 | Christ's Company and Other Poems |  |
110
Ballad.
Lord Robert and fair Ellen both
Came flying on a horse of might:
They left five brethren on the ground
Before they fled from hall that night.
Came flying on a horse of might:
They left five brethren on the ground
Before they fled from hall that night.
The first river they came unto,
It did but wet the horse's feet:
It was as sad as the ashes of fire;
Long time they tarried in its street.
It did but wet the horse's feet:
It was as sad as the ashes of fire;
Long time they tarried in its street.
“And oh! fair Ellen,” Lord Robert said,
“I had slain but four instead of five!”
“Now rest thee well, Lord Robert,” she said,
“For thou and I are here alive.”
“I had slain but four instead of five!”
“Now rest thee well, Lord Robert,” she said,
“For thou and I are here alive.”
The next river they came unto
It went up to the horse's knees;
The ice was broken all about;
It shone like the sun on the leaves of trees.
It went up to the horse's knees;
The ice was broken all about;
It shone like the sun on the leaves of trees.
111
“And would for thy sake we both had died,
Before I stood within thy bower!”
“I greeted thee well, Lord Robert,” she said,
“And better to think of the sweet than the sour.”
Before I stood within thy bower!”
“I greeted thee well, Lord Robert,” she said,
“And better to think of the sweet than the sour.”
The third river they came unto
To the middle of the flank increased;
The ice was sailing all around,
It shone like the sun on the fell of a beast.
To the middle of the flank increased;
The ice was sailing all around,
It shone like the sun on the fell of a beast.
“Ah! where is thy false nurse Jan this night,
Who kept the watch above thy bower?”
“Nurse Jan needs watch no more,” she said,
“And better to think of seed than sower.”
Who kept the watch above thy bower?”
“Nurse Jan needs watch no more,” she said,
“And better to think of seed than sower.”
The next river they rode unto,
Over the wither-band did break;
The ice did break on fair Ellen's foot,
It shone like the sun on a coiling snake.
Over the wither-band did break;
The ice did break on fair Ellen's foot,
It shone like the sun on a coiling snake.
“We never have met, I swear to thee,
Alas! and we are woe together.”
“Have courage, my lord,” fair Ellen said,
“We two shall merrily win this weather.”
Alas! and we are woe together.”
“Have courage, my lord,” fair Ellen said,
“We two shall merrily win this weather.”
The next river they came unto,
The stream ran over the horse's flank;
The ice poured down from side to side,
It shone like shore-grass dry and lank.
The stream ran over the horse's flank;
The ice poured down from side to side,
It shone like shore-grass dry and lank.
112
He never spake a word again,
But drew her arm right through his own;
She bent her white hand in his hand,
Until it pressed on his breast-bone.
But drew her arm right through his own;
She bent her white hand in his hand,
Until it pressed on his breast-bone.
The next river they came unto,
It rose up to the horse's head;
A fire upon the midst did burn,
The waves like rolling meadows spread.
It rose up to the horse's head;
A fire upon the midst did burn,
The waves like rolling meadows spread.
The ice rolled heavily about,
Like briny monsters of the sea:
He drew her round him on the horse,
And there they two well buried be.
Like briny monsters of the sea:
He drew her round him on the horse,
And there they two well buried be.
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