CXLI TO A WATER FOWL Whither, 'midst falling dew, While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Far through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way? Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, Seek'st thou the plashy brink Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, There is a Power whose care Teaches thy way along that pathless coast, Lone wandering but not lost. All day thy wings have fann'd, And soon that toil shall end; Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend Soon o'er thy shelter'd nest. Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven Hath swallow'd up thy form: yet on my heart He, who from zone to zone Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright. W. C. Bryant CXLII ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD Some will talk of bold Robin Hood, And some of barons bold; But I'll tell you how he served the bishop of Hereford, When he robbed him of his gold. As it befel in merry Barnsdale, All under the greenwood tree, The bishop of Hereford was to come by, With all his company. 'Come kill me a ven'son,' said bold Robin Hood, 'Come kill me a good fat deer; The bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day, And he shall pay well for his cheer. 'We'll kill a fat ven'son,' said bold Robin Hood, And we will watch the bishop narrowly, Robin Hood dressed himself in shepherd's attire, With six of his men also; And, when the bishop of Hereford came by, 'O what is the matter?' then said the bishop, 'We are shepherds,' said bold Robin Hood, And we are disposed to be merry this day, 'You are brave fellows,' said the bishop, 'And the king your doings shall know: Therefore make haste and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' 'O pardon, O pardon,' said bold Robin Hood, O pardon, I thee pray! For it becomes not your lordship's coat 'No pardon, no pardon,' said the bishop, 'No pardon I thee owe; Therefore make haste and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' Then Robin set his back against a tree, And his foot against a thorn, And from underneath his shepherd's coat He put the little end to his mouth, And a loud blast did he blow, Till three score and ten of bold Robin's men All making obeisance to bold Robin Hood, 'Twas a comely sight for to see. 'What is the matter, master?' said Little John, 'That you blow so hastily?' 'O here is the bishop of Hereford, And no pardon we shall have :' 'Cut off his head, master,' said Little John, ві And throw him into his grave.' 'O pardon, O pardon,' said the bishop, 'O pardon, I thee pray! For if I had known it had been you, I'd have gone some other way.' 'No pardon, no pardon,' said bold Robin Hood, Therefore make haste and come along with me, Then Robin he took the bishop by the hand, He made him to stay and sup with him that night, 'Call in a reckoning,' said the bishop, Then Little John took the bishop's cloak, 'Here's money enough, master,' said Little John, 'And a comely sight 'tis to see; It makes me in charity with the bishop, Robin Hood took the bishop by the hand, And he made the bishop to dance in his boots, And glad he could so get away. Old Ballad CXLIII SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S CAMPAIGN Sir John got him an ambling nag, To Scotland for to ride-a, With a hundred horse more, all his own he swore, To guard him on every side-a. No errant knight ever went to fight With half so gay a bravado ; Had you seen but his look, you'd have sworn on a book He'd have conquered a whole armado. The ladies ran all to the windows to see |