Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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Silver-Shoe.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
183
Silver-Shoe.
MOLTON STEEPLE RACES,—1858.
The sky was dimpled blue and white,
The west was leaden grey,
Till in the east rose a fire of red,
That burnt all the fog away.
The west was leaden grey,
Till in the east rose a fire of red,
That burnt all the fog away.
The thorn-bush seemed new dipped in blood,
The firs were hung with cones,
The oaks were golden green with moss,
The birch wore its silver zones.
The firs were hung with cones,
The oaks were golden green with moss,
The birch wore its silver zones.
The deer with skins of a velvet pile
Were feeding under the boughs
Of the oaks, that stretched their guarding arms
Around the manor-house.
Were feeding under the boughs
Of the oaks, that stretched their guarding arms
Around the manor-house.
'T was “Oh!” for the glossy chestnut mare,
And “Hurrah!” for the fiery roan,
But the caps went up like a cloud in the air
For Silver-shoe alone.
And “Hurrah!” for the fiery roan,
But the caps went up like a cloud in the air
For Silver-shoe alone.
184
We left the stable, where the door
Was mailed with winners' shoes,
And we trampled out to the crop-eared down
By laughing ones and twos.
Was mailed with winners' shoes,
And we trampled out to the crop-eared down
By laughing ones and twos.
The diamond-seed of sprinkling dew
From the firs was shaking down,
As we cantered out by the dark thorned trees,
And over the green hill crown.
From the firs was shaking down,
As we cantered out by the dark thorned trees,
And over the green hill crown.
The chestnut mare was dancing mad,
The roan gave a snorting shout,
But you never heard a rolling cheer
Till Silver-shoe came out.
The roan gave a snorting shout,
But you never heard a rolling cheer
Till Silver-shoe came out.
The starter waved his scarlet flag,
And then we stole along,
Past the line of rails and the nodding heads,
And past the thicker throng.
And then we stole along,
Past the line of rails and the nodding heads,
And past the thicker throng.
Gathering up, we trod, we trod,
Till like a boat well rowed,
Together went our hoofs thrown out,
So evenly we strode.
Till like a boat well rowed,
Together went our hoofs thrown out,
So evenly we strode.
And now we skirt the crescent down,
Past the crimson-spotted thorns,
And away we go with a toss of hats
And a driving blast of horns.
Past the crimson-spotted thorns,
And away we go with a toss of hats
And a driving blast of horns.
Pad, pad together went our hoofs,
Ting, ting the rings and chains,
Chat, chat, chatter over the stones,
And splash through the red clay lanes.
Ting, ting the rings and chains,
Chat, chat, chatter over the stones,
And splash through the red clay lanes.
A white froth rose on our horses' mouths,
A lather on their hides,
And soon blood-drops from the rowel pricks
Oozed red from dripping sides.
A lather on their hides,
And soon blood-drops from the rowel pricks
Oozed red from dripping sides.
There was a black mare, Yorkshire bred,
And the strong-built Irish grey,
But Silver-shoe was the only one
To show them all the way.
And the strong-built Irish grey,
But Silver-shoe was the only one
To show them all the way.
Strong and wide was his massy chest,
And bright his deep brown eye;
He could do anything but walk,
And everything but fly.
And bright his deep brown eye;
He could do anything but walk,
And everything but fly.
I knew the music of his feet
Over the hollow down:
He was the chosen of the ten,
And the pet of Salisbury town.
Over the hollow down:
He was the chosen of the ten,
And the pet of Salisbury town.
Over we went, like skimming birds,
Clean over the wattled fence,
And crash through the bristling purple hedge,
With its thorny mailed defence.
Clean over the wattled fence,
And crash through the bristling purple hedge,
With its thorny mailed defence.
The chestnut fell at the water leap,
With its shining fourteen feet;
At the double rail the roan broke down,
But the black mare was not beat.
With its shining fourteen feet;
At the double rail the roan broke down,
But the black mare was not beat.
Together went our double shoes,
Together went our stride,
Till I saw the blood in a crimson thread
Run down Black Bessy's side.
Together went our stride,
Till I saw the blood in a crimson thread
Run down Black Bessy's side.
I pushed him at the brook and hedge,
And never touched a twig,
But I shuddered to see a stiff strong fence
That rose up bold and big.
And never touched a twig,
But I shuddered to see a stiff strong fence
That rose up bold and big.
Now ghastly rose the rasping fence,
Broad yawned the ditch below:
I gave him head, and gave him spur,
And let my wild blood go.
Broad yawned the ditch below:
I gave him head, and gave him spur,
And let my wild blood go.
The black was down, and I was clear,
Though staggering and blown:
As I rode in trusty Silver-shoe
His saddle seemed a throne.
Though staggering and blown:
As I rode in trusty Silver-shoe
His saddle seemed a throne.
The sky was spinning like a wheel,
The trees were waltzing too,
As off I leaped, and clapped the flank
Of the winner—Silver-shoe.
The trees were waltzing too,
As off I leaped, and clapped the flank
Of the winner—Silver-shoe.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |