The nuns they came from the convent gate By one, by two, by three; They sang for the soul of a lady bright Who died for the love of a traitor knight: It was his own lady. He stayed the corpse beside the grave; "A sign, a sign!" quod he. "Mary Mother who rulest heaven, Send me a sign if I be forgiven By the woman who so loved me." F A white dove out of the coffin flew; Earl Harold's mouth it kist; He fell on his face, wherever he stood; And the white dove carried his soul to God Or ever the bearers wist. ----C. Kingsley. THE SANDS OF DEE [Illustration: 0253] |O Mary, go and call the cattle home, And call the cattle home, And call the cattle home Across the sands of Dee;" The western wind was wild and dank with foam, And all alone went she. The western tide crept up along the sand, And o'er and o'er the sand, And round and round the sand, As far as eye could see. The rolling mist came down and hid the land: And never home came she. "Oh! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair-- A tress of golden hair, A drowned maiden's hair Above the nets at sea? Was never salmon yet that shone so fair Among the stakes on Dee." They rowed her in across the rolling foam, The cruel crawling foam, The cruel hungry foam, To her grave beside the sea: But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home Across the sands of Dee. ----C. Kingsley. BALLAD OF EARL HALDAN'S DAUGHTER |It was Earl Haldan's daughter, She looked across the sea; She looked across the water; And long and loud laughed she: "The locks of six princesses Must be my marriage fee, So hey bonny boat, and ho bonny boat! Who comes a wooing me?" It was Earl Haldan's daughter, She walked along the sand; When she was aware of a knight so fair, Came sailing to the land. His sails were all of velvet, His mast of beaten gold, And "Hey bonny boat, and ho bonny boat! Who saileth here so bold?" "The locks of five princesses I won beyond the sea; I dipt their golden tresses, To fringe a cloak for thee. One handful yet is wanting, But one of all the tale; So hey bonny boat, and ho bonny boat! Furl up thy velvet sail!" He leapt into the water, That rover young and bold; He gript Earl Haldan's daughter, He dipt her locks of gold: "Go weep, go weep, proud maiden, The tale is full to-day. Now hey bonny boat, and ho bonny boat! Sail Westward ho! away!" ----C. Kingsley. LORRAINE, LORRAINE, LORRÈE I. |Are you ready for your steeple-chase, Lorraine, Lorraine, Lorrèe? Barum, Barum, Barum, Barum, Barum, Barum, Baree, You're booked to ride your capping race to-day at Coulterlee, You're booked to ride Vindictive, for all the world to see,