THE

ANCIENT MARINER.

I.

It is an ancient Mariner,

And he stoppeth one of three:

"By thy long gray beard and thy glittering eye Now wherefore stoppest me?

The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,

And I am next of kin ;

The Guests are met, the Feast is set,

May 'st hear the merry din."

But still he holds the wedding-guest

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"There was a Ship," quoth he

'Nay, if thou'st got a laughsome tale,

Mariner! come with me."

He holds him with his skinny hand,
Quoth he, "There was a Ship-"
"Now get thee hence, thou gray-beard Loon!
Or my Staff shall make thee skip."

He holds him with his glittering eye-
The wedding-guest stood still

And listens like a three years' child;

The Mariner hath his will.

The wedding-guest sate on a stone,
He cannot choose but hear :

And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.

"The Ship was cheered, the Harbour cleared

Merrily did we drop

Below the Kirk, below the Hill,

And he shone bright, and on the right

Went down into the sea.

Higher and higher every day,

Till over the mast at noon

The wedding-guest here beat his breast,
For he heard the loud bassoon.

The Bride hath paced into the Hall,

Red as a rose is she;

Nodding their heads before her go

The merry Minstrelsy.

The wedding-guest he beat his breast,

Yet he cannot choose but hear:

And thus spake on that ancient Man,

The bright-eyed Mariner:

"But now the North wind came more fierce,

There came a Tempest strong!

And Southward still for days and weeks

Like Chaff we drove along.

And now there came both Mist and Snow,

And it grew wondrous cold:

And Ice mast-high came floating by

As green as Emerald.

And through the drifts the snowy clifts

Did send a dismal sheen;

Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken

The Ice was all between.

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