 | Later Poems |  |
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The Ballad of Lady Ellen
THE ARGUMENT
There was a very mighty famine in the land, and the people's cry went up day by day, and many of them died. And the Lady Ellen, their Duke's daughter, sold her jewels and her rich robes, that the people might have wherewith to stay their hunger: for her father, the Ruler of the land, cared not a whit whether the folk lived or died, and would not hearken to the praying of his daughter on their behalf.
Then, when she had spent all that she had, the lady went forth into the city, in the disguise of one of mean estate: that with her own eyes she might see the plight of the people, and hear it with her own ears.
And lo! she learned how the emissaries of the Evil One were buying the souls of the folk, and how the folk were selling their souls that they might have bread for themselves and for their children.
Then the lady, knowing this dreadful thing, prayed once more to the Duke, her father, on the folk's behalf, and found his heart as hard as the nether millstone.
And so she sold her own soul to the Evil One for a mighty sum, and bought therewith food and seed-corn for the people.
So plenty drave out famine, and the emissaries of the Evil One were hounded forth, not as at that time to return.
And the soul of the Lady Ellen fared forth to hell, and lo! at the very heart of hell she found the Lord's heaven, and was laid to rest on the bosom of Mary.
“Say, what ails you, daughter mine?
The flowers are springing fair and fine;
The flowers are springing fair and fine;
“Never a cloud in the sky so blue;
And the whole big world is glad but you.
And the whole big world is glad but you.
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“Call your page, and bid him bring
Your fair white horse, the gift of the king;
Your fair white horse, the gift of the king;
“Light as a bird that flies the air,
He'll bear you away from your brooding care.”
He'll bear you away from your brooding care.”
“Nay, I prithee, father, nay;
I will not ride my horse to-day.”
I will not ride my horse to-day.”
“Summon hither your bower-lady
With the voice as sweet as voice can be;
With the voice as sweet as voice can be;
“And when she sings her goodly song,
Your trouble will not tarry long.”
Your trouble will not tarry long.”
“Nay, my sire, no song for me:
I will not hear the sounds of glee.
I will not hear the sounds of glee.
“Aye and ever I hear them cry,
My kith-folk in their misery.”
My kith-folk in their misery.”
“Daughter, you cannot see the poor,
They are banned and barred from your father's door.
They are banned and barred from your father's door.
“How should you know their wants and woes?”
“My soul hath eyes and I see with those.”
“My soul hath eyes and I see with those.”
“Daughter, to-night shall a feast be spread,
Where the king's son shall be banqueted;
Where the king's son shall be banqueted;
“High on the dais shall be your seat,
As for mine only heir is meet.
As for mine only heir is meet.
“Your maids must busk you royal fair,
With a golden circlet round your hair;
With a golden circlet round your hair;
“And a stately robe of cramoisie,
Set with the fine lace daintily.
Set with the fine lace daintily.
“Bid your ladies bring for you
The scented glove and the broidered shoe;
The scented glove and the broidered shoe;
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“Let fiery-hearted rubies deck
Your rosed-white ears and lilied neck.
Your rosed-white ears and lilied neck.
“And lest too bright your beauty shine,
Fling over all, fair daughter mine,
Fling over all, fair daughter mine,
“A wimple of golden tissue free,
A faery mist from head to knee.”
A faery mist from head to knee.”
“O father, what have I to do
With scented glove and broidered shoe?
With scented glove and broidered shoe?
“Lovely robe and precious gem,
What have I to do with them?
What have I to do with them?
“All I had I have sold to give
Wherewith to bid the people live.
Wherewith to bid the people live.
“How can I flaunt in rich array,
When the people sit in rags to-day?
When the people sit in rags to-day?
“How can I taste of dainty meat,
When the people have not what to eat?
When the people have not what to eat?
“Father, father, fair to own
Are the lands your father's fathers won;
Are the lands your father's fathers won;
And the castle girt with the broad deep moat,
Where a war-famed banner high doth float;
Where a war-famed banner high doth float;
“And goodly fair, indeed, to see
Are piles of the red and the white money.
Are piles of the red and the white money.
“But castle and lands and fee are naught
To the worth of the souls the Saviour bought.
To the worth of the souls the Saviour bought.
“The black-winged famine, day by day,
Swoops on their lives like a bird of prey,
Swoops on their lives like a bird of prey,
“And the people know they are but dead
For lack of needful flesh and bread.
For lack of needful flesh and bread.
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“Father, take of your golden store,
And give it to the starving poor.
And give it to the starving poor.
“I pray you in the dear Lord's name
To help the souls for whom He came.”
To help the souls for whom He came.”
He laughed a scornful laugh and long—
“I care not for the folk a song!
“I care not for the folk a song!
“And if you will not grace my board,
I care not, daughter, by the Lord!
I care not, daughter, by the Lord!
“The king's son shall be my heir,
Instead of you, my daughter fair.”
Instead of you, my daughter fair.”
Lady Ellen kneeled and steept
The hard floor with the tears she wept:
The hard floor with the tears she wept:
But harder than the marble stone
Is the human heart to hardness grown.
Is the human heart to hardness grown.
“Myself will go,” the lady said,
“And see how they die for lack of bread.
“And see how they die for lack of bread.
I who have lived at joyous ease,
Would to God I might die for these.”
Would to God I might die for these.”
Low she spake to her bower-lady,
Whose heart was gentle as heart can be;
Whose heart was gentle as heart can be;
And the two went out from the castle gate,
Dight like women of low estate.
Dight like women of low estate.
They went through the city side by side,
And saw themselves how the people died.
And saw themselves how the people died.
And they saw a thing more dread to see
Than curse of famine and drought could be:
Than curse of famine and drought could be:
And they heard a thing more dread to hear
Than toll of a death-bell on the ear.
Than toll of a death-bell on the ear.
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Oh, the dearth was raging stark and sore
From the eastern to the western shore;
From the eastern to the western shore;
And the Duke that owned the wide country
Never a moment's care gave he:
Never a moment's care gave he:
But the Prince of Hell was 'ware, and sent
His powers to bring him great content.
His powers to bring him great content.
They sit in a room of a hostel there,
Two swart men with raven hair.
Two swart men with raven hair.
Day by day, with keen hawk-eye,
They watch the people's misery.
They watch the people's misery.
Strange dark men who understand
Right well the language of the land.
Right well the language of the land.
Trippingly that language goes
Upon the lissom tongues of those.
Upon the lissom tongues of those.
Gold in heaps they are counting o'er,
And the hostess marvels at the store.
And the hostess marvels at the store.
“O fair sirs, the people cry
Day by day in their misery.
Day by day in their misery.
“O fair sirs, but hear their prayer;
Gold enow ye have, and to spare.”
Gold enow ye have, and to spare.”
“Nay, good hostess, bid them come
Each alone, to this our room.
Each alone, to this our room.
“All that will may have, be sure,
Gold enow their ills to cure.”
Gold enow their ills to cure.”
The poor come to the hostelry,
And enter where the strangers be;
And enter where the strangers be;
Enter a high room carven fair;
A room that was once a king's chamber.
A room that was once a king's chamber.
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One by one they leave the place,
With a dreadful change on every face.
With a dreadful change on every face.
For those were the devil's emissaries,
Who dealt in souls for merchandise.
Who dealt in souls for merchandise.
Little they gave for the worn and old,
But for the young they gave much gold.
But for the young they gave much gold.
And to all the folk that there did come
They said they would give a king's ransom
They said they would give a king's ransom
For a virgin soul of purity,
In a virgin body fair to see.
In a virgin body fair to see.
Oh, this was the thing the lady learned,
Before her footsteps home were turned.
Before her footsteps home were turned.
This was the thing more dread to see
Than curse of famine or drought could be.
Than curse of famine or drought could be.
This was the thing more dread to hear
Than toll of a death-bell on the ear.
Than toll of a death-bell on the ear.
Back from the city the lady came,
Pierced to the heart with sorrow and shame;
Pierced to the heart with sorrow and shame;
Back she came in her wordless woe,
That would not suffer a tear to flow.
That would not suffer a tear to flow.
She went, in sackcloth garmented;
With Lenten ashes upon her head,
With Lenten ashes upon her head,
And came to her father's princely seat,
And knelt in her anguish at his feet.
And knelt in her anguish at his feet.
“What mean you, maid, to put to shame
Your father's house and your father's name,
Your father's house and your father's name,
“That you come in sackcloth garmented,
With the dust of Lent upon your head?”
With the dust of Lent upon your head?”
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Tears of blood were the words she spoke,
“Father, father, save the folk!”
“Father, father, save the folk!”
He looked on her in his anger grim,
As low she bowed herself to him:
As low she bowed herself to him:
And spake at last in his bitter jest,
“To sell your own white soul were best!
“To sell your own white soul were best!
“Your lily-soul, bedewed with prayers,
Is worth a world of such as theirs!”
Is worth a world of such as theirs!”
All night long the lady prayed;
“Slay me, O God, for these,” she said.
“Slay me, O God, for these,” she said.
For the flame at the ruby's heart that burns
Is nought to the fire in the soul that yearns
Is nought to the fire in the soul that yearns
To save a soul in its jeopardy,
Or perish instead, if so may be.
Or perish instead, if so may be.
And when the sun was risen again,
She went alone to the evil men.
She went alone to the evil men.
“What will ye give me for a dole,
If I render you up my soul?”
If I render you up my soul?”
“Oh, we will give thee what thou wilt
For the goodliest soul that ever was spilt.”
For the goodliest soul that ever was spilt.”
They dealt her out the price she would,
And she signed her name to the bond in blood.
And she signed her name to the bond in blood.
She gave to the poor, and loud they swore
To deal with evil men no more.
To deal with evil men no more.
And then the lady sent a quest
To the cornlands of the far-off west;
To the cornlands of the far-off west;
For freighted ships of golden corn
Across the wide sea to be borne.
Across the wide sea to be borne.
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The corn was worth its weight in gold,
Which the western folk to the lady sold.
Which the western folk to the lady sold.
They said, when fourteen days were o'er,
The corn would come to the waiting shore.
The corn would come to the waiting shore.
Corn for bread, and corn for seed;
Corn enow for the people's need.
Corn enow for the people's need.
None should trade with the Evil One,
Till the fourteen days were past and gone,
Till the fourteen days were past and gone,
Because of the gold that free did come
By the Lady Ellen's martyrdom.
By the Lady Ellen's martyrdom.
The Lady Ellen looked afar
Out toward the land of the western star;
Out toward the land of the western star;
As she sat in her chamber day by day,
Her eyes on the wide sea far away.
Her eyes on the wide sea far away.
Until at last she saw them come,
The fair white ships of her love's ransom.
The fair white ships of her love's ransom.
Down she fell on her bended knee,
When the sails at last her eyes could see;
When the sails at last her eyes could see;
“Now when they will, they e'en may take
My soul that's lost for my people's sake.”
My soul that's lost for my people's sake.”
She bad that none should come to her;
And she drew the bolts of her high chamber;
And she drew the bolts of her high chamber;
And no one knew, save God alone,
What anguish and woe to her were known,
What anguish and woe to her were known,
Till her body no more could bear the stress
Of her soul's exceeding bitterness.
Of her soul's exceeding bitterness.
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But never she swerved from the path of love
To the heart of Hell and the fires thereof.
To the heart of Hell and the fires thereof.
Into the harbour the vessels rode,
Laden each with a costly load.
Laden each with a costly load.
And the black-winged famine flew away
For the food and the seed that came that day.
For the food and the seed that came that day.
They hounded forth the evil men,
Never to come to the land again.
Never to come to the land again.
And strength came back once more to the weak,
And the parched mouths for joy could speak.
And the parched mouths for joy could speak.
They went in throngs to praise and pray
At the place where Lady Ellen lay.
At the place where Lady Ellen lay.
But Lady Ellen, who loved them so,
Was gone from the sound of their weal or woe.
Was gone from the sound of their weal or woe.
They burst the bolts of her chamber-door,
And found her stark-dead on the floor.
And found her stark-dead on the floor.
The body that erst was fair to see
Was the writhen spoil of her agony:
Was the writhen spoil of her agony:
And dark on the face the woe was sealed
Of the death unhouselled, unannealed.
Of the death unhouselled, unannealed.
The soul so pure and charitable
Fared alone to the gates of hell,
Fared alone to the gates of hell,
Naked made of its body's dress;
Clad in its great love's loveliness.
Clad in its great love's loveliness.
Open the gates, and let her win
To the flame and the awe and the pain therein!
To the flame and the awe and the pain therein!
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Right to the heart of hell she fared,
All unharmed and all unscared.
All unharmed and all unscared.
She to whose unpolluted sight
The flame was glory, the darkness light.
The flame was glory, the darkness light.
Sounds of wailing to other ears—
To hers the music of all the spheres,
To hers the music of all the spheres,
That drew to the Empyrean bliss
Where the mystic Rose of the Blessed is,
Where the mystic Rose of the Blessed is,
Abloom by the lake reflected bright
From the very Uncreated Light.
From the very Uncreated Light.
Oh, far apart are east and west,
And far apart are toil and rest,
And far apart are toil and rest,
And far apart are morn and even,
And far apart are hell and heaven;
And far apart are hell and heaven;
And of heaven above or hell below
Where is the man who thinks to know?
Where is the man who thinks to know?
Yet the soul that Love makes strong to dare
The heart of hell, finds heaven is there.
The heart of hell, finds heaven is there.
Oh, a new light dawned in Mary's eyes,
When the soul came into Paradise;
When the soul came into Paradise;
For on her the Lord had laid behest
To bring that soul to the sweetest rest.
To bring that soul to the sweetest rest.
Up she rose from her high queen-seat,
With the sheen of the blessed on her feet;
With the sheen of the blessed on her feet;
Drew to the soul that entered there,
And laid it upon her bosom fair:
And laid it upon her bosom fair:
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Even the soul where God did see
The very self of Charity.
The very self of Charity.
“Christ the Lord hath brought to His bliss
“Thee, whose love was a love like His:
“Thee, whose love was a love like His:
“Darling of Jesus, lie to-day
“Here in the bosom where Jesus lay.”
“Here in the bosom where Jesus lay.”
—This ballad was suggested by a story included through a mistake in Mr. W. B. Yeats's collection of Fairy and Folk-tales of the Irish peasantry. This story of “Countess Kathleen O'Shea,” which Mr. Yeats has dramatised, and Mrs. Hinkson (Katherine Tynan), has made the foundation of a poem, neither of which works I have seen, is, I am informed, certainly no Irish legend. It was translated, or adopted, from the French by Mr. John Augustus O'Shea, and published in an Anglo-Irish newspaper, whence, in all good faith, Mr. Yeats reprinted it in his Irish Folk-tale book. I have made very considerable alterations and additions, as anyone who knows the version in Mr. Yeats's book will easily see at once.
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