Gods, Saints & Men By Eugene Lee-Hamilton ... With Ten Full-Page Illustartions Designed by Enrico Mazzanti |
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THE RIDE OF DON PEDRO. |
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THE RIDE OF DON PEDRO.
Don pedro was riding his horse at a walk,
Through the streets of an old Spanish city;
When, a little ahead, he perceived that there sped
A figure uncommonly pretty.
Through the streets of an old Spanish city;
When, a little ahead, he perceived that there sped
A figure uncommonly pretty.
The lady appeared in a hurry to be,
For she looked not behind her nor tarried;
Nor too short, nor too tall, while her ankle was small,
And her veil she bewitchingly carried.
For she looked not behind her nor tarried;
Nor too short, nor too tall, while her ankle was small,
And her veil she bewitchingly carried.
Now it chanced that, like many a brave cavalier,
For small ankles the Don had a weakness;
So he woke up his steed which was moving indeed
At a leisurely pace in its sleekness.
For small ankles the Don had a weakness;
So he woke up his steed which was moving indeed
At a leisurely pace in its sleekness.
But, though long was the stride of the beautiful bay,
He stepped not as fast as the lady,
With her sweet little feet she took street after street,
Through the gates to an alley all shady.
He stepped not as fast as the lady,
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Through the gates to an alley all shady.
Don Pedro then touched up his steed with his spur;
He trotted, but great was his wonder,
For fast though his trot he caught her up not:
Twelve yards ever kept them asunder!
He trotted, but great was his wonder,
For fast though his trot he caught her up not:
Twelve yards ever kept them asunder!
He cantered; he galloped; O prodigy strange,
In spite of the horse's endeavour,
And hard though he whipped, ahead she still tripped,
No nearer he got to her ever.
In spite of the horse's endeavour,
And hard though he whipped, ahead she still tripped,
No nearer he got to her ever.
No further, no nearer, she seemed than before,
Though the bounds of his horse were gigantic;
Over hill, over dale, with the speed of the gale,
He followed her ever more frantic.
Though the bounds of his horse were gigantic;
Over hill, over dale, with the speed of the gale,
He followed her ever more frantic.
Through cornfield and meadow, and forest and moor;
Over furrow, and heather, and shingle,
Over dale, over hill, she was luring him still,
When sunlight and starlight did mingle.
Over furrow, and heather, and shingle,
Over dale, over hill, she was luring him still,
When sunlight and starlight did mingle.
Past flew the villages, past flew the towns,
The cornfields no more did he ravage;
But through marshes he dashes where the water high splashes,
The country was lone and was savage.
The cornfields no more did he ravage;
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The country was lone and was savage.
“I'll reach her! I'll catch her!” he shouted with rage,
“Though I ride to the end of creation!”
As he tore through the loam, from his horse flew the foam,
And he spurred with a wild desperation.
“Though I ride to the end of creation!”
As he tore through the loam, from his horse flew the foam,
And he spurred with a wild desperation.
He thought he was gaining upon her at last;
“I've caught her, I've caught her!” he shouted;
And he goaded his horse with his uttermost force
Till the blood from his nostrils was spouted.
“I've caught her, I've caught her!” he shouted;
And he goaded his horse with his uttermost force
Till the blood from his nostrils was spouted.
“I hold her!” he shouted, as wildly he dashed
Through the waterless bed of a river;
But his horse sudden sank, on his spur-reddened flank,
And died with a groan and a quiver.
Through the waterless bed of a river;
But his horse sudden sank, on his spur-reddened flank,
And died with a groan and a quiver.
Then only, the lady stopped short and turned round;
And the form he had thought to admire,
So graceful of limb, stood terrific and grim,
A skeleton filled with fire.
And the form he had thought to admire,
So graceful of limb, stood terrific and grim,
A skeleton filled with fire.
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