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LILIEN MAY.
An Easter Legend.
PART I.
'Twas on the Easter Sunday morn,
That, from the blessëd skies,
Came down the holy angels,
To see our Lord arise:
That, from the blessëd skies,
Came down the holy angels,
To see our Lord arise:
To see our dear Lord Jesus rise
From death, whose bonds were riven;
And give him back unto his friends,
Before he went to heaven.
From death, whose bonds were riven;
And give him back unto his friends,
Before he went to heaven.
Oh, happy Easter Sunday morn!
Of old they blessed the day;
And gifts, in memory of that time,
In love they gave away.
Of old they blessed the day;
And gifts, in memory of that time,
In love they gave away.
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The rich gave gifts abundantly,
The poor gave gifts also;
For every heart at Easter, then,
With love did overflow.
The poor gave gifts also;
For every heart at Easter, then,
With love did overflow.
But these old times are past and gone;
None hasten now to bring
The happy resurrection news,
And hymns of Easter sing.
None hasten now to bring
The happy resurrection news,
And hymns of Easter sing.
Yet here and there, among the hills,
In places far and lone,
Some memory of the time yet lives,
Some Easter love is shown.
In places far and lone,
Some memory of the time yet lives,
Some Easter love is shown.
And kindly country-women, yet,
Their Pasch-eggs ready make,
Of divers colours beautiful,
To give for Jesus' sake.
Their Pasch-eggs ready make,
Of divers colours beautiful,
To give for Jesus' sake.
And little country children go
Far o'er the hills away,
From door to door, with cheerful hymns,
To celebrate the day.
Far o'er the hills away,
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To celebrate the day.
Oh, happy Easter Monday!
It shineth clear and bright;
And they shall go a dozen miles
Among the hills ere night.
It shineth clear and bright;
And they shall go a dozen miles
Among the hills ere night.
O'er the bleak fells, and down the dells
That lie so warm and low,
To the cottage and the grey farm-house
Shall the neighbour-children go.
That lie so warm and low,
To the cottage and the grey farm-house
Shall the neighbour-children go.
Each hand in hand, a loving band,
They go with joy along;
And tune their voices, sweet and low,
To a holy Easter song.
They go with joy along;
And tune their voices, sweet and low,
To a holy Easter song.
And far along the sunny hills
Were heard their voices clear:
“Be glad, for our Lord Jesus rose
At this time of the year!”
Were heard their voices clear:
“Be glad, for our Lord Jesus rose
At this time of the year!”
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The pleasant voice of singing came
To a cottage on the moor,
Where sate the lovely Lilien May
Beside her mother's door.
To a cottage on the moor,
Where sate the lovely Lilien May
Beside her mother's door.
Her locks were bright as shining gold,
Her eyes as harebells blue,
And the red, red rose of summer
Had given her cheeks its hue.
Her eyes as harebells blue,
And the red, red rose of summer
Had given her cheeks its hue.
Sweet Lilien May was four years old;
And “I am strong,” said she;
“And I'll run after them with speed,
And sing in company.
And “I am strong,” said she;
“And I'll run after them with speed,
And sing in company.
“And I'll be back by night, mother,
And I'll be back before.”
Her careful mother heard her not,
Nor missed her from the door.
And I'll be back before.”
Her careful mother heard her not,
Nor missed her from the door.
On went the cheerful singing band,
Like merry birds, away;
And on, among the budding broom,
Went after, Lilien May.
Like merry birds, away;
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Went after, Lilien May.
The sky was bright above her head,
The earth beneath her feet;
And the little maiden sung aloud
Her carol wild and sweet.
The earth beneath her feet;
And the little maiden sung aloud
Her carol wild and sweet.
Down, down the glen, she wandered down,
Where the mountain stream ran clear;
Across the moor, and up the fell,
Without a thought of fear.
Where the mountain stream ran clear;
Across the moor, and up the fell,
Without a thought of fear.
She watched the glancing lizard slide
Into his narrow hold,
And little birds that built their nests
All on the open wold.
Into his narrow hold,
And little birds that built their nests
All on the open wold.
Beside her fed the mountain flocks,
On the hills so wild and high;
And the gentle herd looked after her,
As she went singing by.
On the hills so wild and high;
And the gentle herd looked after her,
As she went singing by.
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On, on, with little nimble feet,
She wandered farther still,
Up to the heights of rocky stone,
Where whistling winds blew shrill.
She wandered farther still,
Up to the heights of rocky stone,
Where whistling winds blew shrill.
Through those bright locks of golden hair,
The strong, cold winds did blow;
And the red rose upon her cheek
All rosier yet did glow.
The strong, cold winds did blow;
And the red rose upon her cheek
All rosier yet did glow.
She saw the raven sitting there,
She heard his croaking cry,
She saw him look askance at her,
Yet did not fear his eye.
She heard his croaking cry,
She saw him look askance at her,
Yet did not fear his eye.
The place was wild, and stern, and drear,
An herbless waste of stone;
Yet merry singing Lilien
Feared not to be alone.
An herbless waste of stone;
Yet merry singing Lilien
Feared not to be alone.
On, on again she wandered on,
Down from the mountain grey;
Where all before her, brown and wild,
The wide fell stretched away.
Down from the mountain grey;
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The wide fell stretched away.
On, on she went; her mother's door
Lay many a mile behind:
But now a strange and lonesome dread
Came creeping o'er her mind.
Lay many a mile behind:
But now a strange and lonesome dread
Came creeping o'er her mind.
She saw the fells so wild and brown;
She saw the grey rocks hoar;
And all at once she saw them look
As they had not looked before:
The fells were wild, and drear, and brown,
The mountains stern and hoar.
She saw the grey rocks hoar;
And all at once she saw them look
As they had not looked before:
The fells were wild, and drear, and brown,
The mountains stern and hoar.
The sky, so blue, no more was blue;
The golden sun was set;
The air was keen, and thin, and cold;
The spongy turf was wet.
The golden sun was set;
The air was keen, and thin, and cold;
The spongy turf was wet.
Sweet Lilien May looked all around;
Yet nothing could she see,
But afar a flock of mountain sheep,
And anigh a grey thorn-tree.
Yet nothing could she see,
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And anigh a grey thorn-tree.
Sweet Lilien May she listened then;
But nothing could she hear,
Save afar a sound of running streams,
And a croaking raven near.
But nothing could she hear,
Save afar a sound of running streams,
And a croaking raven near.
“‘The water is deep,’” quoth Lilien,
“‘And the raven's beak is strong;
And goblins three dance 'neath the tree,
Thorough the night so long.’
I wish the blind man had not sung,”
Said she, “that evil song.”
“‘And the raven's beak is strong;
And goblins three dance 'neath the tree,
Thorough the night so long.’
I wish the blind man had not sung,”
Said she, “that evil song.”
“And the night grows dark,” quoth Lilien,
“And the fells are brown and drear:
Oh mother! mother! come to me,”
Cried Lilien, “mother dear!”
“And the fells are brown and drear:
Oh mother! mother! come to me,”
Cried Lilien, “mother dear!”
Adown the fells went Lilien,
But she wist not whither at all;
And against the stones and twisted roots
She struck her feet so small.
But she wist not whither at all;
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She struck her feet so small.
Among the night-black furze she went,
Still calling for her mother;
And now she lost one little shoe,
And now she lost the other.
Still calling for her mother;
And now she lost one little shoe,
And now she lost the other.
And all among the prickly furze,
That grew so black around,
Sweet Lilien thrust her pretty hands;
But never a shoe she found.
That grew so black around,
Sweet Lilien thrust her pretty hands;
But never a shoe she found.
And ever as she groped about,
The streaming tears did fall;
And the prickles of the thorny furze
They pierced her fingers small.
The streaming tears did fall;
And the prickles of the thorny furze
They pierced her fingers small.
And ever as she groped about,
Beneath the darksome sky,
Where'er she trode, a little trace
Of crimson blood did lie;
And, “Mother, mother, come to me!”
Was still her moaning cry.
Beneath the darksome sky,
Where'er she trode, a little trace
Of crimson blood did lie;
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Was still her moaning cry.
Three paces on went Lilien May,
With bare and aching feet;
When, lo! she heard, among the furze,
A soft and gentle bleat,
With bare and aching feet;
When, lo! she heard, among the furze,
A soft and gentle bleat,
The bleating of a mountain sheep
That lay in quiet there.
Down by its side sank Lilien May,
No farther could she fare.
That lay in quiet there.
Down by its side sank Lilien May,
No farther could she fare.
Down by its side sank Lilien,
Her little heart so full,
And her yellow locks of dewy hair
Fell o'er its snow-white wool.
Her little heart so full,
And her yellow locks of dewy hair
Fell o'er its snow-white wool.
And God, who saw her all alone
In the darkness where she lay,
He sent a heavy sleep that took
Her misery all away.
In the darkness where she lay,
He sent a heavy sleep that took
Her misery all away.
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PART II.
Now turn we to her mother's house:
“And where is Lilien gone,
My little, merry Lilien?”
Quoth she to many a one.
“And where is Lilien gone,
My little, merry Lilien?”
Quoth she to many a one.
Said they, “We saw thy Lilien
Go with the singing train:
Fear not, they'll bring the pretty child
At nightfall back again!”
Go with the singing train:
Fear not, they'll bring the pretty child
At nightfall back again!”
The eve is come, and up the fell
Is heard a sound of glee;
The mother rose, and said, “They bring
My Lilien back to me.”
Is heard a sound of glee;
The mother rose, and said, “They bring
My Lilien back to me.”
And down she reached the wheaten bread,
The new-baked and the sweet;
“My Lilien shall have that she loves,”
Said she, “this night to eat.”
The new-baked and the sweet;
“My Lilien shall have that she loves,”
Said she, “this night to eat.”
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And out unto the door she went
To meet the singing train:
“And wherefore is't ye bring me not
My Lilien back again?”
To meet the singing train:
“And wherefore is't ye bring me not
My Lilien back again?”
“We have not seen thy Lilien,
With us she did not go.”
“A wretched woman am I, then!”
The mother shrieked in woe.
With us she did not go.”
“A wretched woman am I, then!”
The mother shrieked in woe.
“Go fetch my husband from the fold,
Call up my neighbours dear,
And seek with me my Lilien,
Be she afar or near!”
Call up my neighbours dear,
And seek with me my Lilien,
Be she afar or near!”
Up came the father from the fold,
A woful man was he;
And up came neighbours many a one,
A kindly company.
A woful man was he;
And up came neighbours many a one,
A kindly company.
“And we will seek thy Lilien
Through all the country round;
We will not rest,” cried many a one,
“Till Lilien May is found.”
Through all the country round;
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“Till Lilien May is found.”
And north and south, and east and west,
The neighbour folks divide;
And all that night sweet Lilien's name
Was echoed far and wide.
The neighbour folks divide;
And all that night sweet Lilien's name
Was echoed far and wide.
All drear and dark the night came on,
The cutting winds did blow;
Yet ever on, throughout the night,
Did the weeping parents go.
The cutting winds did blow;
Yet ever on, throughout the night,
Did the weeping parents go.
“I ne'er shall see my child again!”
The woful mother cried.
“We'll find her,” said the father good,
“Please Heaven to be our guide!”
The woful mother cried.
“We'll find her,” said the father good,
“Please Heaven to be our guide!”
And on they went throughout the night,
Still calling Lilien May:
“Oh, answer us, dear Lilien!”
They cried till break of day.
Still calling Lilien May:
“Oh, answer us, dear Lilien!”
They cried till break of day.
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Then came they to the spongy bog,
The running stream anigh,
And the raven, from the grey thorn-tree,
Croaked low as they went by.
The running stream anigh,
And the raven, from the grey thorn-tree,
Croaked low as they went by.
And then the waste of darksome furze
Stretched out before them wide:
Down dropped the mother on her knees,
For a gladsome sight she spied.
Stretched out before them wide:
Down dropped the mother on her knees,
For a gladsome sight she spied.
The little shoe of Lilien!
She kissed it o'er and o'er,
And from her eyes the joyful tears,
Like streaming rain, did pour.
She kissed it o'er and o'er,
And from her eyes the joyful tears,
Like streaming rain, did pour.
“Now blessed be God!” the father said,
“That he with us did keep!”
Ten paces on, and they beheld
Sweet Lilien fast asleep!”
“That he with us did keep!”
Ten paces on, and they beheld
Sweet Lilien fast asleep!”
'T is not for me to tell their joy,
By them alone 't is wist:
Sometimes they kissed her snow-white cheeks,
Sometimes her lips they kissed.
By them alone 't is wist:
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Sometimes her lips they kissed.
They kissed her wounded hands and feet;
They kissed her curling hair:
Then cheering drops of healing wine
They gave with tender care.
They kissed her curling hair:
Then cheering drops of healing wine
They gave with tender care.
At length her feeble eyes she oped
Unto the dawning day,
And gently spake: “Oh, mother dear,
Let me go home, I pray!”
Unto the dawning day,
And gently spake: “Oh, mother dear,
Let me go home, I pray!”
They bore her in their careful arms
A dozen miles or more;
And joyful were the neighbours dear,
As they came near their door.
A dozen miles or more;
And joyful were the neighbours dear,
As they came near their door.
All warm within the snow-white sheets
They laid her on her bed,
And o'er her a green coverlet,
And a pillow 'neath her head.
They laid her on her bed,
And o'er her a green coverlet,
And a pillow 'neath her head.
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And in that heavy sleep she lay
Until the evening bell;
Then rose she up, sweet Lilien,
All rosy-red and well.
Until the evening bell;
Then rose she up, sweet Lilien,
All rosy-red and well.
And, on the Sabbath next, the priest,
Bare-headed, blessed the Lord,
Before all men, within the church,
That Lilien was restored.
Bare-headed, blessed the Lord,
Before all men, within the church,
That Lilien was restored.
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