Ballads of Brave Deeds By H. D. Rawnsley. With a Frontispiece and Preface by G. F. Watts |
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The Brothers
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 | Ballads of Brave Deeds |  |
114
The Brothers
A BALLAD OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN
The account of this heroic rescue with its dramatic ending appeared in the daily press in the autumn of 1894.
Readers will remember that it was from the swamps of Schleswig-Holstein that our English forefathers hailed. It would appear that courage has never left its native ground.
In the marshes by the sea,
Whence our English fathers came,
Very slow the rivers run;
Skies are wide and stars are free;
From the rise to set of sun
Men may feel its heart of flame.
Whence our English fathers came,
Very slow the rivers run;
Skies are wide and stars are free;
From the rise to set of sun
Men may feel its heart of flame.
But a wider Heaven is ours,
And the sun is brighter far,
And life's rivers swiftlier move,
When the will with hero powers
Dares a brother's deed of love,
And true courage is the star.
And the sun is brighter far,
And life's rivers swiftlier move,
When the will with hero powers
Dares a brother's deed of love,
And true courage is the star.
It was wild November's night
When the Schleswig people knew,
By the rockets leaping clear,
That a ship in sorry plight
To the bitter coast drew near,
With her storm-bewildered crew.
When the Schleswig people knew,
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That a ship in sorry plight
To the bitter coast drew near,
With her storm-bewildered crew.
But with wild dawn, o'er the wave,
Through the rollers mountain high,
Gallant fishers launched away,
Sworn to perish or to save;
For through thunder and through spray
They could hear the seamen cry.
Through the rollers mountain high,
Gallant fishers launched away,
Sworn to perish or to save;
For through thunder and through spray
They could hear the seamen cry.
Bravely battling up and down,
In the valleys—on the crest,
Shot to Heaven—tossed to Hell—
Still the oarsmen held their own,
Still the life-boat rose and fell,
Mercy-manned and God-possessed.
In the valleys—on the crest,
Shot to Heaven—tossed to Hell—
Still the oarsmen held their own,
Still the life-boat rose and fell,
Mercy-manned and God-possessed.
Came alongside on the lea,
Filled its bosom with such store
As may fall, more dead than live,
From the battered crossyard tree,
When but six poor souls survive
From a crew of twenty-four.
Filled its bosom with such store
As may fall, more dead than live,
From the battered crossyard tree,
When but six poor souls survive
From a crew of twenty-four.
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Turned for home—but left behind
One too lifeless far to fall,
Lashed beyond his fellows' reach,
Good as dead, stark out of mind—
Turned and struggled for the beach,
Safely landed one and all.
One too lifeless far to fall,
Lashed beyond his fellows' reach,
Good as dead, stark out of mind—
Turned and struggled for the beach,
Safely landed one and all.
How they cheered, and how they ran
Through the breakers with a will,
Hauled the life-boat safe ashore!
“We have left behind a man,
Will ye venture, mates, once more?”
Cried young Jansen, breathless still.
Through the breakers with a will,
Hauled the life-boat safe ashore!
“We have left behind a man,
Will ye venture, mates, once more?”
Cried young Jansen, breathless still.
There was silence, “God ne'er gave
Men such chances twice a day,
Will ye tempt Him still to give?
Let the ocean be his grave.
He had scarce five minutes to live
When for home we turned away.”
Men such chances twice a day,
Will ye tempt Him still to give?
Let the ocean be his grave.
He had scarce five minutes to live
When for home we turned away.”
But that moment on the mast,
Far out seaward, Jansen saw
How the dead man waved an arm;
Through the crowd a great thrill passed.
Quoth he, “God can keep from harm;
Life for life is Heaven's one law.”
Far out seaward, Jansen saw
How the dead man waved an arm;
Through the crowd a great thrill passed.
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Life for life is Heaven's one law.”
If ye will not make a crew
Yea, alone I'll dare the deed;
For the love of God I'll face
Fiercest wind that ever blew,
For the man in yonder case
Is a Brother and in need.”
Yea, alone I'll dare the deed;
For the love of God I'll face
Fiercest wind that ever blew,
For the man in yonder case
Is a Brother and in need.”
Then a grey-haired woman spake,
“Son, thou knowest how thy brother
Went to sea nor e'er returned;
Venture not, Son, for his sake.”
Jansen's word with fierceness burned—
“Yonder man, too, has a mother.”
“Son, thou knowest how thy brother
Went to sea nor e'er returned;
Venture not, Son, for his sake.”
Jansen's word with fierceness burned—
“Yonder man, too, has a mother.”
So they went toward the shore,
And they wondered at his word,
Called him “Fool,” but launched his boat,
Gave him tenderly each oar,
Prayed with choking in the throat
“Lord have mercy! Save him, Lord!”
And they wondered at his word,
Called him “Fool,” but launched his boat,
Gave him tenderly each oar,
Prayed with choking in the throat
“Lord have mercy! Save him, Lord!”
And they watched him toil and toil,
Board the vessel, climb the mast,
Reach the seaman hanging there;
Saw him swift the ropes uncoil,
Bring the body down with care,
In the boat his burden cast.
Board the vessel, climb the mast,
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Saw him swift the ropes uncoil,
Bring the body down with care,
In the boat his burden cast.
Women prayed and rough men swore,
As they watched the hero come;
But the man who for his brother
Risked his own life, stepped ashore,
And said he—“Go, tell our Mother
I have brought her lost boy home.”
As they watched the hero come;
But the man who for his brother
Risked his own life, stepped ashore,
And said he—“Go, tell our Mother
I have brought her lost boy home.”
In the marshes by the sea,
Whence our English fathers came,
Slowly still the rivers run.
And where'er their children be,
From the rise to set of sun,
Flows their courage still the same.
Whence our English fathers came,
Slowly still the rivers run.
And where'er their children be,
From the rise to set of sun,
Flows their courage still the same.
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