University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Orval, or The Fool of Time

And Other Imitations and Paraphrases. By Robert Lytton

collapse section 
  
collapse section 
collapse section 
 I. 
 2. 
collapse sectionIII. 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IV. 
 5. 
collapse section 
collapse section 
  
collapse section 
  
collapse section 
  
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
III.TITTLE-TATTLE.
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
 XXII. 
 XXIII. 
 XXIV. 
 XXV. 
 XXVI. 
 XXVII. 
 XXVIII. 
 XXIX. 

III.TITTLE-TATTLE.

Two lovers kist in the meadow green,
They thought there was none to espy:
But the meadow green told what it had seen
To the white flock wandering by.
The white flock told it the shepherd:
The shepherd the traveller from far:
The traveller told it the mariner,
Watching the pilot star:
The mariner told it his little bark:
The little bark told it the sea:
The sea told it the river,
Flowing down by the lea:
The river told it the maiden's mother,
And so to the maid it came back:
The maiden, as soon as she heard it,
Curst them all for a tell-tale pack:
“Meadow, be barren for ever,
Grass, grow not henceforth from the mould of thee!
Flock, be devour'd by the wolf!
Shepherd, the Turk seize hold of thee!
Traveller, rot of the fever!
Mariner, drown in the gulf!
Bark, may the whirlwind perplex thee,

395

And break thee against the shore!
Sea, may the moon ever vex thee!
River, be dry evermore!”