Romance and

Reality

Ballad

A.D. 1400.

It was Earl Haldan's daughter,
She looked across the sea;
She looked across the water,

And long and loud laughed she:
"The locks of six princesses

Must be my marriage fee:

So, hey, bonny boat, and ho, bonny boat,
Who comes a-wooing me!"

It was Earl Haldan's daughter,
She walked along the sand,

When she was aware of a knight so fair,

Came sailing to the land.

His sails were all of velvet,

His mast of beaten gold,

And "Hey, bonny boat, and ho, bonny boat,
Who saileth here so bold?"

"The locks of five princesses
I won beyond the sea;
I shore their golden tresses

To fringe a cloak for thee.

One handful yet is wanting,

But one of all the tale;

So, hey, bonny boat, and ho, bonny boat,

Furl up thy velvet sail!"

He leapt into the water,

That rover young and bold;

Romance

and Reality

He gript Earl Haldan's daughter,

He shore her locks of gold:

"Go weep, go weep, proud maiden,

The tale is full to-day.

Now, hey, bonny boat, and ho, bonny boat,
Sail Westward ho, and away!"

CHARLES KINGSLEY.

Romance of the Swan's Nest
Little Ellie sits alone

'Mid the beeches of a meadow,
By a stream-side on the grass;
And the trees are showering down
Doubles of their leaves in shadow
On her shining hair and face.

She has thrown her bonnet by;
And her feet she has been dipping
In the shallow water's flow-
Now she holds them nakedly

In her hands, all sleek and dripping
While she rocketh to and fro.

Little Ellie sits alone,

And the smile she softly uses,

Fills the silence like a speech;

Romance

and Reality

While she thinks what shall be done,And the sweetest pleasure chooses,

For her future within reach.

Little Ellie in her smile

Chooseth . . . "I will have a lover,
Riding on a steed of steeds!

He shall love me without guile;
And to him I will discover

That swan's nest among the reeds.

"And the steed shall be red-roan
And the lover shall be noble,

With an eye that takes the breath,
And the lute he plays upon,
Shall strike ladies into trouble,

As his sword strikes men to death.

"And the steed it shall be shod
All in silver, housed in azure,

And the mane shall swim the wind:
And the hoofs along the sod
Shall flash onward and keep measure,
Till the shepherds look behind.

"But my lover will not prize
All the glory that he rides in,
When he gazes in my face.

He will say, 'O Love, thine eyes
Build the shrine my soul abides in;

And I kneel here for thy grace.'

"Then, ay, then-he shall kneel low With the red-roan steed anear him

Which shall seem to understand

Till I answer, 'Rise and go!

For the world must love and fear him
Whom I gift with heart and hand.'

"Then he will arise so pale,
I shall feel my own lips tremble
With a yes I must not say—

6

Nathless maiden-brave, Farewell,' I will utter and dissemble

'Light to-morrow with to-day.'

"Then he'll ride among the hills To the wide world past the river, There to put away all wrong: To make straight distorted wills, And to empty the broad quiver

Which the wicked bear along.

"Three times shall a young foot-page Swim the stream and climb the mountain And kneel down beside my feet'Lo! my master sends this gage, Lady, for thy pity's counting!

What wilt thou exchange for it?'

"And the first time, I will send A white rosebud for a guerdon,— And the second time a glove:

Romance and Reality

But the third time-I may bend
From my pride, and answer—“ Pardon—
If he comes to take my love.'

"Then the young foot-page will runThen my lover will ride faster,

Till he kneeleth at my knee:

'I am a duke's eldest son! Thousand serfs do call me master,But, O Love, I love but thee!'

"He will kiss me on the mouth

Then; and lead me as a lover,

Through the crowds that praise his deeds:
And, when soul-tied by one troth,

Unto him I will discover

That swan's nest among the reeds."

Little Ellie, with her smile

Not yet ended, rose up gayly,

Tied the bonnet, donned the shoe-
And went homeward, round a mile,

Just to see, as she did daily,

What more eggs were with the two.

Pushing through the elm-tree copse
Winding by the stream, light-hearted,
Where the osier pathway leads-
Past the boughs she stoops-and stops!
Lo! the wild swan had deserted-

And a rat had gnawed the reeds.