romantic ballads-第5章

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I　flung　myself　upon　my　frighten'd　barb；　Just　as　the　shades　began　to　grow　less　murk；　And　sun…beams　clad　the　sky　in　gayer　garb。

Let　each　young　warrior　from　such　places　fly：　Disease　and　death　beneath　the　flowers　lurk；　And　elves　would　suck　the　warm　blood　from　his　eye。



THE　HEDDYBEE…SPECTRE。　FROM　THE　OLD　DANISH。



I　clomb　in　haste　my　dappled　steed；　And　gallop'd　far　o'er　mount　and　mead；　And　when　the　day　drew　nigh　its　close；　I　laid　me　down　to　take　repose。

I　laid　me　down　to　take　repose；　And　slumbers　sweet　fell　o'er　my　brows：　And　then；　methought；　as　there　I　slept；　From　out　the　ground　the　dead　man　leapt。

Said　he；　〃If　thou　art　valiant；　Knight；　My　murder　soon　will　see　the　light；　For　thou　wilt　ride　to　Heddybee；　Where　live　my　youthful　brothers　three：

〃And　there；　too；　thou　wilt　surely　find　My　father　dear　and　mother　kind；　And　there　sits　Kate；　my　much…loved　wife；　Who　with　her　women　took　my　life。

〃They　chok'd　me；　as　in　bed　I　lay；　Then　wrapp'd　me　in　a　truss　of　hay；　And　bore　me　out　at　dead　of　night；　And　laid　me　in　this　lonely　height。

〃The　Groom；　who　lately　clean'd　my　stall；　Now　struts　and　vapours　through　my　hall；　…　Eats　gaily　with　my　silver　knife；　And　sleeps　with　Kate；　my　much…lov'd　wife。

〃His　place　is　highest　at　the　board；　But　what　is　most　to　be　deplor'd；　He　gives　my　babes　so　little　bread；　And　mocks　them　now　their　sire　is　dead。

〃Clad　in　my　clothes　he　proudly　stalks　Along　the　shady　forest…walks；　And；　arm'd　with　bow　and　hunting　spear；　He　shoots　my　birds　and　stabs　my　deer。

〃Were　I　alive；　to　meet　him　now；　All　underneath　the　linden　bough；　With　no　one　nigh；　my　wrath　to　check；　I'd　wring　his　head　from　off　his　neck！

〃But　hie　thee　hence　to　Heddybee；　Where　live　my　youthful　brothers　three；　First　tell　them　allthen　stab　the　groom　…　Allow　my　wife　a　milder　doom。〃



SIR　JOHN。　FROM　THE　OLD　DANISH。



Sir　Lave　to　the　island　stray'd；　He　wedded　there　a　lovely　maid：　〃I'll　have　her　yet；〃　said　John。

He　brought　her　home　across　the　main；　With　knights　and　ladies　in　the　train：　〃I'm　close　behind；〃　said　John。

They　plac'd　her　on　the　bridal　seat；　Sir　Lave　bade　them　drink　and　eat：　〃Aye：　　that　we　will；〃　said　John。

The　servants　led　her　then　to　bed；　But　could　not　loose　her　girdle　red！　〃I　can；　perhaps；〃　said　John。

He　shut　the　door　with　all　his　might；　He　lock'd　it　fast；　and　quench'd　the　light：　〃I　shall　sleep　here；〃　said　John。

A　servant　to　Sir　Lave　hied；　…　〃Sir　John　is　sleeping　with　the　bride：〃　〃Aye；　that　I　am；〃　said　John。

Sir　Lave　to　the　chamber　flew：　〃Arise；　and　straight　the　door　undo！〃　〃A　likely　thing！〃　said　John。

He　struck　with　shield；　he　struck　with　spear　…　〃Come　out；　thou　Dog；　and　fight　me　here！〃　〃Another　time；〃　said　John。

〃And　since　thou　with　my　bride　hast　lain；　To　our　good　king　I　will　complain。〃　〃That　thou　canst　do；〃　said　John。

As　soon　as　e'er　the　morning　shone；　Sir　Lave　sought　our　monarch's　throne；　I'll　go　there　too；〃　said　John。

〃O　King；　chastise　this　wicked　wight；　For　with　my　wife　he　slept　last　night。〃　〃'T　is　very　true；〃　said　John。

〃Since　ye　two　love　one　pretty　face；　Your　lances　must　decide　the　case。〃　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　John。

The　sun　on　high　was　shining　bright；　And　thousands　came　to　see　the　fight：　〃Lo！　here　I　am：〃　said　John。

The　first　course　that　they　ran　so　free；　Sir　John's　horse　fell　upon　his　knee：　〃Now　help　me　God！〃　said　John。

The　next　course　that　they　ran；　in　ire；　Sir　Lave　fell　among　the　mire。　〃He's　dead　enough！〃　said　John。

The　victor　to　the　castle　hied；　And　there　in　tears　he　found　the　bride：　〃Thou　art　my　own；〃　said　John。

That　night；　forgetting　all　alarms；　Again　she　blest　him　in　her　arms。　〃I　have　her　now！〃　said　John。



MAY　｛3｝　ASDA。　FROM　THE　DANISH　OF　OEHLENSLAEGER。



May　Asda　is　gone　to　the　merry　green　wood；　Like　flax　was　each　tress　on　her　temples　that　stood；　Her　cheek　like　the　rose…leaf　that　perfumes　the　air；　Her　form；　like　the　lily…stalk；　graceful　and　fair：

She　mourn'd　for　her　lover；　Sir　Frovin　the　brave；　For　he　had　embark'd　on　the　boisterous　wave；　And；　burning　to　gather　the　laurels　of　war；　Had　sail'd　with　King　Humble　to　Orkney　afar：

At　feast　and　at　revel；　wherever　she　went；　Her　thoughts　on　his　perils　and　dangers　were　bent；　No　joy　has　the　heart　that　loves　fondly　and　dear　…　No　pleasure　save　when　the　lov'd　object　is　near！

May　Asda　walk'd　out　in　the　bonny　noon…tide；　And　roam'd　where　the　beeches　grew　up　in　their　pride；　She　sat　herself　down　on　the　green　sloping　hill；　Where　liv'd　the　Erl…people；　｛4｝　and　where　they　live　still：

Then　trembled　the　turf；　as　she　sat　in　repose；　And　straight　from　the　mountain　three　maidens　arose；　And　with　them　a　loom；　and　upon　it　a　woof；　As　white　as　the　snow　when　it　falls　on　the　roof。

Of　red　shining　gold　was　the　fairy…loom　made；　They　sang　and　they　danc'd；　and　their　swift　shuttles　play'd；　Their　song　was　of　death；　and　their　song　was　of　life；　It　sounded　like　billows　in　tumult　and　strife。

They　gave　her　the　woof；　with　a　sorrowful　look；　And　vanish'd　like　bubbles　that　burst　on　the　brook；　But　deep　in　the　mountain　was　heard　a　sweet　strain；　As　the　lady　went　home　to　her　bower　again。

The　web　was　unfinish'd；　she　wove　and　she　spun；　Nor　rested　a　moment；　until　it　was　done；　And　there　was　enough；　when　the　work　was　complete；　To　form　for　a　dead　man　a　shirt　or　a　sheet。

The　heroes　return'd　from　the　well…foughten　field；　And　bore　home　Sir　Frovin's　corse；　laid　on　a　shield；　Sad　sight　for　the　maid！　but　she　still　was　alert；　And　sew'd　round　the　body　the　funeral　shirt：

And　when　she　had　come　to　the　very　last　stitch；　Her　feelings；　so　long　suppress'd；　rose　to　a　pitch；　The　cold　clammy　sweat　from　her　features　outbroke；　Death　struck　her；　and　meekly　she　bow'd　to　the　stroke。

She　rests　with　her　lover　now　deep　in　the　grave；　And　o'er　them　the　beeches　their　mossy　boughs　wave；　There　sing　the　Erl…maidens　their　ditties　aloud；　And　dance　while　the　merry　moon　peeps　from　the　cloud。



AAGER　AND　ELIZA。　FROM　THE　OLD　DANISH。



Have　ye　heard　of　bold　Sir　Aager；　How　he　rode　to　yonder　isle；　There　he　saw　the　sweet　Eliza；　Who　upon　him　deign'd　to　smile。

There　he　married　sweet　Eliza；　With　her　lands　and　ruddy　gold　…　Wo　is　me！　the　Monday　after；　Dead　he　lay　beneath　the　mould！

In　her　bower　sat　Eliza；　Rent　the　air　with　shriek　and　groan；　All　which　heard　the　good　Sir　Aager；　Underneath　the　granite　stone。

Up　his　mighty　limbs　he　gather'd；　Took　the　coffin　on　his　back；　And　to　fair　Eliza's　bower　Hasten'd；　by　the　well…known　track。

On　her　chamber's　lowly　portal；　With　his　fingers　long　and　thin；　Thrice　he　tapp'd；　and　bade　Eliza　Straightway　let　her　bridegroom　in！

Straightway　answer'd　fair　Eliza；　〃I　will　not　undo　my　door　Till　I　hear　thee　name　sweet　Jesus；　As　thou　oft　hast　done　before。〃

〃Rise；　O　rise；　my　own　Eliza；　And　undo　thy　chamber　door；　I　can　name　the　name　of　Jesus；　As　I　once　could　do　before。〃

Up　then　rose　the　sweet　Eliza；　…　Up　she　rose；　and　twirl'd　the　pin。　Straight　the　chamber　door　flew　open；　And　the　dead　man　glided　in。

With　her　comb　she　comb'd　his　ringlets；　For　she　felt　but　little　fear：　On　each　lock　that　she　adjusted　Fell　a　hot　and　briny　tear。

〃Listen；　now；　my　good　Sir　Aager；　Dearest　bridegroom；　all　I　crave　Is　to　know　how　it　goes　with　thee；　In　that　lonely　place；　the　grave？〃

〃Every　time　that　thou　rejoicest；　And　thy　breast　with　pleasure　heaves；　Then　that　moment　is　my　coffin　Lin'd　with　rose　and　laurel　leaves。

〃Every　time　that　thou　art　shedding　From　thine　eyes　the　briny　flood；　Then　that　moment　is　my　coffin　Fill'd　with　black　and　loathsome　blood。

〃Heard　I　not　the　red　cock　crowing；　Distant　far　upon　the　wind？　Down　to　dust　the　dead　are　going；　And　I　may　not　stop　behind。

〃Heaven's　ruddy　portals　open；　…　Daylight　bursts　upon　my　view；　Though　the　word　be　hard　to　utter；　I　must　bid　thee；　love；　adieu！〃

Up　his　mighty　limbs　he　gather'd；　Took　the　coffin　on　his　back；　To　the　church…yard　straight　he　hasten'd　By　the　well…known；　beaten；　track。

Up　then　rose　the　sweet　Eliza；　Tear…drops　on　her　features　stood；　While　her　lover　she　attended　Through　the　dark　and　dreary　wood。

When　they　reach'd　the　lone　enclosure；　（Last；　sad；　refuge　of　the　dead）　…　From　the　cheeks　of　good　Sir　Aager　All　the　lovely　colour　fled：

〃Listen；　now；　my　sweet　Eliza；　If　my　peace　be　dear　to　thee：　Never；　then；　from　this　time　forward；　Shed　a　single　tear　for　me。

〃Turn　thy　lovely　eyes　to