"My God and father I 'll forswear, And only yours will seek to know; Every curse of heaven I 'll dare, Tell me, Christian, yes or no." "Your love and riches tempt me not. Both love and riches wait for me. Accursed be the fatal lot That brought me o'er the sad, salt sea. ''I spurn a soul that turns to God, A heart for me that suffers pain. Be happy in the paths you've trod, And love a youth who loves again." When these sad words the captive said, With sudden wrath she turned away. In seven days the knight was dead. Was it her deed? No one can say. The epoch of the Crusades is beyond the limit of the popular ballads which have been preserved, although it is probable that they may have had their foundation in originals of that date. The story of the return of the spouse from the Holy Land, and his making himself known after various trials of his wife's fidelity, is a common one in the ballads of all European nations, and is of a character to appeal to the dramatic instincts of the popular poets. Close resemblances to the ballad of The Fair Princess can be found in German, French, and Spanish popular poetry, and the theme itself of course dates back to the return of Ulysses, and to the ballads which were the origin of the Odyssey. THE FAIR PRINCESS. The princess sat in her garden fair; With a golden comb she combed her hair. She raised her eyes to the azure bay. A brave fleet bore in with pennons gay. "Good captain, say, in the Holy Land Have you seen my spouse with his brave band? "In Holy Land is many a knight. With what point device was he bedight?" "His steed bore saddle of silver gilt The cross of Christ was his gold sword hilt." " A knight with these I saw bravely fall In fierce assault on a city's wall." "A wretched widow I have become To mourn and weep in a ruined home, I have three daughters, lovely and sage, But spouseless and weak in orphanage." "What gift to him who returns your spouse?" "All the gold and silver in the house." "Of gold and silver I have no need, Some other guerdon must be my meed." "I have three great mills; all shall be thine. They grind white wheat and benzoin fine, The delicate flour, so finely wrought, The royal stewards have always sought." "For your three mills I have no desire, Some other reward must pay my hire." "My roof tile of gold and ivory." "Your gold and iv'ry tiles are not for me." "My daughters fair, you shall have them all; Two to serve you in your banquet hall; The third and fairest shall be your bride, In love's nest to slumber by your side." "Princess, your fair daughters count for nought,