And sawest thou on the turrets The king and his royal bride, And the wave of their crimson mantles, And the golden crown of pride? Led they not forth, in rapture, A beauteous maiden there, Resplendent as the morning sun, Beaming with golden hair! Well saw I the ancient parents, Without the crown of pride; They were moving slow, in weeds of woe-- No maiden was by their side! * * * * * SONG OF THE MOUNTAIN BOY[20] (1806) The mountain shepherd-boy am I; The castles all below me spy. The sun sends me his earliest beam, Leaves me his latest, lingering gleam. I am the boy of the mountain! The mountain torrent's home is here, Fresh from the rock I drink it clear; As out it leaps with furious force, I stretch my arms and stop its course. I am the boy of the mountain! I claim the mountain for my own; In vain the winds around me moan; From north to south let tempests brawl-- My song shall swell above them all. I am the boy of the mountain! Thunder and lightning below me lie, Yet here I stand in upper sky; I know them well, and cry, "Harm not My father's lowly, peaceful cot." I am the boy of the mountain! But when I hear the alarm-bell sound, When watch-fires gleam from the mountains round, Then down I go and march along, And swing my sword, and sing my song. I am the boy of the mountain! [Illustration: THE VILLA BY THE SEA From the Painting by Arnold Böcklin] * * * * * DEPARTURE[21] (1806) What jingles and carols along the street! Fling open your casements, damsels sweet! The prentice' friends, they are bearing The boy on his far wayfaring. 'Mid fluttering ribbons and tossing caps, Full merry the rabble huzzas and claps; But the boy regards not the token-- He walks like one heartbroken. Full clear clinks the wine-can, full red gleams the wine "Drink deep and drink deeper, dear brother mine!" "Oh, have done with the red wine of parting That burns me within with its smarting!" And outside from the cottage, last of all, A maiden peeps out and her tear-drops fall, Yet her tear-drops to none she discloses But forget-me-nots and roses. And outside by the cottage, last of all, The boy glances up at a casement small, And glances down without greeting. 'Neath his hand his heart is beating. "What, brother! Art lacking a bright nosegay? See yonder--the beckoning, blossomy spray! God save thee, thou prettiest sweeting! Drop down now a nosegay for greeting!" "Nay, brothers, pass yonder casement by. No prettiest sweeting like her have I. In the sun those blossoms would wither; The wind it would blow them thither." So farther and farther with shout and song! And the maiden listens and harkens long "Ah, me! he is flown now beyond me-- The boy I have loved so fondly!