And then the landlord's daughter THE WAVE. FROM THE GERMAN OF TIEDGE. "WHITHER, thou turbid wave? Whither, with so much haste, As if a thief wert thou?" "I am the Wave of Life, Stained with my margin's dust; From the struggle and the strife Of the narrow stream I fly To the Sea's immensity, To wash from me the slime Of the muddy banks of Time." THE DEAD. FROM THE GERMAN OF STOCKMANN. How they so softly rest, And they no longer weep, Calls them, they slumber! THE BIRD AND THE SHIP. "THE rivers rush into the sea, By castle and town they go; "The clouds are passing far and high, "I greet thee, bonny boat! Whither, or whence, With thy fluttering golden band?" "I greet thee, little bird! To the wide sea I haste from the narrow land. "Full and swollen is every sail; I see no longer a hill, I have trusted all to the sounding gale, And it will not let me stand still. "And wilt thou, little bird, go with us? Thou mayest stand on the mainmast tall, For full to sinking is my house With merry companions all." "I need not and seek not company, Bonny boat, I can sing all alone; For the mainmast tall too heavy am I, Bonny boat, I have wings of my own. "High over the sails, high over the mast, Who shall gainsay these joys? When thy merry companions are still, at last, Thou shalt hear the sound of my voice. "Who neither may rest, nor listen may, God bless them every one! I dart away, in the bright blue day, "Thus do I sing my weary song, Wherever the four winds blow; And this same song, my whole life long, Neither Poet nor Printer may know.' WHITHER? FROM THE GERMAN OF MÜLLER. I HEARD a brooklet gushing From its rocky fountain near, Down into the valley rushing, So fresh and wondrous clear. I know not what came o'er me, Nor who the counsel gave; But I must hasten downward, All with my pilgrim-stave; Downward, and ever farther, And ever the brook beside; Didst thou hear, from those lofty cham- | At the first blow, bers, To the barrier of the fight Rode at last a sable Knight. Fell the youth from saddle-bow, Hardly rises from the shock. "Woe ! the blessed children both Takest thou in the joy of youth; Take me, too, the joyless father!" Spake the grim Guest, "Sir Knight! your name and scutch- From his hollow, cavernous breast: "Roses in the spring I gather!" SONG OF THE SILENT LAND. FROM THE GERMAN OF SALIS. INTO the Silent Land! Ah! who shall lead us thither? THE SKELETON IN ARMOR. "SPEAK! speak! thou fearful guest! Who, with thy hollow breast Still in rude armor drest, Comest to daunt me ! Wrapt not in Eastern balms, But with thy fleshless palms Stretched, as if asking alms, Why dost thou haunt me?" Then, from those cavernous eyes From the heart's chamber. "I was a Viking old! My deeds, though manifold, No Skald in song has told, No Saga taught thee! Take heed, that in thy verse Thou dost the tale rehearse, Else dread a dead man's curse; For this I sought thee. "Far in the Northern Land, "Oft to his frozen lair Tracked I the grisly bear, While from my path the hare Fled like a shadow; Oft through the forest dark Followed the were-wolf's bark, Until the soaring lark Sang from the meadow. "But when I older grew, Joining a corsair's crew, O'er the dark sea I flew With the marauders. Wild was the life we led ; Many the souls that sped, Many the hearts that bled, By our stern orders. 66 Many a wassail-bout "Once as I told in glee Fell their soft splendor. "I wooed the blue-eyed maid, Our vows were plighted. By the hawk frighted. "Bright in her father's hall "While the brown ale he quaffed, Loud then the champion laughed, And as the wind-gusts waft The sea-foam brightly, "She was a Prince's child, I but a Viking wild, And though she blushed and smiled, Should not the dove so white "Scarce had I put to sea, Among the Norsemen ! "Then launched they to the blast, "And as to catch the gale Through the black water! "As with his wings aslant, With his prey laden, "Three weeks we westward bore, "There lived we many years; Time dried the maiden's tears; She had forgot her fears, She was a mother; |