round　about　the　grave　Where　lay　great　Juul；　And　Hvidtfeld；　clad　in　a　transparent　mist；　With　smiles　cherubic　beaming　on　his　face；　Stray'd；　arm　in　arm；　with　his　heroic　brothers；　Along　the　deep。

CHORUS。

We　felt　the　presence　of　one　and　all；　The　old　flags　wav'd　in　the　arsenal；　A　wondrous　spirit　went　round；　went　round　The　Northern　ground。

ONE　VOICE。

Then　waken'd　Thor；　｛28｝　And　dr