 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
THE BALLAD OF BABETTE.
Babette, the peasant maiden,
The guileless, graceful child,
To gather nuts and berries,
Went to the copsewood wild.
The guileless, graceful child,
To gather nuts and berries,
Went to the copsewood wild.
And glancing in the fountain,
Beneath the shadows brown,
She saw her comely features
And russet-linsey gown.
Beneath the shadows brown,
She saw her comely features
And russet-linsey gown.
“Fine birds come from fine feathers,”
The little maiden said—
“Had I crown of rubies
To wear upon my head;
The little maiden said—
“Had I crown of rubies
To wear upon my head;
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“If this poor gown were silken,
And I among the girls
Had maidens four to serve me,
And a necklace made of pearls;
And I among the girls
Had maidens four to serve me,
And a necklace made of pearls;
“And I had silvern slippers
Upon these little feet,
A prince would come to woo me,
And call me fair and sweet.”
Upon these little feet,
A prince would come to woo me,
And call me fair and sweet.”
Then suddenly before her
A wounded dove was seen,
With drops of blood down falling
Upon the leaves of green.
A wounded dove was seen,
With drops of blood down falling
Upon the leaves of green.
It trembled when she touched it,
But had no power to fly;
And in her face looked upward
With scared and piteous eye.
But had no power to fly;
And in her face looked upward
With scared and piteous eye.
She washed the red drops gently,
That started from the wound,
And the weary bird lay quiet,
As though content it found.
That started from the wound,
And the weary bird lay quiet,
As though content it found.
Then when her hand was opened,
It made a plaintive coo,
And rising slowly upward,
Far in the distance flew.
It made a plaintive coo,
And rising slowly upward,
Far in the distance flew.
Then on the maiden wandered
Till, by a hazel there,
Escaped from cruel hunters,
She saw a panting hare.
Till, by a hazel there,
Escaped from cruel hunters,
She saw a panting hare.
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Her words of loving kindness
It did not seem to hear,
Till from her quivering eyelids
Dropped on it many a tear.
It did not seem to hear,
Till from her quivering eyelids
Dropped on it many a tear.
When lo! it rose and trembled,
Its eyes grew full of light,
And through the briers and hazels
It bounded out of sight.
Its eyes grew full of light,
And through the briers and hazels
It bounded out of sight.
And throbbed the maiden's bosom
With pleasing, painful start,
And happy thrills of gladness
Made music in her heart.
With pleasing, painful start,
And happy thrills of gladness
Made music in her heart.
When lo! on purple pinions,
A flock of doves there came;
The first one bore a ruby,
And each one had the same.
A flock of doves there came;
The first one bore a ruby,
And each one had the same.
And still came flying, flying,
The doves on pinions fleet;
And rubies there on rubies
They laid before her feet.
The doves on pinions fleet;
And rubies there on rubies
They laid before her feet.
And they made her a crown of rubies,
Of rubies bright and red,
And they made her a crown of rubies,
And placed it on her head.
Of rubies bright and red,
And they made her a crown of rubies,
And placed it on her head.
And next of hares, a hundred
Came from the north and south,
And each in coming carried
A great pearl in his mouth.
Came from the north and south,
And each in coming carried
A great pearl in his mouth.
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And still came running, running,
More hares, with motion fleet,
And pearls, in countless number,
They laid before her feet.
More hares, with motion fleet,
And pearls, in countless number,
They laid before her feet.
And they made her a lovely necklace
Of pearls without a speck,
And they made her a lovely necklace
And placed it on her neck.
Of pearls without a speck,
And they made her a lovely necklace
And placed it on her neck.
Was it the poor dove's life-blood
That now in rubies burned?
And from Babette's kind weeping
Had tears to pearls been turned?
That now in rubies burned?
And from Babette's kind weeping
Had tears to pearls been turned?
And then the doves flew over,
And cooed with voices sweet,
And a pair of silvern slippers
She found upon her feet.
And cooed with voices sweet,
And a pair of silvern slippers
She found upon her feet.
And then the hares ran round her,
And her skin grew white as milk,
And her gown of russet-linsey
Was changed to one of silk.
And her skin grew white as milk,
And her gown of russet-linsey
Was changed to one of silk.
And lo! there came four maidens
To wait on her, forsooth!
Simplicity, and Pity,
And Innocence, and Truth.
To wait on her, forsooth!
Simplicity, and Pity,
And Innocence, and Truth.
And the dove became a fairy,
And touched her with her wand;
And the hare became Prince Charming,
And he was young and fond.
And touched her with her wand;
And the hare became Prince Charming,
And he was young and fond.
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And a train of lords and ladies,
The little maiden met;
And the Prince, he walked beside her,
The downcast-eyed Babette.
The little maiden met;
And the Prince, he walked beside her,
The downcast-eyed Babette.
And never in the copsewood
Was the little maiden seen,
For she dwells all time in Elf-land,
As the good King Charming's queen.
Was the little maiden seen,
For she dwells all time in Elf-land,
As the good King Charming's queen.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |