Poems By The Way & Love Is Enough Part 26

Wheresoe'er on feet I stood The p.r.i.c.kles sharp drew forth my blood.

My youngest brother me would slay, But my mother would have me sold away.

A great new bell my price did buy In Mary's Church to hang on high.

But the first stroke that ever it strake My mother's heart asunder brake."

So soon as her sorrow and woe was said, _None knows my grief but G.o.d alone,_ In the arm of the Queen she sat there dead, _I never tell my sorrow to any other one._

THE SON'S SORROW

FROM THE ICELANDIC

The King has asked of his son so good, "Why art thou hushed and heavy of mood?

_O fair it is to ride abroad._ Thou playest not, and thou laughest not; All thy good game is clean forgot."

"Sit thou beside me, father dear, And the tale of my sorrow shalt thou hear.

Thou sendedst me unto a far-off land, And gavest me into a good Earl's hand.

Now had this good Earl daughters seven, The fairest of maidens under heaven.

One brought me my meat when I should dine, One cut and sewed my raiment fine.

One washed and combed my yellow hair, And one I fell to loving there.

Befell it on so fair a day, We minded us to sport and play.

Down in a dale my horse bound I, Bound on my saddle speedily.

Bright red she was as the flickering flame When to my saddle-bow she came.

Beside my saddle-bow she stood, 'To flee with thee to my heart were good.'

Kind was my horse and good to aid, My love upon his back I laid.

We gat us from the garth away, And none was ware of us that day.

But as we rode along the sand Behold a barge lay by the land.

So in that boat did we depart, And rowed away right glad at heart.

When we came to the dark wood and the shade To raise the tent my true-love bade.

Three sons my true-love bore me there, And syne she died who was so dear.

A grave I wrought her with my sword, With my fair s.h.i.+eld the mould I poured.

First in the mould I laid my love, Then all my sons her breast above.

And I without must lie alone; So from the place I gat me gone."

No man now shall stand on his feet To love that love, to woo that sweet: _O fair it is to ride abroad._

AGNES AND THE HILL-MAN

TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH

Agnes went through the meadows a-weeping, _Fowl are a-singing._ There stood the hill-man heed thereof keeping.

_Agnes, fair Agnes!_ "Come to the hill, fair Agnes, with me, The reddest of gold will I give unto thee!"

Twice went Agnes the hill round about, Then wended within, left the fair world without.

In the hillside bode Agnes, three years thrice told o'er, For the green earth sithence fell she longing full sore.

There she sat, and lullaby sang in her singing, And she heard how the bells of England were ringing.

Agnes before her true-love did stand: "May I wend to the church of the English Land?"

"To England's Church well mayst thou be gone, So that no hand thou lay the red gold upon.

"So that when thou art come the churchyard anear, Thou cast not abroad thy golden hair.

"So that when thou standest the church within, To thy mother on bench thou never win.

"So that when thou hearest the high G.o.d's name, No knee unto earth thou bow to the same."

Hand she laid on all gold that was there, And cast abroad her golden hair.

And when the church she stood within, To her mother on bench straight did she win.

And when she heard the high G.o.d's name, Knee unto earth she bowed to the same.

When all the ma.s.s was sung to its end, Home with her mother dear did she wend.

"Come, Agnes, into the hillside to me, For thy seven small sons greet sorely for thee!"

"Let them greet, let them greet, as they have will to do; For never again will I hearken thereto!"