"Whenas I harp to the children small, They press me close on either hand: And who are you," True Thomas said, "That you should ride while they must stand ? "Light down, light down from your horse o' pride, I trow ye talk too loud and hie, And I will make you a triple word, He has lighted down from his horse o' pride, "Now guard you well," True Thomas said, True Thomas played upon his harp, The fairy harp that couldna' lee, And the first least word the proud King heard, "Oh, I see the love that I lost long syne, "The sun is lost at noon-at noon! The dread o' doom has grippit me. True Thomas, hide me under your cloak, God wot, I'm little fit to dee!" 'Twas bent beneath and blue above'Twas open field and running floodWhere, hot on heath and dyke and wall, The high sun warmed the adder's brood. "Lie down, lie down," True Thomas said. "The God shall judge when all is done; But I will bring you a better word And lift the cloud that I laid on." True Thomas played upon his harp, "Oh, I hear the tread o' the fighting-men, I see the sun on splent and spear! I mark the arrow outen the fern! That flies so low and sings so clear! "Advance my standards to that war, And bid my good knights prick and ride; The gled shall watch as fierce a fight As e'er was fought on the Border side!" 'Twas bent beneath and blue above, True Thomas sighed above his harp, And turned the song on the midmost string; And the last least word True Thomas made He harpit his dead youth back to the King. "Now I am prince, and I do well To love my love withouten fear; To walk wi' man in fellowship, And breathe my horse behind the deer. "My hounds they bay unto the death, The buck has couched beyond the burn, My love she waits at her window To wash my hands when I return. "For that I live am I content (Oh! I have seen my true love's eyes!) To stand wi' Adam in Eden-glade, And run in the woods o' Paradise!" 'Twas nodding grass and naked sky, True Thomas laid his harp away, And louted low at the saddle-side; "Sleep ye or wake," True Thomas said, "I ha' harpit a shadow out o' the sun |