 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
THE BALLAD OF ADLERSTEIN.
Rode forth the Countess Ermintrude, at dawning of the day,
With waiting-maids and men-at-arms, to wildwood making way.
With hawk and hound fair gentlemen were there on either hand
To pay their court to her who was the fairest in the land.
With waiting-maids and men-at-arms, to wildwood making way.
With hawk and hound fair gentlemen were there on either hand
To pay their court to her who was the fairest in the land.
From Erlendorf to Aarchenberg, from Gruenwald to the Rhine,
Extended far the fair domains of Aarch and Adlerstein;
Heiress of both the damosel, and who her lord should be,
Seignior of Aarch, Count Adlerstein, would hold those lands in fee.
Extended far the fair domains of Aarch and Adlerstein;
162
Seignior of Aarch, Count Adlerstein, would hold those lands in fee.
What wonder, then, from every part such eager suitors came
To win a count's estate and rank and gain a lovely dame?
But though she smiled on all alike and bade them welcome there,
They sped but little in their suit who wooed that maiden fair.
To win a count's estate and rank and gain a lovely dame?
But though she smiled on all alike and bade them welcome there,
They sped but little in their suit who wooed that maiden fair.
Upon that summer morn they rode through bosky nook and glade,
And laugh and jest and bay of hound rang through the woodland shade,
When lo! the deer-hounds pricked their ears and shrank in terror back
As came, drawn by a stag of ten, a chariot in their track.
And laugh and jest and bay of hound rang through the woodland shade,
When lo! the deer-hounds pricked their ears and shrank in terror back
As came, drawn by a stag of ten, a chariot in their track.
The chariot was of burnished gold, its wheels of silver white,
And from it, as it halted there, stepped forth an armèd knight—
A knight of fair and shapely form, and air of noble grace;
And then the stag the chariot turned and scurried from the place.
And from it, as it halted there, stepped forth an armèd knight—
A knight of fair and shapely form, and air of noble grace;
And then the stag the chariot turned and scurried from the place.
The knight approached the wondering group, who sat in silence there
And louted him full courteously, yet with a haughty air,
And said: “God save thee, lady sweet; God save ye, gentles here!
Come ye to breathe the woodland air or hunt the dappled deer?”
And louted him full courteously, yet with a haughty air,
And said: “God save thee, lady sweet; God save ye, gentles here!
Come ye to breathe the woodland air or hunt the dappled deer?”
163
Spake out the Countess Ermintrude—a fearless maiden she—
“Welcome, fair sir, but let us know your name and your degree.”
And he replied: “I am a knight of lineage old and high;
My castle stands in Thoulè land, Sir Rolph von Hirschen I.”
“Welcome, fair sir, but let us know your name and your degree.”
And he replied: “I am a knight of lineage old and high;
My castle stands in Thoulè land, Sir Rolph von Hirschen I.”
The knight that day who strangely came within the woodland shade,
And walked beside her palfrey white, her guest the maiden made;
And from that day all those around their praise on him bestowed,
As in the chase, or at the tilt, the foremost knight he rode.
And walked beside her palfrey white, her guest the maiden made;
And from that day all those around their praise on him bestowed,
As in the chase, or at the tilt, the foremost knight he rode.
Now, ere a twelvemonth passed away, Sir Rolph successful sued,
And won the heart and then the hand of Lady Ermintrude;
From her he took the wide domains from Gruenwald to the Rhine;
Through her became the Lord of Aarch and Count of Adlerstein.
And won the heart and then the hand of Lady Ermintrude;
From her he took the wide domains from Gruenwald to the Rhine;
Through her became the Lord of Aarch and Count of Adlerstein.
But to his bride, fair Ermintrude, the day that they were wed,
From church returned, these warning words the knightly bridegroom said:
“Sweet, never how I came to thee in woodland shade recall,
Or, we must part, and ruin fierce upon our house will fall.”
From church returned, these warning words the knightly bridegroom said:
“Sweet, never how I came to thee in woodland shade recall,
Or, we must part, and ruin fierce upon our house will fall.”
Now, five-and-twenty years have gone since they were man and wife,
A stalwart son and daughter fair had crowned their wedded life,
When, on a summer eve, went forth the Countess Ermintrude,
Count Rolph, her husband, at her side, to stroll within the wood.
A stalwart son and daughter fair had crowned their wedded life,
164
Count Rolph, her husband, at her side, to stroll within the wood.
There said the countess to her lord: “'Tis five-and-twenty years
Since I became your loving dame—how short the time appears!
Our feet since then on roses tread; no strife between us two;
Upon our heads, from year to year, new blessings fall like dew.
Since I became your loving dame—how short the time appears!
Our feet since then on roses tread; no strife between us two;
Upon our heads, from year to year, new blessings fall like dew.
“Our little Rolph has grown a knight, sung in the minstrel's rhyme;
Our daughter Ermie is the bride of princely Ardenheim.
What current smooth of wedded bliss has flowed for you and me
Since first the stag your chariot drew here in the woodland free!”
Our daughter Ermie is the bride of princely Ardenheim.
What current smooth of wedded bliss has flowed for you and me
Since first the stag your chariot drew here in the woodland free!”
Count Rolph embraced his lovely dame, but not a word could speak;
He kissed her lips right tenderly, and tears fell on his cheek.
A shadow darkened o'er her heart, a thrilling terror then,
For there the golden chariot stood, and there the stag of ten.
He kissed her lips right tenderly, and tears fell on his cheek.
A shadow darkened o'er her heart, a thrilling terror then,
For there the golden chariot stood, and there the stag of ten.
He stopped not at her frantic cry, he stayed not at her prayer;
Into the chariot straight he leapt, then vanished into air.
The summer past, the winter came; succeeding o'er and o'er,
The seasons all returned again; the count came nevermore.
Into the chariot straight he leapt, then vanished into air.
165
The seasons all returned again; the count came nevermore.
The lady sought the castle straight, and summoned all her men
To search the woods, and scour the plains, and seek through nook and glen;
And all night long, and all next day, they sought and then came back;
No print of hoof on earth was seen; the chariot left no track.
To search the woods, and scour the plains, and seek through nook and glen;
And all night long, and all next day, they sought and then came back;
No print of hoof on earth was seen; the chariot left no track.
In came a messenger next day, and knelt, and faltering said:
“I bring sad news, most noble dame: the count, your son, is—dead.
The sharp lance of a stranger knight in tilt-yard pierced him through—
Heaven rest the soul of young Count Rolph! he was both brave and true!”
“I bring sad news, most noble dame: the count, your son, is—dead.
The sharp lance of a stranger knight in tilt-yard pierced him through—
Heaven rest the soul of young Count Rolph! he was both brave and true!”
In came another messenger, and knelt with mournful look;
The countess gazed upon him while her frame in anguish shook.
“No words it needs of thine,” she spake, “thy manner tells instead;
I know the Princess Ardenheim, thy master's wife, is dead.”
The countess gazed upon him while her frame in anguish shook.
“No words it needs of thine,” she spake, “thy manner tells instead;
I know the Princess Ardenheim, thy master's wife, is dead.”
That week the Countess Ermintrude in mould of churchyard lay,
And fire destroyed the castled pile upon the funeral day.
The Adler lands, the fief of Aarch, went to another line;
The brown bat flits, the grey owl sits, in ruined Adlerstein.
And fire destroyed the castled pile upon the funeral day.
The Adler lands, the fief of Aarch, went to another line;
The brown bat flits, the grey owl sits, in ruined Adlerstein.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |