Ballads of Irish chivalry :: :: University of Virginia Library

One glorious Easter even,
Under the mountain tree,
A young knight sat bereaven,
A-gazing up and down.
And wearily and drearily
Along the plains looked he,
And up the summits brown.

158

II

The birds were singing sweetly
From the wild quicken grove,
The dun deer gambolled fleetly
Beside the upland rills;
While wearily and drearily
He thought upon his love—
Young Bride of the castled hills.

III

His wolf-hound, by him lying,
Looked up into his face,
As though he read the flying
Thoughts of his master's brain.
How wearily and drearily
Through the brain's little space,
Speeds thought's black train!

IV

“Around my love's hoar dwelling”—
'Twas thus Sir Brian said—
“The Norman host is swelling,
And I a banished man.
O, wearily and drearily
My mournful days have sped
Under my foemen's ban.”

V

Just then a white fawn darted
Out from the quicken screen,
And up the wolf-hound started,
And after her away;
And suddenly, all suddenly,
Under the copses green
Soon vanished they.

159

VI

Beside a cave's hoar portal
The wolf-hound lost his chase.
Could that white fawn be mortal,
His keen eyes thus to blind?
Yet eagerly, full eagerly,
He still pursued the trace
Through the cave like the wind.

VII

Now came the sunset gleaming
O'er haunted crag and dell;
The young knight stays his dreaming,
And looks once more around,
Till eagerly, full eagerly,
Across the silent fell,
Cometh his brave wolf-hound:—

VIII

In his mouth a helmet golden
He'd found in th' ancient cave,
With a scroll decayed and olden
Fastened beside the crest:—
“Who'll bear me, who'll wear me,
Shall have an army brave
To do at his behest.”

IX

Sir Brian placed the helmet
His plumèd cap instead,
And scarce had cried, “Now, well met,
My 'fenceless head and thou!”
When suddenly, all suddenly,
He heard an army's tread
Over the mountain's brow!

160

X

And quickly filed before him
A thousand mounted men:
High in the twilight o'er him
Their gilded banners sail,
And gallantly, right gallantly,
They rode in that wild glen,
All in their glittering mail.

XI

One led unto Sir Brian
A mighty milk-white steed,
And he has mounted high on
The antique saddle-tree;
And eagerly, right eagerly,
All cried:—“In thy great need,
We now will follow thee!”

XII

Away Sir Brian dashes
With those weird warriors all;
The craggy roadway flashes
Beneath their horse-hoofs' bound,
Till rushingly, still rushingly,
They speed nigh his true-love's wall,
By the Normans leaguered round.

XIII

Behind Sir Brian kept they,
Their proud plumes dancing high;
With brave Sir Brian swept they
Upon the Norman crew;
And fearfully, O, fearfully
Rose their ancient battle-cry,
Till all they took or slew!

161

XIV

His love came forth to meet him
Beneath the midnight stars,
His many friends to greet him
And those weird warriors all:
And joyfully, full joyfully,
All crossed the fortress bars,
And feasted in the hall.

XV

Till morn's white planet lit them,
Those champions could not wait;
The milk-white charger with them
Towards the lone hills they bore;
And gallantly, right gallantly,
They rode from the castle gate,
And ne'er were looked on more!

XVI

Long in that ancient castle,
Beneath grey Cummeragh's head,
Bright over feast and wassail
That golden helmet shone;
And joyfully, O joyfully,
These lovers twain were wed
Ere the next morn was gone.