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 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
THE HUNTER.
At noonday a hunter made wearisome way
Over rocks and through woodland, one bright summer day,
His face flushed and brown with the fierce-blazing sun,
No game in his pouch for his recompense won;
And there at the door of Giovanni's old mill
He sought for a draught from the swift-flowing rill.
Giovanni laughed loud at the civil request
For a cup, that was made by his dust-covered guest.
“A cup to get water in! Signor, not so;
The water belongs to my mill-wheel, you know;
But here is a cup of the rich, ruddy wine
That was pressed from the grapes in this vineyard of mine.
Sit down in the shade of the arbor with me,
And, taking our nooning like comrades so free,
Our glasses shall clink and our voices shall ring,
As we drink to the health of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
Over rocks and through woodland, one bright summer day,
His face flushed and brown with the fierce-blazing sun,
No game in his pouch for his recompense won;
And there at the door of Giovanni's old mill
He sought for a draught from the swift-flowing rill.
Giovanni laughed loud at the civil request
For a cup, that was made by his dust-covered guest.
“A cup to get water in! Signor, not so;
The water belongs to my mill-wheel, you know;
But here is a cup of the rich, ruddy wine
That was pressed from the grapes in this vineyard of mine.
Sit down in the shade of the arbor with me,
And, taking our nooning like comrades so free,
Our glasses shall clink and our voices shall ring,
As we drink to the health of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
186
The hunter his strap from his shoulder unslung,
Pouch and knife on the ground there before him he flung,
Leaned his gun on a stool ere the grape-juice he quaffed,
Bowed his thanks, and then drained the whole cup at a draught;
While Giovanni's sole daughter, a damsel of nine,
Who had brought to her father the pitcher of wine,
Said: “'Tis better to sit in the shade here, and drink,
Than to work and get naught in the sunlight, I think.”
At the wisdom she uttered the tired traveller smiled,
And drew to him gently the olive-skinned child.
“While you,” he said, “maiden, do nothing but play.”
“I do a great deal,” she replied, “every day.
I turn out the goats to the hills in the morn;
I chase off the sparrows that come for the corn;
I sweep and I knit, and quite often I sing
A ditty in praise of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
Pouch and knife on the ground there before him he flung,
Leaned his gun on a stool ere the grape-juice he quaffed,
Bowed his thanks, and then drained the whole cup at a draught;
While Giovanni's sole daughter, a damsel of nine,
Who had brought to her father the pitcher of wine,
Said: “'Tis better to sit in the shade here, and drink,
Than to work and get naught in the sunlight, I think.”
At the wisdom she uttered the tired traveller smiled,
And drew to him gently the olive-skinned child.
“While you,” he said, “maiden, do nothing but play.”
“I do a great deal,” she replied, “every day.
I turn out the goats to the hills in the morn;
I chase off the sparrows that come for the corn;
I sweep and I knit, and quite often I sing
A ditty in praise of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
Said the miller: “She's right; you had hard luck to-day;
No game in your pouch; that's all work, and no pay;
But I'll give you a chance. There's a wolf lurks around,
And no one his hiding-place dreamed of, or found,
Till this morning at dawn, as I looked from the mill,
I saw the rogue enter yon cave on the hill.
'Tis perilous rather to pierce to his den;
But you seem a bold-hearted fellow, and then,
Should you kill him, my thanks, and a scudo beside—”
“'Tis a bargain; I'll do it!” the hunter replied,
And, grasping his gun, he strode whistling away
In search of the wolf and that scudo of pay;
While Giovanni said, watching the man's sturdy walk:
“By my faith! that's a chap of more action than talk!
What a soldier he'd make! how his rifle would ring
In some fight for the land and the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel!”
No game in your pouch; that's all work, and no pay;
But I'll give you a chance. There's a wolf lurks around,
And no one his hiding-place dreamed of, or found,
Till this morning at dawn, as I looked from the mill,
I saw the rogue enter yon cave on the hill.
'Tis perilous rather to pierce to his den;
But you seem a bold-hearted fellow, and then,
Should you kill him, my thanks, and a scudo beside—”
“'Tis a bargain; I'll do it!” the hunter replied,
And, grasping his gun, he strode whistling away
In search of the wolf and that scudo of pay;
While Giovanni said, watching the man's sturdy walk:
“By my faith! that's a chap of more action than talk!
What a soldier he'd make! how his rifle would ring
In some fight for the land and the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel!”
187
There, watching the hunter, the mill-people stood,
And saw him pass vineyard, and cornfield, and wood,
And then in the mouth of the cave disappear,
And waited the sound of his firelock to hear.
“The wolf has escaped!” cried the miller; but, no!
There's a shot in the cave that sounds muffled and low.
He comes—what is that which the hunter has found?
He approaches, and throws a dark mass on the ground.
“You wanted the wolf? Well, I bring you his head!”
“And there is your scudo,” Giovanni he said.
“That rascal has carried off many a kid,
And till now he has managed to keep himself hid.
You'll be welcome, my friend, as the guest of the mill,
And as friend to the neighborhood, come when you will;
The service you've done through the country shall ring—
It may yet reach the ears of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
And saw him pass vineyard, and cornfield, and wood,
And then in the mouth of the cave disappear,
And waited the sound of his firelock to hear.
“The wolf has escaped!” cried the miller; but, no!
There's a shot in the cave that sounds muffled and low.
He comes—what is that which the hunter has found?
He approaches, and throws a dark mass on the ground.
“You wanted the wolf? Well, I bring you his head!”
“And there is your scudo,” Giovanni he said.
“That rascal has carried off many a kid,
And till now he has managed to keep himself hid.
You'll be welcome, my friend, as the guest of the mill,
And as friend to the neighborhood, come when you will;
The service you've done through the country shall ring—
It may yet reach the ears of the brave-man king,
Victor Emanuel.”
The hunter he looked at the scudo and laughed.
“I've earned it,” he said, “and beside that a draught
Of the wine that I drank but a little while since;
'Twas of very good vintage, and fit for a prince.
Here, miller, your health; many thanks for the sport,
To say naught of this scudo, your wages paid for't.
And, thanks for your wine; I'll return that you see,
If you come to the town, and drink Chianti with me.
Tie my hand, little maiden; his sharp teeth went through
Ere my knife did the work which my gun failed to do.
And bring you this little one—that do not miss;
I've some ribbons to spare in return for a kiss.”
“We'll come,” said the miller, “Bianca and I,
And to find you among all those people we'll try;
But I haven't your name, friend; we're strangers, you know;
So whom shall I ask for, and where shall I go,
When little Bianca to see you, I bring?”
“Go straight to the Palace, and ask for the king,
Victor Emanuel.”
“I've earned it,” he said, “and beside that a draught
Of the wine that I drank but a little while since;
'Twas of very good vintage, and fit for a prince.
Here, miller, your health; many thanks for the sport,
To say naught of this scudo, your wages paid for't.
And, thanks for your wine; I'll return that you see,
If you come to the town, and drink Chianti with me.
Tie my hand, little maiden; his sharp teeth went through
Ere my knife did the work which my gun failed to do.
And bring you this little one—that do not miss;
I've some ribbons to spare in return for a kiss.”
“We'll come,” said the miller, “Bianca and I,
And to find you among all those people we'll try;
But I haven't your name, friend; we're strangers, you know;
So whom shall I ask for, and where shall I go,
188
“Go straight to the Palace, and ask for the king,
Victor Emanuel.”
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |