Ballads of Irish chivalry By Robert Dwyer Joyce: Edited, with Annotations, by his brother P. W. Joyce |
 |
| THE FOUR COMRADES:
OR THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
 |
 | Ballads of Irish chivalry |  |
27
THE FOUR COMRADES: OR THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE.
Before the Battle.
I.
There were four comrades stout and free,Within the Wood of Barnalee,
Under the spreading oaken tree.
II.
The ragged clouds sailed past the moon;Loud rose the brawling torrent's croon;
The rising winds howled in the wood
Like hungry wolves at scent of blood.
Yet there they sat in converse free,
Under the spreading oaken tree:—
Garrod the Minstrel with his lyre,
Sir Hugh le Poer that heart of fire,
Dark Gilliemore the mournful squire,
And Donall from the banks of Nier.
III.
Spectrally shone the watch-fire light
On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright,
Showing beneath the woodland glooms
Their swords and jacks and waving plumes;
On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright,
Showing beneath the woodland glooms
Their swords and jacks and waving plumes;
As there they sat, those comrades free,
Within the Wood of Barnalee,
Under the spreading oaken tree,
And told their tales to you and me.
Within the Wood of Barnalee,
Under the spreading oaken tree,
And told their tales to you and me.
28
And first the Minstrel took his harp that oft
Rang with War's clangorous music, fierce and free,
And now with gentle touch and prelude soft,
Began his strain of simple melody.
Of love he sang—her love whose wavy sea
Shines round the sunny shores of Desmond's land,
And as his voice arose, wild rhapsody
Sparkled within his eyes, and music bland
Flowed from the trembling wires beneath his master hand.
Rang with War's clangorous music, fierce and free,
And now with gentle touch and prelude soft,
Began his strain of simple melody.
Of love he sang—her love whose wavy sea
Shines round the sunny shores of Desmond's land,
And as his voice arose, wild rhapsody
Sparkled within his eyes, and music bland
Flowed from the trembling wires beneath his master hand.
| Ballads of Irish chivalry | |