NEW BALLADS THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS I IT was the schooner Hesperus, That sailed the wintry sea; And the skipper had taken his little daughter, To bear him company. 2 Blue were her eyes as the fairy-flax, Her cheeks like the dawn of day, And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds, That ope in the month of May. 3 The skipper he stood beside the helm, His pipe was in his mouth, 5 And he watched how the veering flaw did blow The smoke now West, now South. Then up and spake an old Sailor, "Last night, the moon had a golden ring, The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe, 6 Colder and louder blew the wind, The snow fell hissing in the brine, 153 7 Down came the storm, and smote amain She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed, 8 "Come hither! come hither! my little daughter, And do not tremble so; 9 For I can weather the roughest gale He wrapped her warm in his seaman's coat Against the stinging blast; He cut a rope from a broken spar, And bound her to the mast. IO "O father! I hear the church-bells ring, ""T is a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast!”- II "O father! I hear the sound of guns, what may it be?" Oh say, "Some ship in distress, that cannot live In such an angry sea!" 12 "O father! I see a gleaming light, 13 Oh say, what may it be?" But the father answered never a word, A frozen corpse was he. Lashed to the helm, all stiff and stark, The lantern gleamed through the gleaming snow 14 Then the maiden clasped her hands and prayed That saved she might be; And she thought of Christ, who stilled the wave, 15 And fast through the midnight dark and drear, 16 And ever the fitful gusts between 17 The breakers were right beneath their bows, And a whooping billow swept the crew 18 She struck where the white and fleecy waves Looked soft as carded wool, 19 But the cruel rocks, they gored her side Her rattling shrouds, all sheathed in ice, 20 At daybreak, on the bleak sea-beach, A fisherman stood aghast, To see the form of a maiden fair, Lashed close to a drifting mast. 21 The salt sea was frozen on her breast, And he saw her hair, like the brown seaweed, 22 Such was the wreck of the Hesperus, In the midnight and the snow! Christ save us all from a death like this, On the reef of Norman's Woe. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGfellow. LORD ULLIN'S DAUGHTER 1 A CHIEFTAIN, to the Highlands bound, 2 "Now who be ye, would cross Lochgyle, And this Lord Ullin's daughter. 3 "And fast before her father's men Three days we've fled together, For should he find us in the glen, My blood would stain the heather. "His horsemen hard behind us ride; 5 Out spoke the hardy Highland wight, It is not for your silver bright; 6 "And by my word! the bonny bird So though the waves are raging white, By this the storm grew loud apace, The water-wraith was shrieking; 8 But still as wilder blew the wind, Their trampling sounded nearer. 9 "O haste thee, haste!" the lady cries, To The boat has left a stormy land, 11 And still they row'd amidst the roar Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore, His wrath was changed to wailing.— 12 For sore dismay'd, through storm and shade, His child he did discover: One lovely hand she stretch'd for aid, 13 "Come back! come back!" he cried in grief, 'Across this stormy water: And I'll forgive your Highland chief, My daughter!-oh, my daughter!" |