"There's tidings for thee from the east countrie," The pilgrim straight replied; "A mighty chief, at a mighty feast, There sat in all his pride." "'Twas wondrous well;--and what befell This chief at his lordly feast?" "A goblet was filled with the red grape's blood, And he pledged each rising guest." "'Tis gladsome news;--but did they refuse The pledge they loved so well?" "Oh no; for each cup mantling forth to the brim, Did the harp and the clarion tell." "And where didst thou such tidings know?" "A pilgrim told it me: And he sat on the hearth at this unblessed feast, Where he shared not the revelry, "For ere was quaffed each sparkling draught, Or the foam from the ruby wine, He dashed the cup from that baron's lip, As now I do from thine!" And the palmer passed by, as each goblet on high Was waved at their chief's command, But ere the cup had touched his lip, It was dashed from his lifted hand! "A boon from thee, on my bended knee," The palmer boldly cried; "Seize first with speed yon traitor page Who bore the cup to thy side." And the page they have bound on the cold, cold ground, And his treason he hath confessed; He had poisoned the cup with one subtle drop, Which he drew from his crimson vest. And the palmer grey his treachery Had watched, when all beside In the feast were gaily revelling, Nor danger there espied. "Say where didst thou the treason know?" The troubled chieftain cried; "I had blessed thy bread, I had blessed thy bowl," The hoary man replied. "And the blessing was given--the boon from heaven; Or this night from thy lordly bed Thy spirit had passed with the shuddering blast, With the loud, shrill shriek of the dead! "Oh! never taste the meat unblessed; Remember the palmer grey; Though he wander afar from thy castle gate, Yet forget not thy feast to-day." And the pilgrim is gone from that gate alone, When prayer and vow were said; And the blessing thenceforth from that house was heard Ere they broke their daily bread. [Illustration: THE DULE UPO' DUN] THE DULE UPO' DUN. "Wae, wae is me, on soul an' body, Old Hornie has lifted his paw, man; An' the carle will come, an' gallop me hame, An' I maun gae pipe in his ha', man!" --_Old Ballad._ For the tradition upon which the following tale is founded, the author is indebted to _The Kaleidoscope_, an interesting weekly miscellany, published by Messrs Smith and Son at Liverpool.