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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The Lady Witch.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
57
The Lady Witch.
The lady witch foreknew her doom,
The fatal hour was slowly looming,
The sky grew coffin-black, the tomb
Was gaping for her: she must die.
The term the devil's bond laid down,
Had run: good angels on her frown.
The fatal hour was slowly looming,
The sky grew coffin-black, the tomb
Was gaping for her: she must die.
The term the devil's bond laid down,
Had run: good angels on her frown.
She went to bid her magic world
A long good bye. The forest flowers
No more for her on dewy showers
Must nightly feed. The clouds were furled
That floated o'er her as she walked:
She went to let her subjects free,
Enslaved for that long century.
A long good bye. The forest flowers
No more for her on dewy showers
Must nightly feed. The clouds were furled
That floated o'er her as she walked:
She went to let her subjects free,
Enslaved for that long century.
The sunlight, striking through a cloud
That lit the rosy balmy air,
Shed on her blanchéd cheek, once fair,
False hues that seemed to make her proud,
As from the wood that lady came,
And laughed to see the fountain gay
Shower pearls in wantonness away.
That lit the rosy balmy air,
Shed on her blanchéd cheek, once fair,
False hues that seemed to make her proud,
As from the wood that lady came,
And laughed to see the fountain gay
Shower pearls in wantonness away.
She spoke a word that could eclipse
The moon at midnight, stay the bird
In the mid-sky, yea! chill the lips
Of the hot devil. It was heard
By the cold figure of the fountain god:
He dropped his carvéd marble horn,
And trembled as she laughed in scorn;
The moon at midnight, stay the bird
In the mid-sky, yea! chill the lips
Of the hot devil. It was heard
By the cold figure of the fountain god:
He dropped his carvéd marble horn,
And trembled as she laughed in scorn;
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He trembled, and his fountain's stream
Shook as if driven by the wind,
As fierce against the elm-trees' rind,
The water, with a banner's gleam,
Flew silvering out, and then sank back:
Now, when she turned towards the south,
Broke murmurs from his marble mouth.
Shook as if driven by the wind,
As fierce against the elm-trees' rind,
The water, with a banner's gleam,
Flew silvering out, and then sank back:
Now, when she turned towards the south,
Broke murmurs from his marble mouth.
She touched the rough oak: lo! it shook
Up to its topmost leaf and spray;
All its rude branches bent one way,
Casting snake shadows in the brook—
Dark winding shapes that writhed about:
The very roots beneath the ground
Were shuddering at that magic sound.
Up to its topmost leaf and spray;
All its rude branches bent one way,
Casting snake shadows in the brook—
Dark winding shapes that writhed about:
The very roots beneath the ground
Were shuddering at that magic sound.
She struck the water with her hand,
And pale drowned faces crowded up,
Like bubbles in a brimming cup:
The dead were all at her command:
The ripples ceased, the brook stood still.
She passed—the shadows in her train,
And all was life and joy again.
And pale drowned faces crowded up,
Like bubbles in a brimming cup:
The dead were all at her command:
The ripples ceased, the brook stood still.
She passed—the shadows in her train,
And all was life and joy again.
She came to fields of golden flowers,
Which waved as when the breezy south
Kisses the young Spring's rosy mouth,
Drying the fretful April showers;
Through the tall grass a murmur ran.
She passed; again the sun broke forth,
From east to west, from south to north.
Which waved as when the breezy south
Kisses the young Spring's rosy mouth,
Drying the fretful April showers;
Through the tall grass a murmur ran.
She passed; again the sun broke forth,
From east to west, from south to north.
The birds came headlong at her call,
And sang into her little ear
The angels' secrets. Without fear
The robin, from the beech-tree tall,
Led her confiding to his nest.
Among the sapphire eggs with care
She looked—no magic stone was there.
And sang into her little ear
The angels' secrets. Without fear
The robin, from the beech-tree tall,
Led her confiding to his nest.
Among the sapphire eggs with care
She looked—no magic stone was there.
Where'er she went the shadows came,
Gathering behind her in a train
Sad and funereal, as when rain
Darkens the sun. She spoke a name.
That made them follow—none refused—
Formless and dark: they are the shapes
That mock at man—our sorrows' apes.
Gathering behind her in a train
Sad and funereal, as when rain
Darkens the sun. She spoke a name.
That made them follow—none refused—
Formless and dark: they are the shapes
That mock at man—our sorrows' apes.
From underneath their mushroom tent
The vassal fairies, half afraid,
Creeped out, and at her feet they laid
Rough acorn-bowls of pure dew, sent
From cellars of King Oberon,
And showed her in the half-shut flowers
The black bees cringing from the showers.
The vassal fairies, half afraid,
Creeped out, and at her feet they laid
Rough acorn-bowls of pure dew, sent
From cellars of King Oberon,
And showed her in the half-shut flowers
The black bees cringing from the showers.
She sang—the air grew dark with wings,
And musical with choral throngs,
The thrushes whistled endless songs,
The blue air with their gladness rings.
The very fledgelings on the bough
Chirped, every one, as best they could;
Joy filled the dark heart of the wood.
And musical with choral throngs,
The thrushes whistled endless songs,
The blue air with their gladness rings.
The very fledgelings on the bough
Chirped, every one, as best they could;
Joy filled the dark heart of the wood.
She called—and all the Summer air
Grew iris with the coloured mail
Of beetles, glittering horn and tail.
All jewels had their rivals there:
Gold moved about the forest ground,
With glittering emerald and pearl,
And diamond wings that fold and furl.
Grew iris with the coloured mail
Of beetles, glittering horn and tail.
All jewels had their rivals there:
Gold moved about the forest ground,
With glittering emerald and pearl,
And diamond wings that fold and furl.
She raised her hand—and from above
The amber cloud dissolved in rain,
Then, leaping round her, like a train
Of dancing spirits mad with love,
Sprang the globed diamond-glistening drops.
Down fell the dew that gemmed the larch,
Bright o'er her rose the rainbow-arch.
The amber cloud dissolved in rain,
Then, leaping round her, like a train
Of dancing spirits mad with love,
Sprang the globed diamond-glistening drops.
Down fell the dew that gemmed the larch,
Bright o'er her rose the rainbow-arch.
She called—and from the cloven ground
Three fountains leaped up arrow swift;
As snap their chains the wild beasts bound
Sprang forth the water's silver drift,
Tracking the lark up through the sky;
The silver columns joined the cloud
To earth, so frail and yet so proud.
Three fountains leaped up arrow swift;
As snap their chains the wild beasts bound
Sprang forth the water's silver drift,
Tracking the lark up through the sky;
The silver columns joined the cloud
To earth, so frail and yet so proud.
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She sighed—the music in the trees
Grew into slow and tearful song,
Mourning intolerable wrong.
A funeral murmur made the breeze
Sound as of stifling, sobbing words;
Yet every other thing on earth
But that sad wind seemed full of mirth.
Grew into slow and tearful song,
Mourning intolerable wrong.
A funeral murmur made the breeze
Sound as of stifling, sobbing words;
Yet every other thing on earth
But that sad wind seemed full of mirth.
The gloom came lower, lower still,
Hiding reluctantly the earth;
The Spring day, at that sunshine dearth,
Cowered timidly for fear of ill.
The lady witch's hour of doom
Was nigh she knew, so silent stood
The awe-struck trees in the hushed wood.
Hiding reluctantly the earth;
The Spring day, at that sunshine dearth,
Cowered timidly for fear of ill.
The lady witch's hour of doom
Was nigh she knew, so silent stood
The awe-struck trees in the hushed wood.
She called to her the old stern sea,
She beckoned on the ridgy shore,
Then ceased that wild complaining roar,
And music moved upon the wave,
Rising in solemn symphony.
The very storm-birds ceased their screams,
And floated silent as in dreams.
She beckoned on the ridgy shore,
Then ceased that wild complaining roar,
And music moved upon the wave,
Rising in solemn symphony.
The very storm-birds ceased their screams,
And floated silent as in dreams.
Then once more all the waves began
To roar for her: with foaming lips
The breakers swept like an eclipse
Over the sky and rocks; a tempest lashed
The billows on in legions. Can
Old Neptune tame such steeds as these,
And urge them wheresoe'er he please?
To roar for her: with foaming lips
The breakers swept like an eclipse
Over the sky and rocks; a tempest lashed
The billows on in legions. Can
Old Neptune tame such steeds as these,
And urge them wheresoe'er he please?
Then she, slow gliding like a snake,
Passed down the hard and level sands,
Wringing her little helpless hands,
To where the first waves, leaping, break;
Then, as a creature bound and driven,
She passed into the whirlpool's hell.
Whither? I may not dare to tell.
Passed down the hard and level sands,
Wringing her little helpless hands,
To where the first waves, leaping, break;
Then, as a creature bound and driven,
She passed into the whirlpool's hell.
Whither? I may not dare to tell.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |