Is this the way I was going?
Whither, O brooklet, say I
Thou hast, with thy soft murmur, Murmured my senses away.
What do I say of a murmur?
That can no murmur be;
'T is the water-nymphs, tbat are singing Their roundelays under me.
Let them sing, my friend, let them murmur, And wander merrily near;The wheels of a mill are going In every brooklet clear.
BEWARE!
(HUT DU DICH!)
I know a maiden fair to see, Take care!
She can both false and friendly be, Beware! Beware!
Trust her not, She is fooling thee!
She has two eyes, so soft and brown, Take care!
She gives a side-glance and looks down, Beware! Beware!
Trust her not, She is fooling thee!
And she has hair of a golden hue, Take care!
And what she says, it is not true, Beware! Beware!
Trust her not, She is fooling thee!
She has a bosom as white as snow, Take care!
She knows how much it is best to show, Beware! Beware!
Trust her not, She is fooling thee!
She gives thee a garland woven fair, Take care!
It is a fool's-cap for thee to wear, Beware! Beware!
Trust her not, She is fooling thee!
SONG OF THE BELL
Bell! thou soundest merrily, When the bridal party To the church doth hie!
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When, on Sabbath morning, Fields deserted lie!
Bell! thou soundest merrily;
Tellest thou at evening, Bed-time draweth nigh!
Bell! thou soundest mournfully.
Tellest thou the bitter Parting hath gone by!
Say! how canst thou mourn?
How canst thou rejoice?
Thou art but metal dull!
And yet all our sorrowings, Arid all our rejoicings, Thou dost feel them all!
God hath wonders many, Which we cannot fathom, Placed within thy form!
When the heart is sinking, Thou alone canst raise it, Trembling in the storm!
THE CASTLE BY THE SEA
BY JOHANN LUDWIG UHLAND
"Hast thou seen that lordly castle, That Castle by the Sea?
Golden and red above it The clouds float gorgeously.
"And fain it would stoop downward To the mirrored wave below;And fain it would soar upward In the evening's crimson glow.""Well have I seen that castle, That Castle by the Sea, And the moon above it standing, And the mist rise solemnly.""The winds and the waves of ocean, Had they a merry chime?
Didst thou hear, from those lofty chambers, The harp and the minstrel's rhyme?""The winds and the waves of ocean, They rested quietly, But I heard on the gale a sound of wail, And tears came to mine eye.""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!"THE BLACK KNIGHT
BY JOHANN LUDWIG UHLAND
'T was Pentecost, the Feast of Gladness, When woods and fields put off all sadness.
Thus began the King and spake:
"So from the halls Of ancient hofburg's walls, A luxuriant Spring shall break."Drums and trumpets echo loudly, Wave the crimson banners proudly, From balcony the King looked on;In the play of spears, Fell all the cavaliers, Before the monarch's stalwart son.
To the barrier of the fight Rode at last a sable Knight.
"Sir Knight! your name and scutcheon, say!""Should I speak it here, Ye would stand aghast with fear;I am a Prince of mighty sway!"
When he rode into the lists, The arch of heaven grew black with mists, And the castle 'gan to rock;At the first blow, Fell the youth from saddle-bow, Hardly rises from the shock.
Pipe and viol call the dances, Torch-light through the high halls glances;Waves a mighty shadow in;
With manner bland Doth ask the maiden's hand, Doth with ter the dance begin.
Danced in sable iron sark, Danced a measure weird and dark, Coldly clasped her limbs around;From breast and hair Down fall from her the fair Flowerets, faded, to the ground.
To the sumptuous banquet came Every Knight and every Dame, 'Twixt son and daughter all distraught, With mournful mind The ancient King reclined, Gazed at them in silent thought.
Pale the children both did look, But the guest a beaker took:
"Golden wine will make you whole!
The children drank, Gave many a courteous thank:
"O, that draught was very cool!"
Each the father's breast embraces, Son and daughter; and their faces Colorless grow utterly;Whichever way Looks the fear-struck father gray, He beholds his children die.
"Woe! the blessed children both Takest thou in the joy of youth;Take me, too, the joyless father!
Spake the grim Guest, From his hollow, cavernous breast;"Roses in the spring I gather!"
SONG OF THE SILENT LAND
BY JOHAN GAUDENZ VON SALISSEEWIS
Into the Silent Land!
Ah! who shall lead us thither?
Clouds in the evening sky more darkly gather, And shattered wrecks lie thicker on the strand.
Who leads us with a gentle hand Thither, O thither, Into the Silent Land?
Into the Silent Land!
To you, ye boundless regions Of all perfection! Tender morning-visions Of beauteous souls! The Future's pledge and band!
Who in Life's battle firm doth stand, Shall bear Hope's tender blossoms Into the Silent Land!
O Land! O Land!
For all the broken-hearted The mildest herald by our fate allotted, Beckons, and with inverted torch doth stand To lead us with a gentle hand To the land of the great Departed, Into the Silent Land!
THE LUCK OF EDENHALL
BY JOHAN LUDWIG UHLAND
OF Edenhall, the youthful Lord Bids sound the festal trumpet's call;He rises at the banquet board, And cries, 'mid the drunken revellers all, "Now bring me the Luck of Edenhall!"The butler hears the words with pain, The house's oldest seneschal, Takes slow from its silken cloth again The drinking-glass of crystal tall;They call it The Luck of Edenhall.
Then said the Lord: "This glass to praise, Fill with red wine from Portugal!"The graybeard with trembling hand obeys;
A purple light shines over all, It beams from the Luck of Edenhall.
Then speaks the Lord, and waves it light:
"This glass of flashing crystal tall Gave to my sires the Fountain-Sprite;She wrote in it, If this glass doth fall, Farewell then, O Luck of Edenhall!