 | The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay |  |
221
THE MILLER OF THE DEE.
I
There dwelt a miller hale and bold,Beside the river Dee;
He work'd and sang from morn to night,
No lark more blithe than he;
And this the burden of his song
For ever used to be,—
“I envy nobody: no, not I,
“And nobody envies me!”
II
“Thou'rt wrong, my friend!” said old King Hal,“Thou'rt wrong as wrong can be;
“For could my heart be light as thine,
“I'd gladly change with thee.
“And tell me now what makes thee sing
“With voice so loud and free,
“While I am sad, though I'm the King,
“Beside the river Dee?”
III
The miller smiled and doff'd his cap:“I earn my bread,” quoth he;
“I love my wife, I love my friend,
“I love my children three;
“I owe no penny I cannot pay;—
“I thank the river Dee,
“That turns the mill that grinds the corn,
“To feed my babes and me.”
222
IV
“Good friend!” said Hal, and sigh'd the while“Farewell! and happy be;
“But say no more, if thou'dst be true,
“That no one envies thee.
“Thy mealy cap is worth my crown,—
“Thy mill my kingdom's fee!
“Such men as thou are England's boast,
“O miller of the Dee!”
| The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay | |