 | Sonnets in Switzerland and Italy |  |
134
THE GOLDEN STAR OF THUN
Brave little town! the rushing stream that makes
Its murmur round thine island-homes, from far
Brings echo of the elements of war,
Crashing of avalanche, roar of ice that breaks
Beneath the arrows of the sun, who shakes
Whole mountains into nothing; but thy star
That shines on castle-steep and rolling Aar,
From red-hot streams of blood its glory takes.
Its murmur round thine island-homes, from far
Brings echo of the elements of war,
Crashing of avalanche, roar of ice that breaks
Beneath the arrows of the sun, who shakes
Whole mountains into nothing; but thy star
That shines on castle-steep and rolling Aar,
From red-hot streams of blood its glory takes.
And still in memory of the days when Thun
Broke the Burgundian host and made it reel,
Upon thy plains we hear the echoing gun,
We watch the squadrons march, the horses wheel,
And see each week thy lads together run
To hurl the horn-winged bolt from bows of steel.
Broke the Burgundian host and made it reel,
Upon thy plains we hear the echoing gun,
We watch the squadrons march, the horses wheel,
And see each week thy lads together run
To hurl the horn-winged bolt from bows of steel.
The Golden Star of Thun was won as follows:—In the battle of Morat, 1476, the post of honour against the Burgundian nobles and Charles the Bold was held by the townsmen of Thun. In consequence of their valour on that occasion Berne offered the town ten years' exemption from taxes, or the privilege of changing their black star into gold on their banner and civic armorial bearings. They chose the latter.
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