Her husband, he was dead; she rent her hair For him.—Her friend was gone,—for him she tore Her cheeks.—Her only brother was not there: For him she pluck’d her eye-balls from their bed. Her hair grew forth as lovely as before; Upon her cheeks her former beauties spread; But nothing could her perish’d sight restore: Nought heals the heart that mourns a brother dead. REBUKE. “MAIDEN! hast thou seen my steed?” ‘Faithless one! not I, indeed! But I heard that thou hadst tied him To the mountain-maple tree; When a stranger pass’d beside him, Full of scorn and rage was he: With his hoofs the ground he beat; Of his master’s guilt he knew. Not one maiden did he cheat: No; that master cheated two: One has borne a wretched child; One with grief and shame is wild!’ MAN’S FAITH. SAY! dost thou remember when under the vine, Thy tears fell in streams on the breast of thy maid; When thy heart burst in joy as I own’d thee for mine? Alas! for the maiden whose peace is betray’d, By the tears and the vows of a falsehood like thine! As the changeable sky—now o’erclouded, now bright, Is the faith of thy race—their language to-day, “I will wed thee to-morrow, my love and my light!” To-morrow—“Let’s wait till the harvest’s away.” The harvest is ended, the winter is nigh, And another maid dwells in their hearts and their eye. MAIDEN’S AFFECTION. “BLACK is the night—an outcast lad Is wandering in our village, mother! Thy daughter’s heart is very sad, Sad even to death! He has no home: O give him ours, he has no other, And bid the lad no longer roam!” ‘Nay! daughter, let this outcast stray, He is a proud and city youth; Will ask for wine at break of day, And costly meats at eve, forsooth, And for his city-tutor’d head Will want a soft and stately bed.’ “O mother! In God’s name divine, Give the poor lad a shelter now: My eyes shall serve instead of wine, For costly meats my maiden brow. My neck shall be his honey comb: His bed the dewy grass shall be, And heaven his stately canopy. His head shall rest upon my arm. O mother! give the youth a home, And shelter, shelter him from harm.” MARRIAGE SONGS. THE MARRIAGE LEADER. “MAKE ready! make ready,” To his sister the youth is repeating; “Make ready my steed for the wedding, O sister! the young Doge {231} is waiting: I’m bid to the wedding, I’m summon’d to guide To the wedding the maiden—the Doge’s young bride.” APPROACHING BRIDEGROOM. WHAT is shining on the verdant mountain? Sun—or moon—so beautifully shining? ’Tis not sun, or moon that shines so brightly, ’Tis the bridegroom {232} hasting to the marriage. PARTING OF THE BRIDE.