 | Ballads and Other Poems |  |
II. PART II.
How Willie o' Wyburn spends a Day in the Forest, and what he saw.
Now Willie is ten years old this day,
And pale and thin is he,
And his mother she said, “This reading
Will be the death of thee!
And pale and thin is he,
And his mother she said, “This reading
Will be the death of thee!
“So, Willie, I pray, for this one day,
That thou thy books wilt leave,
And spend a merry day i' the wood,
From the morn unto the eve.”
That thou thy books wilt leave,
And spend a merry day i' the wood,
From the morn unto the eve.”
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Willie he laid his books adown.
“And I will do this thing,
Nor open another book,” said he,
“Till the vesper bell shall ring.”
“And I will do this thing,
Nor open another book,” said he,
“Till the vesper bell shall ring.”
The summer sun shone over his head,
The larks sung from the sky,
And the forest-streams, among the leaves,
With a talking sound went by.
The larks sung from the sky,
And the forest-streams, among the leaves,
With a talking sound went by.
The blackbird and the throstle-cock
On the forest-boughs sang clear;
And he heard far off the cawing rooks,
And the cooing stockdoves near.
On the forest-boughs sang clear;
And he heard far off the cawing rooks,
And the cooing stockdoves near.
“'T is a pleasant thing,” said Willie,
“In the forest thus to roam;
For songs and thoughts keep with me,
Though my books are all at home.”
“In the forest thus to roam;
For songs and thoughts keep with me,
Though my books are all at home.”
On and on went Willie
Over the mosses brown,
Till he came to the forest-valley,
Where lay the little town.
Over the mosses brown,
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Where lay the little town.
The grey roofs of the houses small
In the warm sunshine did lie;
And the taper spire of the church uprose
Above them, sharp and high.
In the warm sunshine did lie;
And the taper spire of the church uprose
Above them, sharp and high.
And through the bright sunshiny fields
The winding path was seen;
And the peaceful cows were grazing,
And the budding corn was green.
The winding path was seen;
And the peaceful cows were grazing,
And the budding corn was green.
He heard the busy mill-wheel sound;
The merry children shout;
And the cheerful women, from their doors,
He saw pass in and out.
The merry children shout;
And the cheerful women, from their doors,
He saw pass in and out.
From the upland slope looked Willie
Into this valley fair;
And a love sprang up within his heart
For every creature there.
Into this valley fair;
And a love sprang up within his heart
For every creature there.
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Then down into the town he went,
And onward through the street,
And he got a kindly passing word
From all whom he did meet.
And onward through the street,
And he got a kindly passing word
From all whom he did meet.
Then on into the greenwood
Went Willie once again;
And he saw the baron riding there
With all his hunting train.
Went Willie once again;
And he saw the baron riding there
With all his hunting train.
There were four and twenty noblemen,
And ladies half a score;
Willie so brave and fair a sight
Had never seen before.
And ladies half a score;
Willie so brave and fair a sight
Had never seen before.
The hunters they were all in green
With long bows in their hand;
To see them riding gaily by,
Willie he made a stand.
With long bows in their hand;
To see them riding gaily by,
Willie he made a stand.
The ladies they were on palfreys white,
The nobles they were on bay;
And the bugles blew with a “tira lee!”
As they came by the way.
The nobles they were on bay;
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As they came by the way.
“What a gallant sight,” said Willie, “'tis,
To see them ride along!”
And he sang aloud, as he went his way,
A blithe old hunting song.
To see them ride along!”
And he sang aloud, as he went his way,
A blithe old hunting song.
Still on went he along the road,
As cheerful as could be;
And next he saw, coming slowly up,
A pilgrim company.
As cheerful as could be;
And next he saw, coming slowly up,
A pilgrim company.
All slowly, slowly travelled they,
And yet they were right merry,
Both young and old; and they were bound
To the shrine at Canterbury.
And yet they were right merry,
Both young and old; and they were bound
To the shrine at Canterbury.
Willie he lookëd after them,
And a good wish wishëd he,
That the pilgrims all might rest next day
At the house of Elverslie.
And a good wish wishëd he,
That the pilgrims all might rest next day
At the house of Elverslie.
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