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THE FOREST LORD.
A Minstrel's Tale for a Christmas Night.
Now listen, all ye children dear,
To the tale that I shall tell,
A gentle tale of wondrous things
That once in France befell.
To the tale that I shall tell,
A gentle tale of wondrous things
That once in France befell.
PART I. THE BROTHER AND SISTER.
The brother to the sister spake:
“There are none who for us care,
Let us go out into the world,
And seek our fortunes there.
“There are none who for us care,
Let us go out into the world,
And seek our fortunes there.
“The world is large, I've heard them say,
And wide as it can be;
There must be room, my sister dear,
In it for thee and me.”
And wide as it can be;
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In it for thee and me.”
The sister to the brother spake:
“Oh! brother dear,” she cried,
“We ne'er have known a happy day
Since our sweet mother died.
“Oh! brother dear,” she cried,
“We ne'er have known a happy day
Since our sweet mother died.
“Our father lies within the wood,
Beneath the elmen five:—
'T was a noble life we led i' th' wood
When our father was alive.
Beneath the elmen five:—
'T was a noble life we led i' th' wood
When our father was alive.
“Our mother lies beneath the sod,
All under the white-rose tree;
And in all the world there's never a one
To care for thee and me.”
All under the white-rose tree;
And in all the world there's never a one
To care for thee and me.”
Now they have neither house nor land,
Nor gold nor silver fair;
And none will give a single groat
Unto the lonely pair.
Nor gold nor silver fair;
And none will give a single groat
Unto the lonely pair.
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Said one: “Your father lived i' th' wood,
He was a hunter wild;
He shot the deer the while I delved;
I shall not feed his child.”
He was a hunter wild;
He shot the deer the while I delved;
I shall not feed his child.”
Said one: “Your mother pinned her hair
All with a golden pin;
I wore a curch of linen cloth;
You nought from me shall win.”
All with a golden pin;
I wore a curch of linen cloth;
You nought from me shall win.”
All angry grew the brother's soul,
But never a word he said;
He took his sister by the hand,
And to the wood they sped.
But never a word he said;
He took his sister by the hand,
And to the wood they sped.
And many and many a day they went
Throughout the lonesome wood;
And there were none to pity them,
Or give them counsel good.
Throughout the lonesome wood;
And there were none to pity them,
Or give them counsel good.
There was no house that sheltered them,
No kindly hand that fed;
They ate the forest berries crude,
Green mosses were their bed.
No kindly hand that fed;
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Green mosses were their bed.
And weary, weary grew they both,
As hand in hand they went;
Yet neither to the other told
How they were travel-spent.
As hand in hand they went;
Yet neither to the other told
How they were travel-spent.
At length they saw a noble hart
Fly past them like the wind,
Nor were aware that hunters strong
Were riding up behind.
Fly past them like the wind,
Nor were aware that hunters strong
Were riding up behind.
Said the brother, with a merry laugh,
“I'll kill that noble deer,
And make a fire, as we were wont,
And dress the venison here.”
“I'll kill that noble deer,
And make a fire, as we were wont,
And dress the venison here.”
With that he slung a forest stone,
Like a shaft sent from a bow;
The flying deer he made a bound,
Then on the turf lay low.
Like a shaft sent from a bow;
The flying deer he made a bound,
Then on the turf lay low.
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With that uprose a furious cry
From the hunters fierce and brown;
And each man from his panting steed
Leapt in a moment down.
From the hunters fierce and brown;
And each man from his panting steed
Leapt in a moment down.
They seized the brother by the arm,
The sister pale with fear,
And swore that he should die that day
For killing of the deer.
The sister pale with fear,
And swore that he should die that day
For killing of the deer.
Then with their heavy bows of steel
The noble boy they beat,
And spurned the sister as she knelt
To pray for mercy sweet.
The noble boy they beat,
And spurned the sister as she knelt
To pray for mercy sweet.
And up they took the bleeding deer
From the greensward where it lay,
Then, springing to their pawing steeds,
They galloped thence away.
From the greensward where it lay,
Then, springing to their pawing steeds,
They galloped thence away.
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PART II. THE HALL OF THE ELMEN TREES.
Upon a little bed of moss
The brother pale is sleeping;
And o'er him bends his sister dear,
But she has done with weeping.
The brother pale is sleeping;
And o'er him bends his sister dear,
But she has done with weeping.
“He will not die,” she whispers low;
“He looks not like our mother,
Nor like our father when he died:
I shall not lose my brother.”
“He looks not like our mother,
Nor like our father when he died:
I shall not lose my brother.”
And then from off the bushes green,
Within the forest woody,
She gathered berries many a one,
All juicy, ripe, and ruddy,
Within the forest woody,
She gathered berries many a one,
All juicy, ripe, and ruddy,
And honey from the wild-bees' nest,
She knew he loved it dearest,
And roots that had a healing power,
And water of the clearest.
She knew he loved it dearest,
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And water of the clearest.
She twined the leafy branches round,
A greenwood chamber making;
Then sate she down among the moss
To wait for his awaking.
A greenwood chamber making;
Then sate she down among the moss
To wait for his awaking.
All day he slept; but with the eve
He woke and laughed outright,
His cruel pains had left him then,
And he was healëd quite.
He woke and laughed outright,
His cruel pains had left him then,
And he was healëd quite.
“Now,” said the little sister dear,
“About this spot we'll bide;
The savage hunters come not here
A-riding in their pride.”
“About this spot we'll bide;
The savage hunters come not here
A-riding in their pride.”
Her brother turned him round about,
And, “Sister dear,” he said,
“I'll make those savage hunters yet
To stand of me in dread.”
And, “Sister dear,” he said,
“I'll make those savage hunters yet
To stand of me in dread.”
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He took his sister by the hand,
And on by wood and wave
They went unto the elmen five,
That grew above the grave;
And on by wood and wave
They went unto the elmen five,
That grew above the grave;
They went unto the white-rose tree
That blossomed all the year,
Then spoke the brother stern and strong
Unto the sister dear.
That blossomed all the year,
Then spoke the brother stern and strong
Unto the sister dear.
“Five wands from off the elmen trees,”
And he cut them as he spake,
“Five wands from off the elmen trees
My forest home shall make.
And he cut them as he spake,
“Five wands from off the elmen trees
My forest home shall make.
“And a rose from off the white-rose tree,”
And he plucked, the while, a flower,
“One rose from off the white-rose tree
Shall make for thee a bower.
And he plucked, the while, a flower,
“One rose from off the white-rose tree
Shall make for thee a bower.
“The duke is lord in Burgundy,
The king o'er France doth reign;
But I'll be lord of the forest wide,
And lead a gallant train.”
The king o'er France doth reign;
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And lead a gallant train.”
Then he took his sister by the hand,
And back again did go
Unto the quiet place that lay
Within the forest low.
And back again did go
Unto the quiet place that lay
Within the forest low.
And the five wands of the elmen trees
He stuck into the ground,
And the leaves from off the white rose
He scattered all around;
He stuck into the ground,
And the leaves from off the white rose
He scattered all around;
And aye they grew, and grew the more,
And a wonder 'twas to see
The five dry wands of elmen wood
Each shoot into a tree.
And a wonder 'twas to see
The five dry wands of elmen wood
Each shoot into a tree.
And every leaf of that white rose
It sprang into a flower,
And the flowers all into trees did grow,
And made a lady's bower.
It sprang into a flower,
And the flowers all into trees did grow,
And made a lady's bower.
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And the five tops of the elmen trees
He tied into a dome;
“And this,” the noble brother spake,
“Shall be our forest home.”
He tied into a dome;
“And this,” the noble brother spake,
“Shall be our forest home.”
PART III. THE FOREST LORD.
“Now who is he that rules this land?”
A holy hermit cried;
“Who is the lord of this greenwood,
Where I would fain abide?”
A holy hermit cried;
“Who is the lord of this greenwood,
Where I would fain abide?”
“'Tis a noble youth,” the people said,
“Who now doth rule the wood;
Thou mayst scoop thy cell, and bless thy well,
For he will do thee good.”
“Who now doth rule the wood;
Thou mayst scoop thy cell, and bless thy well,
For he will do thee good.”
“Now who is he that rules this land?”
A peasant-man did cry,
“For our liege lord is stern and bad,
And hither I would fly.”
A peasant-man did cry,
“For our liege lord is stern and bad,
And hither I would fly.”
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“'Tis a noble youth,” the people spake;
“Thou need'st not be afraid;
For all oppressed and injured men
Fly unto him for aid.
“Thou need'st not be afraid;
For all oppressed and injured men
Fly unto him for aid.
“He hath a band of merry men,
Who under the branches fare;
'Tis a pleasant life that he and his men
Lead in the forest there.”
Who under the branches fare;
'Tis a pleasant life that he and his men
Lead in the forest there.”
“Now, where is one shall do me right?”
A widow pale, she cried;
“Oh, where is one to take my part
Against a man of pride?”
A widow pale, she cried;
“Oh, where is one to take my part
Against a man of pride?”
“Come down with us to the forest green,
Where the elmen tops are twined;
Come down with us,” the people cried,
“A champion true to find.”
Where the elmen tops are twined;
Come down with us,” the people cried,
“A champion true to find.”
The forest wilderness was cleared,
Was drained the forest fen,
And 'twas joy to see a hamlet rise
Where no man dwelt till then;
Was drained the forest fen,
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Where no man dwelt till then;
To see the women at their doors
Sit spinning in the sun,
And the brawny peasants wrestling
When daily work was done.
Sit spinning in the sun,
And the brawny peasants wrestling
When daily work was done.
'Twas joy to hear the hermit's hymn
Come from his mossy cell,
To see the fearless traveller
Drink at the wayside well.
Come from his mossy cell,
To see the fearless traveller
Drink at the wayside well.
'Twas joy to hear the happy voice
Of children at their play,
Or the quiet low of peaceful herds
That in the forest stray.
Of children at their play,
Or the quiet low of peaceful herds
That in the forest stray.
But a greater joy it was to see
The sister's heavenly grace,
Who like an angel cast the light
Of love around the place.
The sister's heavenly grace,
Who like an angel cast the light
Of love around the place.
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But the greatest joy of all it was,
The noble youth to view,
Who was so just, and wise, and brave,
So steadfast and so true.
The noble youth to view,
Who was so just, and wise, and brave,
So steadfast and so true.
The savage hunters feared him sore,
Who were so fierce afore;
For sternly thus he made decree,
“These men shall hunt no more.”
Who were so fierce afore;
For sternly thus he made decree,
“These men shall hunt no more.”
“Now go ye down, my fellows brave,
And out these hunters seek;
For I will not that the strong and bad
Shall lord it o'er the weak.”
And out these hunters seek;
For I will not that the strong and bad
Shall lord it o'er the weak.”
They took those hunters in their den,
Those cruel men of blood;
And trembling, pale, and terrified,
Before the boy they stood.
Those cruel men of blood;
And trembling, pale, and terrified,
Before the boy they stood.
“We did not know, indeed,” said they,
“That thou wouldst be a king;
We did not know, or else, be sure,
We had not done this thing.”
“That thou wouldst be a king;
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We had not done this thing.”
The youth's stern brow grew darkly red:
“Now shame upon you fall!”
Said he; “for that ye would misuse
The feeble and the small.
“Now shame upon you fall!”
Said he; “for that ye would misuse
The feeble and the small.
“Ye shall be men of power no more,
Since power ye have abused;
Ye shall be poor, and subject to
The weak whom you misused.”
Since power ye have abused;
Ye shall be poor, and subject to
The weak whom you misused.”
He made them plough the forest brown;
The wood he made them fell;
And for the feeble and the poor
Fetch water from the well.
The wood he made them fell;
And for the feeble and the poor
Fetch water from the well.
The duke was lord of Burgundy;
The king o'er France did reign;
But the forest lord was called by all—
A second Charlemagne.
The king o'er France did reign;
But the forest lord was called by all—
A second Charlemagne.
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