THE HAPPIEST LAND. THERE sat one day in quiet, By an alehouse on the Rhine, Four hale and hearty fellows, And drank the precious wine. The landlord's daughter filled their cups Then sat they all so calm and still, But, when the maid departed, A Swabian raised his hand, And cried, all hot and flushed with wine, "Long live the Swabian land! "The greatest kingdom upon earth Cannot with that compare ; With all the stout and hardy men And the nut-brown maidens there." "Ha!" cried a Saxon, laughing, And dashed his beard with wine; "I had rather live in Lapland, Than that Swabian land of thine ! "The goodliest land on all this earth, It is the Saxon land! There have I as many maidens As fingers on this hand!" "Hold your tongues! both Swabian and Saxon !" A bold Bohemian cries; "If there's a heaven upon this earth In Bohemia it lies. "There the tailor blows the flute, And the cobbler blows the horn, And the miner blows the bugle, Over mountain gorge and bourn.”. 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. And they no longer weep, Here, where all gladness flies! Calls them, they slumber! THE BIRD AND THE SHIP. FROM THE GERMAN OF MÜLLER. "THE rivers rush into the sea, By castle and town they go; The winds behind them merrily Their noisy trumpets blow. "The clouds are passing far and high, We little birds in them play; And everything, that can sing and fly, Goes with us, and far away. "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 have trusted all to the sounding gale, 23 "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, And the golden fields of the sun. "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; And ever fresher murmured, And ever clearer, the tide. Is this the way Lwas going? Whither, O brooklet, say! Thou hast, with thy soft murmur, Murmured my senses away. What do I say of a murmur? That can no murmur be; 'Tis the water-nymphs, that are singing Their roundelays under me. Bell! thou soundest merrily; Say! how canst thou mourn? Thou dost feel them all! Placed within thy form! When the heart is sinking, Thou alone canst raise it, Trembling in the storm! THE CASTLE BY THE SEA. "HAST thou seen that lordly castle, The clouds float gorgeously. In the evening's crimson glow." "Well have I seen that castle, That Castle by the Sea, And the moon above it standing, And the mist rise solemnly." "The winds and the waves of ocean, Had they a merry chime? Didst thou hear, from those lofty chambers, The harp and the minstrel's rhyme?' "The winds and the waves of ocean, They rested quietly, But I heard on the gale a sound of wail, And tears came to mine eye." "And sawest thou on the turrets The King and his royal bride? And the wave of their crimson mantles? And the golden crown of pride? "Led they not forth, in rapture, A beauteous maiden there? Resplendent as the morning sun, THE BLACK KNIGHT. FROM THE GERMAN OF UHLAND. 'TWAS Pentecost, the Feast of Gladness, When woods and fields put off all sad ness. Thus began the King and spake : "So from the halls Of ancient Hofburg's walls, A luxuriant Spring shall break." Drums and trumpets echo loudly, Wave the crimson banners proudly, From balcony the King looked on; In the play of spears, Fell all the cavaliers, Before the monarch's stalwart son. To the barrier of the fight "Sir Knight! your name and scutch- "Should I speak it here, Ye would stand aghast with fear; The arch of heaven grew black with mists, And the castle 'gan to rock; Fell the youth from saddle-bow, Waves a mighty shadow in ; Doth ask the maiden's hand, Doth with her the dance begin; Flowerets, faded, to the ground. To the sumptuous banquet came Every Knight and every Dame; 'Twixt son and daughter all dis traught, With mournful mind The ancient King reclined, Gazed at them in silent thought. Pale the children both did look, But the guest a beaker took : "Golden wine will make you whole !" The children drank, Gave many a courteous thank : "O, that draught was very cool!" Each the father's breast embraces, Son and daughter; and their faces Colorless grow utterly; Whichever way Looks the fear-struck father gray, Take me, too, the joyless father!" Spake the grim Guest, From his hollow, cavernous breast: "Roses in the spring I gather!" "Far in the Northern Land, "Oft to his frozen lair Sang from the meadow. With the marauders. |