s: Der an Ehren nicht mehr einem andern Manne


s: Zu gönnen gemeint war im Garten der Mitte,


s: Als wie unter’m Himmel erworben er selbst!):


s: ‘Bist du der _Bärwelf_, der mit _Brecht_ bekämpfte


s: _Die beid’ ihr durchschwammt?_ Da brachte zum Schwanken


s: Den Vorsatz der furchtbaren Fahrt euch Keiner


s: _Mit Bitten und Warnen_, _und_ Beide durchtheiltet


s: Mit gebreiteten Armen die Brandung ihr rudernd,


s: Durchmasset das Meer mit _meisternden_ Händen


s: Auf wogenden Wegen, während der Wirbelsturm


s: Rast’ in den Well’n, und _ihr rangt mit_ dem Wasser


s: Durch sieben Nächte. Der Sieger im Neidspiel


s: Zeigte sich mächt’ger; zur Zeit des Morgens


s: Zum Lande der Brandinge, lieb seinen _Mannen_,


s: Zur bergenden Burg. Da gebot er dem Volke


s: _Schlossreich und schatzreich_. Wie geschworen, so hielt


s: Sein Versprechen dir redlich der Sprössling des _Bonstein_.’


s: hypotactically. Had the translator been making a paraphrase,


s: Mein treffliches Schwert, das treu mir beistand. (p. 27.)


s: A similar misapprehension is seen in line 15 of the extract,


s: which we are asked to accept as a translation for


s: (which are von Wolzogen’s), indicate inaccurate renderings.]


s: Professor Garnett has noted that Arnold’s text was taken from


s: Hunferth spake, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the


s: master of the Scyldings; he unbound the secret counsel of his


s: man on the earth should ever appropriate more deeds of fame under


s: emulation explored the waves, and for foolish boasting ventured


s: your lives in the deep water. Nor could any man, either friend or


s: ocean-stream, measured the sea-ways, churned up [the water] with


s: your hands, glided over the deep; the sea was tossing with waves,


s: realm; he overcame thee in the match, he had more strength. Then,


s: Heathoreamas; thence he, dear in the sight of his people, sought


s: his loved native soil, the land of the Brondings, the fair safe


s: In his critical work the author is chiefly indebted to Grein and


s: ‘Je crois devoir me disculper, en présentant cette première


s: traduction française de Beowulf, du double reproche qui pourrait


s: m’être adressé d’avoir supprimé des passages du poëme et de n’en


s: avoir pas suffisamment respecté la lettre. D’abord je dois dire


s: que les passages que j’ai supprimés (il y en a fort peu) sont ou


s: très obscurs ou d’une superfluité choquante. Ensuite, il m’a


s: semblé qu’en donnant une certaine liberté à ma traduction et en


s: évitant autant que possible d’y mettre les redites et les


s: lecture de détails le plus souvent bizarres et inintelligibles?


s: N’est-il pas plus logique d’en finir de suite avec des artifices


s: poétiques inconnus à nos littératures modernes, plutôt que de


s: vouloir s’escrimer en vain à les reproduire en français? Et alors


s: pourrait-on se flatter en fin de compte d’avoir conservé au poëme


s: ‘Il ne faut pas oublier que, la langue française différant


s: complètement par ses racines de l’anglo-saxon, il ne m’a pas été


s: permis d’éluder les difficultés de l’original comme on a pu le


s: faire parfois en anglais et en allemand.’ --Note, p. 4.


s: Dans la porte se trouvait une barque bien équipée. (p. 29.)


s: interpretations of Grein, Grundtvig, Ettmüller, Thorpe, and


s: Kemble. He appears to follow, in general, the text of Heyne, not,


s: Hunferth, fils d’Ecglaf, qui était assis aux pieds du prince des


s: Scyldingas, parla ainsi (l’expédition de Beowulf le


s: remplissait de chagrin, parce qu’il ne voulait pas convenir


s: qu’aucun homme eût plus de gloire que lui-même):


s: et que vous avez follement hasardé votre vie dans l’eau profonde?


s: d’entreprendre ce triste voyage.--Vous avez nagé alors sur la


s: mer, vous avez suivi les sentiers de l’océan. L’hiver agitait


s: les vagues. Vous êtes restés en détresse pendant sept nuits


s: sous la puissance des flots, mais il t’a vaincu dans la joûte


s: parce qu’il avait plus de force que toi. Le matin, le flot le


s: porta sur Heatho-ræmas et il alla visiter sa chère patrie le


s: pays des Brondingas, où il possédait le peuple, une ville et des


s: trésors. Le fils de Beanstan accomplit entièrement la promesse


s: The idea is misinterpreted in Botkine’s--


s: Again, at line 1117 it is said of the lady--


s: ‘Elle poussait des lamentations en s’appuyant sur le bras de son


s: Beowulf, an Old English Poem, translated into Modern Rhymes, by


s: In the first edition of the translation a number of passages were


s: No attempt is made to preserve alliteration or archaic diction.


s: Hunferd the son of Ecglaf spoke--at Hrothgar’s feet sat he--


s: The coming of Beowulf now--bold sailor o’er the seas.


s: To none on earth would he allow a greater fame ’mong men


s: Beneath the heavens than his): ‘Art thou the same Beowulf then,


s: Who swam a match with Breca once upon the waters wide,


s: When ye vainglorious searched the waves,


s: Upon the deep? Nor hinder you could any friend or foe


s: From that sad venture. Then ye twain did on the waters row;


s: O’er billows glided--with your hands them tossed--though


s: The rolling tides and wintry waves! Seven nights long toilèd ye


s: In waters’ might; but Breca won--he stronger was than thee!


s: And to the Hathoræms at morn washed shoreward by the flood,


s: Thence his loved native land he sought--the Brondings’


s: And stronghold fair, where he was lord of folk and burg


s: Right well ’gainst thee his vaunt he kept.


s: The extract illustrates the paraphrastic nature of parts of the


s: The Old English from which this passage is taken reads:--


s: ge swylce sēo here-pād,  sīo æt hilde gebād


s: brosnað æfter beorne;    ne mæg byrnan hring


s: The passage is certainly obscure, and the readings are not all


s: They mourned their king and chanted dirge,


s: _Macmillan’s Magazine_, 55: 371, has been generally admired.]


s: ‘I have revised certain passages with a view to greater accuracy,


s: necessitated the re-writing of the whole translation.’ --Preface


s: As has been pointed out above in the sections on Arnold and


s: The translation is based on Grein’s text of 1867. Notes are added


s: ‘This involves naturally much inversion and occasional obscurity,


s: reader a better idea of the poem than a mere prose translation


s: would do, in addition to the advantage of literalness. While it


s: would have been easy, by means of periphrasis and freer


s: translation, to mend some of the defects chargeable to the


s: ‘In respect to the rhythmical form, I have endeavored to preserve


s: unaccented ones, which licence can also be found in Early English


s: be offended by the ruggedness of the rhythm, it is hoped that the


s: reproducing, even approximately, the rhythm of the original. The


s: reproduction of the sense as closely as possible had to be kept


s: Hunferth’s taunt. The swimming-match with Breca. Joy in Heorot.


s: Who at the feet sat of the lord of the Scyldings,


s: Unloosed his war-secret (was the coming of Beowulf,


s: The proud sea-farer, to him mickle grief,


s: For that he granted not that any man else


s: Should gain under heavens than he himself):


s: ‘Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca


s: From sorrowful venture, when ye on the sea swam,


s: When ye the sea-waves with your arms covered,


s: Measured the sea-ways, struck with your hands,


s: Glided o’er ocean; with its great billows


s: Welled up winter’s flood. In the power of the waters


s: Ye seven nights strove: he in swimming thee conquered,


s: He had greater might. Then him in the morning


s: On the Heathoremes’ land the ocean bore up,


s: Dear to his people, the land of the Brondings


s: His fair strong city, where he had people,


s: A city and rings. All his boast against thee


s: _æf-þunca_, a unique word which suggests at once vexation,


s: Struggles of battle when warriors contended,


s: which, whatever be the meaning of ‘bugon,’ is surely a misleading


s: The nature of the verse has been sufficiently illustrated by the


s: ‘Il poema consiste di 3183 versi fra cui alcuni in frammenti che


s: noi abbiamo cercato di completare senza alterare lettera del


s: testo. Una mano recente lo ha diviso in 43 canti, detti in ags.


s: fitte; ne notiamo il numero anche nella versione. I versi che il


s: Müllenhoff reputa interpolati, sono disposti in linee rientranti;


s: mantenervi anche la sintassi, e sì che nessuna parola d’un verso


s: prenda posto in un’ altra riga. Le parentesi quadre [ ] segnano


s: The Notes are rather full. They are sometimes merely explanatory;


s: che a’ piedi sedea del prence de’ Schildinghi,


s: sbrigliò accenti di contesta--eragli la gita di Beóvulf,


s: del coraggioso navigatore, molto a fastidio,


s: ‘Sei tu quel Beóvulf, che con Breca nuotò


s: quando voi per baldanza l’acque provaste,


s: la vita arrischiaste? nè voi uomo alcuno,


s: dalla penosa andata, quando remigaste nell’ alto,


s: la corrente dell’ oceano colle braccia coprendo


s: misuraste le strade del mare, colle mani batteste,


s: e scivolaste sopra l’astato. Nelle onde del ghebbo


s: sette notti appenàstevi. Egli nel nuoto ti superò,


s: portò suso il flutto verso la marittima Ramia


s: cara a sue genti, la terra dei Brondinghi,


s: il vago castel tranquillo, ov’ egli popolo avea,


s: rocche e gioie. Il vanto intero contro te


s: il figlio di Beanstan in verità mantenne.’


s: The present writer cannot attempt a literary criticism of the


s: In purpose and method this version may be compared with that of


s: Kemble and of Schaldemose. In each case the translator was


s: in his _Grundriss_, § 209, I can ascertain nothing.]


s: Beowulf, en fornengelsk hjeltedikt, öfversatt af Rudolf Wickberg.


s: The translator begins his introduction with a discussion of the


s: ‘This important historical interest may then explain the reason


s: ‘In the translation I have endeavored to make the language


s: readable and modern. A translation out of an ancient tongue ought


s: expressions. Since the poet wrote in the language of his day, the


s: tried to follow the original faithfully, but not slavishly. For


s: the sake of clearness the half-lines have often been


s: transposed.... The rhythm is still more irregular than the Old


s: English. Alliteration has generally been avoided.’ --Inledning,


s: Löste stridsrunan--den modige sjöfaranden


s: Förty han unnade ej, att någon annan man


s: ‘Är du den Beovulf, som mätte sig med Breca


s: I det djupa vattnet? Ej kunde någon man,


s: Från den sorgfulla färden. Sedan summen I i hafvet,


s: Der I med armarna famnaden hafsströmmen,


s: I hafvets våld; han öfvervann dig i simning,


s: Hade större styrka. Sedan vid morgontiden


s: Bar hafvet upp honom till de krigiska rämerna.


s: Sixteen years had elapsed since the publication of a scholarly


s: Kluge, and Bugge had been published, containing masterly


s: Nothing is said in the introduction respecting the aim of the


s: ‘This translation was originally made from the Fourth Edition of


s: Moritz Heyne’s text. His Fifth Edition came out in 1888, and I


s: think I have used it enough to become acquainted with all the


s: changes that Dr. Adolf Socin, the new editor, has introduced.


s: But the translator does not depend slavishly upon his text. He


s: _Unferth the king’s orator is jealous. He baits the young


s: adventurer, and in a scoffing speech dares him to a night-watch


s: Unferth made a speech, Ecglaf’s son; he who sate at the feet of


s: the Scyldings’ lord, broached a quarrelsome theme--the adventure


s: of Beowulf the high-souled voyager was great despite to him,


s: because he grudged that any other man should ever in the world


s: achieve more exploits under heaven than he himself:-- ‘Art thou


s: _that_ Beowulf, he who strove with Breca on open sea in


s: adventure! What time ye twain plied in swimming, where ye twain


s: covered with your arms the awful stream, meted the sea-streets,


s: buffeted with hands, shot over ocean; the deep boiled with waves,


s: whence he made for his own patrimony, dear to his Leeds he made


s: for the land of the Brondings, a fair stronghold, where he was


s: lord of folk, of city, and of rings. All his boast to thee-ward,


s: Beanstan’s son soothly fulfilled. Wherefore I anticipate for thee


s: As a whole, the translation may fairly be called faithful. The


s: It is about thee ... that I have told this tale,


s: ‘The work is addressed to two classes of readers.... The


s: Anglo-Saxon scholar he [the translator] hopes to please by


s: adhering faithfully to the original. The student of English


s: literature he aims to interest by giving him, in modern garb, the


s: The translation is in imitative measures and in archaic style.


s: ‘The effort has been made to give a decided flavor of archaism to


s: ‘The measure used in the present translation is believed to be as


s: much thesis and anacrusis is allowed as is consistent with a


s: ‘What Gummere calls the “rime-giver” has been studiously kept;


s: viz., the first accented syllable in the second half-verse always


s: ‘No two accented syllables have been brought together, except


s: occasionally after a cæsural pause.... Or, scientifically


s: speaking, Sievers’s C type has been avoided as not consonant with


s: ‘The Heyne-Socin text and glossary have been closely followed.


s: Occasionally a deviation has been made.... Once in a while ...


s: (the translator) has added a conjecture of his own to the


s: emendations quoted from the criticisms of other students of the


s: Who sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings,


s: Opened the jousting (the journey of Beowulf,


s: Sea-farer doughty, gave sorrow to Unferth


s: And greatest chagrin, too, for granted he never


s: That any man else on earth should attain to,


s: ‘Art thou that Beowulf with Breca did struggle,


s: On the wide sea-currents at swimming contended,


s: Where to humor your pride the ocean ye tried,


s: From vainest vaunting adventured your bodies


s: In care of the waters? And no one was able


s: Nor lief nor loth one, in the least to dissuade you


s: Your difficult voyage; then ye ventured a-swimming,


s: Where your arms outstretching the streams ye did cover,


s: The mere-ways measured, mixing and stirring them,


s: With the weltering of winter. In the water’s possession,


s: Ye toiled for a seven-night; he at swimming outdid thee,


s: In strength excelled thee. Then early at morning


s: On the Heathoremes’ shore the holm-currents tossed him,


s: Sought he thenceward the home of his fathers,


s: Beloved of his liegemen, the land of the Brondings,


s: The peace-castle pleasant, where a people he wielded


s: The son of Beanstan hath soothly accomplished.


s: outdo you, if you vie with him in prowess.]


s: Then I ween thou wilt find thee less fortunate issue,


s: Though ever triumphant in onset of battle,


s: A grim grappling, if Grendel thou darest


s: For the space of a night near-by to wait for!


s: The atheling of Geatmen uttered these words and


s: In war ’neath the water the work with great pains I


s: Heavy old hand-sword. --Page 57, line 11.


s: The man was so dear that he failed to suppress the


s: Emotions that moved him. --Page 64, line 59.


s: The translation is founded on Grein’s text of 1867.


s: Da hub der Sohn der Ecglaf, Hunferd, zu reden an;


s: Er sass dem Herrn der Schildinge zu Füssen, und begann


s: Kampfworte zu entbieten. Dass her Beowulf kam,


s: Der kühne Meerdurchsegler, schuf seinem Herzen bitter’n Gram.


s: Dass unter dem Himmel habe ein andrer Recke mehr,


s: Denn er, des Ruhms auf Erden, war ihm zu tragen schwer:


s: ‘Bist {der} Beówulf Du, der einst sich in der weiten Flut


s: Mit Breca mass im Schwimmen? Zu hoch vermass sich da Dein Mut!


s: ‘Ihr spranget in die Wellen, vermessen wagtet ihr


s: Euch konnte. Also triebet im Sund dahin ihr Beiden!


s: ‘Als ihr mit Euren Armen des Meeres Breite decktet,


s: Die Meeresstrassen masset, die Hände rudernd recktet


s: Durch Brandungswirbel gleitend, vom Wintersturm getrieben


s: ‘So rangt ihr mit den Wogen! Da wurde Dir entrafft


s: Der Sieg von ihm, im Schwimmen, sein war die gröss’re Kraft,


s: Ihn trug der Hochflut Wallen am Morgen an den Strand


s: Der Hadurämen, bald er von da die süsse Heimat wiederfand.


s: ‘Im Lande der Brondinge wie gerne man ihn sah!


s: Zu seiner schönen Feste kam er wieder da,


s: Wo er zu eigen hatte Mannen, Burg und Ringe,


s: Der Sohn Beanstan’s hatte geleistet sein Erbot Dir allerdinge!’


s: ‘Die Uebersetzungen von Grein, Holder und Möller sind mir nicht


s: zugänglich gewesen, auch wie es scheint, nicht sehr bekannt.’


s: Examples of antiquated renderings may be brought forward:--


s: Ueber Burg und Mannen nun herrschte manches Jahr


s: Beówulf der Schilding. Wie hold dem König war


s: Sein Volk! in allen Landen seinen Ruhm man pries


s: Als lange schon sein Vater von dieser Erde Leben liess.


s: The translation resembles the work of Lumsden and Wackerbarth in


s: _Differences between the First and Second Editions._


s: _Part Taken in the Work by Morris and Wyatt respectively._


s: ‘(Morris) was not an Anglo-Saxon scholar, and to help him in


s: following the original, he used the aid of a prose translation


s: made for him by Mr. A. J. Wyatt, of Christ’s College, Cambridge,


s: began to supply Morris with his prose paraphrase in February,


s: regularly on Sunday mornings in summer.’


s: ‘Mr. William Morris has taken the text of this edition as the


s: basis of his modern metrical rendering of the lay.’ --Page xiii.


s: Spake out then Unferth that bairn was of Ecglaf,


s: And he sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings,


s: He unbound the battle-rune; was Beowulf’s faring,


s: Of him the proud mere-farer, mickle unliking,


s: Whereas he begrudg’d it of any man other


s: That he glories more mighty the middle-garth over


s: Should hold under heaven than he himself held:


s: Art thou that Beowulf who won strife with Breca


s: When ye two for pride’s sake search’d out the floods


s: Thrust both your life-days? No man the twain of you,


s: Lief or loth were he, might lay wyte to stay you


s: Your sorrowful journey, when on the sea row’d ye;


s: Then when the ocean-stream ye with your arms deck’d,


s: Meted the mere-streets, there your hands brandish’d!


s: O’er the Spearman ye glided; the sea with waves welter’d,


s: The surge of the winter. Ye twain in the waves’ might


s: For a seven nights swink’d. He outdid thee in swimming,


s: And the more was his might; but him in the morn-tide


s: To the Heatho-Remes’ land the holm bore ashore,


s: And thence away sought he to his dear land and lovely,


s: The lief to his people sought the land of the Brondings,


s: The fair burg peace-warding, where he the folk owned,


s: The burg and the gold rings. What to theeward he boasted,


s: Beanstan’s son, for thee soothly he brought it about.


s: Secondly, the translation is unreadable. There is an avalanche of


s: ‘Then rathe was beroom’d, as the rich one was bidding,


s: For the guests a-foot going the floor all withinward.’


s: Morris himself was conscious of the obscurity of the work:--


s: ‘For the language of his version Morris once felt it necessary to


s: his own. He did not add, however, that their effect, if slipped


s: sparingly in amid his own pellucid construction and facile


s: narrative method, would be very different from their habitual use


s: this himself, and his pleasure in the doing of it fell off.’


s: occasionally as obscure as the poem itself.


s: If one can peer through the darkness of Morris’s diction, he will


s: Published for the Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Taal- en


s: ‘I have followed the text of Socin; where I have preferred to


s: give another reading I have justified my proceeding in the Notes


s: at the end of the work.’ --Een Woord Vooraf.


s: It is a literal translation in iambic pentameter.


s: ‘Moreover, the iambic pentameter lends itself well to division


s: into hemistichs, the principal characteristic of the ancient epic


s: En Hunferd zeide toen, de zoon van Ecglaf,


s: Die aan die voeten zat des Schyldingvorsten,


s: Het kampgeheim ontkeetnend: (Beowulfs aankomst,


s: Des koenen golfvaart gaf hem grooten aanstoot,


s: Der mannen, meerder roem op aard te rapen,


s: Beneên de wolken, dan hem was geworden.)


s: ‘Zijt gij die Beowulf, die met Brecca aanbond


s: Den wedstrijd op de wijde zee, in ’t zwemmen


s: Met dezen streven dorst, toen boud gij beiden


s: Navorschtet in den vloed en gij uit grootspraak


s: Geen stervling was in staat, noch vriend noch vijand,


s: Toen braakt gij beiden roeiend door de baren


s: Gij maat de zeebahn, zwaaiend met de handen,


s: Doorgleedt de waterwieling, schoon met golven


s: De kil opklotste bij des winters branding.


s: Wel zeven nachten in ’t bezit der zeeën.


s: Hij had toch meerder macht. De strooming stuwde


s: Hem met den morgen heen ten Headoraemen,


s: Van waar hij wedervond, de volksgevierde,


s: Het lieve stambezit, het land der Brondings,


s: De schoone schatburg, waar hij wapenlieden


s: En goed en goud bezat. De zoon van Beanstan


s: Hield tegen u geheel zijn woord in waarheid.’


s: common form of alliteration in Old English, whereas it is rather


s: Altenglische Dichtungen (Beowulf, Elene, u.a.) in wortgetreuer


s: Uebersetzung von H. Steineck. Leipzig, 1898, O. R. Reisland. 8vo,


s: Seventh German Translation. Line for line.


s: ‘Die vorliegende Uebersetzung ist aus dem Bedürfnis einer


s: altenglische Wort das etymologisch entsprechende neuhochdeutsche,


s: The translation is based on Heyne’s text of 1863 (Vorwort).


s: Welcher zu Füssen sass des Herren der Scyldinge;


s: Er löste der Streiter Geheimniss--ihm war Beowulfs Fahrt,


s: Des mutigen Meerfahrers, zu grossem Neid,


s: Weil er nicht gönnte, dass irgend ein anderer


s: Unter dem Himmel der Erde erwarb als er selbst:


s: ‘Bist du Bêowulf, der du mit Breca kämpftest


s: Dort durchforschtet ihr beide aus Stolz die Fluten


s: Und wagtet aus verwegener Ruhmsucht im tiefen Wasser


s: Die gefahrvolle Reise; da rudertet ihr beide im Wasser,


s: Dort überdecktet ihr beide den Wasserstrom mit Armen,


s: Ihr masst die Meeresstrassen, mit Händen schwangt ihr,


s: Ihr glittet über die Flut; das Meer wallte in Fluten,


s: Des Winters Gewoge; ihr mühtet euch in des Wassers Gewalt


s: Sieben Nächte ab; er besiegte dich beim Schwimmen,


s: Er hatte grössere Kraft. Da warf ihn in der Morgenzeit


s: Von dort aus suchte er das traute Stammgut auf,


s: Der seinen Leuten Teure, das Land der Brondinge,


s: Die schöne Friedensburg, wo er Volk besass,


s: Burg und Ringe. Alles, wozu er sich dir verpflichtete,


s: Leistete der Sohn Bêanstâns wahrhaftig.’


s: Finally, it may be asked why a translation that appeals only as a


s: Unlike the preceding works on _Beowulf_, it may be said that the


s: ‘The following pages comprise a short statement of what is


s: actually known with respect to the poem of _Beowulf_, another


s: statement of what seems to me most likely to be true amongst the


s: almost innumerable matters of conjecture concerning it, and a few


s: (499-505). _Now comes a jarring note. Unferth, a Danish courtier,


s: Then Unferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of the lord


s: of the Scyldings, spoke, and gave vent to secret thoughts of


s: strife,--the journey of Beowulf, the brave sea-farer, was a great


s: should ever obtain more glory on this middle-earth than he


s: for seven days, and got beaten? A worse fate is in store for thee


s: ‘Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca, contested with him


s: on the open sea, in a swimming contest, when ye two for vainglory


s: flowing stream with your arms, meted out the sea-paths, battled


s: with your hands, and glided over the ocean; when the sea, the


s: winter’s flood, surged with waves. Ye two toiled in the water’s


s: realm seven nights; he overcame you at swimming, he had the


s: greater strength. Then, at morning time, the ocean cast him up on


s: beloved fatherland, the land of the Brondings, his fair


s: stronghold-city, where he had subjects and treasures and a


s: borough. The son of Beanstan performed faithfully all that he had


s: disfigured the translations of _Beowulf_:--


s: Line 2507, ‘my unfriendly hug finished his bony frame.’


s: „   2583, ‘The Geat’s free-handed friend crowed not in pride


s: „   2655, ‘Fell the foe and shield the Weder-Geat Lord’s life.’


s: „   2688, ‘the public scourge, the dreadful salamander.’


s: „   2834, ‘show his form’ (said of the Dragon).


s: „   2885, ‘hopelessly escheated from your breed.’


s: It should be added that the explanatory comment which constantly


s: But this absence of ease and dignity does not hinder Dr. Hall’s


s: ‘The present translation of _Beowulf_ is an attempt to make as


s: simple and readable a version of the poem as is consistent with


s: because it has been thought that vigor and variety are not


s: incompatible with simple, idiomatic English....


s: The principal ways in which the present version differs from a


s: merely literal translation are the following: (1) in a rather


s: broad interpretation of pregnant words and phrases; (2) in a


s: conception of some of the Old English compounds as conventional


s: of a proper name for an ambiguous pronoun.


s: The translation is based on the text of A. J. Wyatt (Cambridge,


s: Hrothgar commends Heorot to the care of Beowulf._


s: other man under heaven should ever win more glories in this world


s: Breca on the broad sea and didst contend with him in swimming,


s: when ye two, foolhardy, made trial of the waves and for a mad


s: boast risked your lives in the deep water? None, friend or foe,


s: could turn you from the sorry venture when ye two swam out upon


s: the sea. But ye enfolded the ocean-streams with your arms,


s: measured the sea-streets, buffeted the water with your hands,


s: gliding over the deep. The ocean was tossing with waves,


s: dear fatherland, the country of the Brondings, and his own fair


s: city where he was lord of a stronghold, and of subjects and


s: treasure. Verily, the son of Beanstan made good all his boast


s: for thee, if thou darest for the space of one night abide near


s: Selections Translated into German Prose.


s: condense leads the translator to omit lines that he does not deem


s: The text from which he translates is Kemble’s.


s: Hûnferð Ecglâfs sohn, der zu des scildingenfürsten füssen sasz,


s: achten morgen stig er auf Heáðorämes ansz land und gieng heim zu


s: den Brondingen, wo er eine burg und edlesz gefolge und reichtum


s: hatte? Bëánstânes sohn hat dir allesz geleistet, wasz er gewettet


s: The only significance of this book is that it contained the first


s: ‘The thought that these old romances may be presented to


s: Englishmen of the present day in a form which shall retain their


s: real vigour without the repulsive characteristics impressed on


s: may be affirmed that, if we turn to these old legends or romances


s: shall reflect chiefly our own thoughts about them and throw over


s: them a colouring borrowed from the sentiment of the nineteenth


s: introduction even of phrases not in harmony with the original


s: narratives, not less pains have been bestowed on the task of


s: without having their attention and their patience overtaxed by a


s: multiplicity of superfluous and therefore utterly irksome


s: picturesque word of the original, that he sometimes transfers


s: ‘Away to the westward among the people of the Geáts lived a man,


s: deeds, of Hrothgár’s sorrow, and the sore distress of the Danes,


s: and having sought out fifteen warriors, he entered into a


s: new-pitched ship to seek the war-king across the sea. Bird-like


s: been easy to them; then, sea-wearied, lashed their wide-bosomed


s: ship to an anchorage, donned their war-weeds, and came to Heorot,


s: Jahresbericht über die Realschule zu Forbach (Lothringen) für das


s: The First 836 Lines translated in Iambic Pentameter.


s: ‘Gleichwol wird das Gedicht in deutscher Sprache noch wenig


s: gelesen; und es mag darum gerechtfertigt sein, wenn auch ein


s: Derselbe hat in seiner Uebersetzung, von welcher im Folgenden von


s: Grendel mit vorausgehender Genealogie der dänischen Könige,


s: vorgeführt werden, alles vermieden, was dem Laien das Verständnis


s: historischen und geographischen Erläuterungen können auch denen


s: willkommen sein, welche sich eingehender mit dem Gedicht


s: The text used is Heyne’s edition of 1873 (see Einleitung, 4).


s: Doch Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn, der beim Gelage


s: Zu Füssen Hrodgars, seines Herren, sass,


s: Er konnte nicht ertragen, wenn beim Volke


s: Voll Aerger sucht’ er Händel, also sprechend:


s: Das Leben ein und schwammt ins Meer hinaus.


s: In kalter Flut. Ihr mühtet sieben Nächte


s: Euch ab, und endlich siegte Brecas Stärke,


s: Die, starkbefestigt, funkelndes Geschmied,


s: Der kühn sein Wort gelöst, nachdem er so


s: Und dunkel oft die Wege des Geschickes.’ --Page 5, l. 54.


s: hæleð under heofenum, hwā þǣm hlæste onfēng. --Lines 50-52.]


s: ‘I have not translated them (the poems) literally, but have told


s: their stories faithfully in simple language, with the special


s: ‘I know not their home. It is in a dark lake overshadowed by


s: trees. Into that lake the stag will not plunge, even although the


s: But Hunferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of King


s: ‘Tell me, art thou the Beowulf whom Breca overcame in a swimming


s: match? I heard the tale. You both ventured out like foolish men


s: among the waves in the days of winter. For seven nights you swam


s: together, but Breca was the stronger. Thou wilt have a worse


s: defeat shouldst thou venture to meet Grendel in the darkness of


s: In comparison with the work of Mr. Jones, it may be said that Mr.


s: given in the Wägner-MacDowall paraphrase: see infra, p. 130.]


s: _Beowulf_ Retold, with Changes and Additions.


s: The minstrel tuned his harp and sang of Beowulf’s heroic deeds,


s: and prophesied that he would conquer and slay the monster of the


s: morass. This praise made Hunford, one of the courtiers, angry and


s: golden chain; that the Gothic hero was undertaking an


s: enterprise that would very likely lead him to his death; and he


s: advised him to think twice before attacking Grendel. Upon this,


s: the hide of the monster and to cut out a slanderous tongue.


s: to-night, and thou shalt see which of us is the stronger.’


s: Kopfleisten und Schlussstücken nach Federzeichnungen von Johannes


s: The translation was evidently made with Simrock’s translation in


s: hand; possibly it may have been made directly from that version.


s: paraphrase. Often the original word used by Simrock is added in


s: abhalten. Da rudertet ihr in den Sund, masset die Meeresstrassen,


s: warf ihn am nächsten Morgen ans Land, von we er in seine Heimat


s: eilte, in das Land der _Brondinge_, wo er über Burg und Volk


s: English Literature from the Beginning to the Norman Conquest. By


s: Digest, Running Comment, and Translation of Copious Extracts into


s: Translated extracts accompany the story as told by Mr. Brooke.


s: ‘I chose after many experiments, the trochaic movement used in


s: this book, each half-line consisting of trochees following one


s: another, with a syllable at the end, chiefly a long one, to mark


s: the division of the line. I varied the line as much as I could,


s: movement, but rarely; for this trochaic line with a beat at the


s: end of each half-verse seemed to me to get the nearest to the


s: sound of the Anglo-Saxon line, even though it is frequently


s: un-similar to that line itself. I used alliteration whenever I


s: alliterated word, I did not try to do so.’


s: The text appears to be that of Grein-Wülker (1883).


s: There at haven stood,    hung with rings the ship,


s: Ice-bright, for the outpath eager,    craft of Aethelings.


s: So their lord, the well-beloved,    all at length they laid


s: In the bosom of the bark,    him the bracelet-giver,--


s: By the mast the mighty king.    Many gifts were there


s: Fretted things of fairness    brought from far-off ways.--


s: Never heard I of a keel    hung more comelily about


s: With the weeds of war,    with the weapons of the battle,


s: With the bills and byrnies.    On his breast there lay


s: A great heap of gems    that should go with him,


s: Far to fare away    in the Flood’s possession. --Page 26.


s: The object of her work may be given in her own words:--


s: ‘(The series is) intended as parallel reading to history, and


s: planned to illustrate history.... Great changes are coming over


s: specially addressed, but also, as has been felicitously said, to


s: “the old with young tastes.”’ --Pages xx, xxii.


s: poetical beauties, picturesque traits, and original dialogue,


s: as much as may be consistent with necessary condensation and,


s: frequently, elimination. It should be a consecutive, lively


s: narrative, with the necessary elucidating explanations


s: digressions.... What we want in telling it to the young, is to


s: take the epic just as it is, condensing and expurgating, but not


s: ‘Professor Earle’s version has been fully utilized in the


s: Yet there was one eye that gleamed not with merriment and


s: goodwill, one head that hatched no friendly thoughts, because the


s: amuse him. He broached a quarrelsome theme--an adventure in


s: Beowulf’s youth, the only contest in his record the issue of


s: which, though hard fought, might be called doubtful. For this


s: Unferth was an envious wight, whose soul grudged that any man


s: should achieve greater things than himself.


s: wantonly exposed your lives, and no man, either friend or foe,


s: could turn you from the foolish venture? A se’nnight ye twain


s: toiled in the realm of the waters, and, if I err not, he outdid


s: illustrations in colours by George Morrow.


s: ‘In writing the story of Beowulf I have been helped by Kemble’s


s: translation and notes, and still more by Professor Earle’s


s: The Rev. Alfred John Church (born 1829) is known chiefly for his


s: But while they feasted envy stirred in the heart of Unferth, son


s: of Ecglaf. He was the King’s orator, and he took it ill that


s: Beowulf should have come to the land of the Danes on this great


s: Breca in swimming on the open sea? ‘Twas, indeed, a foolhardy


s: thing so to put your lives in jeopardy, yet no man could turn you


s: strength. And on the eighth morning the waves cast him ashore on


s: ‘It is meant mainly to arouse in children an interest in the


s: beginnings of our literature--a subject that is still terribly


s: neglected in schools. It makes no pretension to being an adequate


s: ‘[Discrepancies in the poem] I have endeavoured to smooth over by


s: ‘Many of the episodes in the story have been greatly shortened or


s: narrative, or divert the interest from the main theme.’


s: Now, though most of Hrothgar’s men rejoiced to see Beowulf, and


s: honoured him for his generous thought in coming to their help,


s: there was one who looked on him with dislike and envy, and was


s: jealous of the favour shown him by the king. This was Hunferth,


s: who was sitting on the daïs at Hrothgar’s feet. And when he heard


s: greater honour than he himself. So he began to rake up old tales


s: that he had heard of Beowulf, and tried to turn them to his hurt,


s: ‘Art thou that Beowulf who once strove on the wide sea in a


s: him to the shore of Norway, whence he visited his beloved home,


s: the fair city of safety, where he ruled over many people, over


s: towns and treasure. Truly he did perform all his boast against


s: is sound enough; but the omission of any part of the poem in a


s: paraphrase so good as Miss Thomson’s is to be regretted.]


s: (_Only works which translate at least thirty lines are noted._)


s: GUMMERE, F. B., in the American Journal of Philology, VII, 77,


s: SWEET, HENRY, in Warton’s History of English Poetry, ed. W. Carew


s: A modern romance, having no relation to the Old English poem.


s: An original poem, using some of the Beowulf material.


s: ‘I have ... composed an original narrative in which the leading


s: characters and some of the incidents of the early work have


s: been freely used, but as materials only. I have transferred to my


s: the relationship of characters and incidents; have inserted the


s: illumination of Beowulf’s soul, and his banishment; and have


s: introduced the love motive between Beowulf and Freaware that runs


s: style, description, elaboration, interpretation, and development


s: of the story are new. I have arbitrarily laid the scene in


s: England, under purely idealized conditions; and have initiated


s: nearly all that the poem contains of womanhood, of love, of


s: religion, of state-policy, and of domestic life and manners. It


s: is clear, therefore, that my work must not be judged either as a


s: translation, version, or paraphrase of the old Beowulf.’


s: The _Kalevala_, or the Land of Heroes, as the word may be freely


s: The modern history of Finland begins with the year 1157, when the


s: successors confirmed, and which are highly valued by the people.


s: considerably altered, and not always for the better.


s: shortcomings which may be detected in my work.


s: The _Kalevala_ relates the history of four principal heroes:


s: Thirdly, when married, she appears as a wicked and heartless


s: "Kaleva's most beauteous daughter." Every one is invited, except


s: birchwood. Louhi brings pestilence on Kalevala, then sends a bear


s: INTRODUCTION                                                vii


s: But though ale should not be brought me,


s: Then she jerked her knee with quickness,


s: Where her head the land touched lightly,


s: And expressed his thoughts in this wise:


s: There he dwelt, while years passed over,


s: Till the sparks were quite extinguished.


s: Whence the beauteous plant sprang upward,


s: Brought the polished blade to sharpness;


s: And the leaves were scattered southwards,


s: Stood on beach, and washed her head-dress,


s: And she washed her clothes and rinsed them,


s: In the well-closed yard she stored them,


s: Then the wastes were clothed with verdure,


s: Then the earth brought forth her berries;


s: Seven fine seeds of corn he found there,


s: Wherefore spare the beauteous birch-tree?"


s: Sink your mouth and head in snow-drifts,


s: 'Neath whose legs the sparks were flying.


s: From the place the horse sprang quickly,


s: And the stars in heaven were scattered."


s: Shook his head, his mouth drawn crooked,


s: One shoots forth with passing quickness,


s: All the walls are decked with crossbows,


s: Väinämöinen meets Aino in the wood and addresses her (1-20). Aino


s: And the third year eat thou cream-cakes,


s: Then she sought the mountain storehouse,


s: "Scamp, come here; and shall we boil you,


s: As they flowed, the ground they moistened.


s: From each stream that thus was fashioned,


s: Up there sprang three beauteous birch-trees,


s: And the first cried, "Sweetheart, sweetheart!"


s: And the third cried, "Gladness, gladness!"


s: He who cried out, "Sweetheart, sweetheart!"


s: While his heart was filled with anguish,


s: Then he scanned the fish, and turned it,


s: "Wherefore didst thou then come hither?"


s: "Therefore 'tis that I have sought thee,


s: There large loaves of bread to bake thee,


s: Where the tongue of land curves outward.


s: Through the heart, and through the liver,


s: One would shoot, and one restrained him,


s: Through the scattered clouds it wandered.


s: When the ninth night darkened round him,


s: "Then there came a gale from north-west,


s: And the beauteous tree left'st standing,


s: Which perchance might lead him homeward,


s: Three planks high, the boat was builded,


s: Then she rubbed his limbs all stiffened,


s: From the tips of swan's white wing-plumes,


s: Whipped the horse, and urged him onward,


s: But the rocks his axe-blade touched not,


s: With the bead-decked whip he lashed him.


s: Rocked the sledge, the way grew shorter,


s: O'er the horse his whip then brandished,


s: Brooks and streams were checked from flowing;


s: Seven large boats with blood are brimming,


s: And of blue-mouthed steel the fosterers.


s: "Strolled the maids with faltering footsteps


s: And their full breasts were o'erflowing,


s: From their breasts' overflowing fulness,


s: "Where the black milk had been dropping,


s: 'Neath three roots of birch-trees hidden


s: And to sword-blades should be fashioned.


s: 'Neath the wolves' feet quaked the marshes,


s: Where the bears' paws left their imprints.


s: And from seven tall grass-stems bring it,


s: Like a fence, O Bloodstream, stand thou,


s: Like the bank that bounds the cornfield,


s: How that thou should'st run more smoothly.


s: "Therefore, dear one, cease thy flowing,


s: Who shall close the blood's wide gateway,


s: Then for three nights more he boiled it,


s: Stroked him downward, stroked him upward,


s: Lurched the sledge, the way was shortened,


s: Crowned with flowers, and leaves all golden,


s: Head bowed down, and thoughts all gloomy,


s: When they reached the spot they sought for,


s: And would'st grasp the moon's reflection,


s: From the tips of swans' white wing-plumes,


s: Found a stone all streaked with colours,


s: Stones beneath their heels were resting,


s: And the north wind howled and blustered.


s: Lemminkainen goes to seek a wife among the noble maidens of Saari


s: especially reproaches Lemminkainen with his fondness for war, and


s: "'Tis for nought your gold you squander,


s: For my handsome shape they'll choose me,


s: And the youths beneath the sword-blades,


s: And can bleach the clothes to whiteness.


s: Kyllikki forgets her oath and goes to the village, whereupon


s: From the hearth the flames were flashing,


s: Flashing forth with dazzling brightness,


s: Then throughout the house blazed fiercely,


s: "Nought I care for home-stored treasures.


s: Wizards charm, and snakes would blast me.


s: Through their heads and caps sprout upward,


s: Piercing through their shoulder-muscles,


s: Hadst thou hundred mouths to speak with,


s: Took his blade, like flame that glittered,


s: There where two roads have their parting.


s: And the wizards with their sword-blades,


s: Drove the rattling sledge straight onward


s: Drove the rattling sledge straight onward,


s: Who would raise their sticks against you,


s: "May they shoot the crone, and club her,


s: Reached the house to which he journeyed,


s: Through the moss he heard them speaking,


s: Fire flashed from his fur-cloak's borders,


s: Old, with eyes both closed and sightless.


s: "Therefore 'tis that I have spared thee,


s: Win the far-famed flower-crowned maiden,


s: Then he smeared with grease the snowshoes,


s: And his back was formed of fence-stakes,


s: Pushed his way through all obstructions,


s: Smelt like malt the heathlands' borders,


s: Mountain foal, with mane all foam-flecked,


s: Hiisi's horse, with mane all foam-flecked


s: Through the shoulder right it struck him.


s: Would that thou might'st know, and hasten


s: Mountains thundered 'neath her footsteps,


s: From the slopes bent down the tree-trunks,


s: Found his hat, with heart-wrung anguish.


s: And with care their threads she counted,


s: Through the joints, both forth and backwards,


s: Through the bones and joints, O drive thou,


s: Back and forth, throughout the veinlets,


s: Where through wounds the blood has issued,


s: Where the bones have broke to splinters,


s: And through nine heavens fly thou swiftly.


s: "Thou canst rise on high with swiftness,


s: O'er the Seven Stars' backs rose upward,


s: From the duck's brain springs the serpent,


s: And from Mana's realms hath brought thee!


s: Väinämöinen orders Sampsa Pellervoinen to seek for wood for


s: Full of knots you'll find the pine-tree.


s: Still he found three words were wanting,


s: From your clothes the blood would trickle,


s: And with this might form my song-sledge.


s: Brought the boat then, Tuoni's daughter.


s: O'er the points of heroes' sword-blades,


s: From his teeth sprang branching pine-trees.


s: From his teeth the branching pine-trees.


s: With his shirt-sleeves made his bellows,


s: Plagues from somewhere have attacked me,


s: From the loose earth heaped in hillocks,


s: Heaths where elk are chased on snowshoes,


s: From the fields where grass is rustling,


s: Where the rainless clouds stretch furthest,


s: Elsewhere shalt thou seek thy dwellings,


s: Twist thou then their heads all crooked.


s: And their necks in haste then break thou.


s: From the rainless clouds' broad margins,


s: Mistress of Pohjola sees the suitors approaching, and advises her


s: Night's fair daughter, maid of twilight,


s: And had washed her clothes and spread them,


s: Where the bright-winged birds are sporting,


s: And his bow was great, and tight-strung,


s: Where the greaves with blood are spattered,


s: And beneath the seats their sword-blades.


s: And beneath the forge will thrust them."


s: That his head might cleanse the bridegroom,


s: And have steeped the bath-whisks nicely,


s: Till your eyes shine out like snowflakes."


s: Brightly-coloured gloves she brought him,


s: That the bright-hued sledge is covered."


s: That the sledge may glide o'er snowfields,


s: 'Gainst the ground his tail was wagging.


s: And the blacksmith's head wash likewise."


s: And their thoughts the east wind saddens:


s: Where the writhing snakes are swarming."


s: Five scythes' length his talons measured


s: From the great pike's scales stupendous;


s: When the great bird flapped his pinions.


s: Fled the clouds, the heavens were thundering,


s: And the stones like beads were rattling.


s: While his back the clouds were touching;


s: And they sought through Tuoni's regions,


s: Long they searched; but vainly searched they.


s: Seven boat-loads of blood they gathered,


s: 'What might perhaps be fashioned from it,


s: Speed then forth where I shall bid thee,


s: Where they lurk in all their fierceness.


s: Where they lurk In all their fierceness,


s: "From the bears' mouths foam was dropping,


s: 'Twas for months the stones were glowing,


s: Then the bridegroom's horse sped onward,


s: Take the horse that brought the bridegroom,


s: From the tin-decked breastband likewise,


s: From his hands his gloves take likewise.


s: "But the house suits not the bridegroom,


s: Scoured the smooth planks of the boarding,


s: "From the bark the flame springs spluttering,


s: And the wastes would sing to wheatfields,


s: Lanes o'erfilled with beauteous blossoms,


s: And the plains o'erfilled with milch-kine,


s: "Wherefore sit'st thou, highly-born one,


s: "Not for father's pleasure wait'st thou,


s: How thou left'st thy father's household,


s: Strips of pork thou then could'st cut thee.


s: Different there from here thou'lt find it


s: Though his mouth speaks charming converse,


s: "Shortly wilt thou feel their harshness,


s: Changed hast thou, and what art changing!


s: And her thoughts from perch in fishpond,


s: There thy bridegroom stands to guard thee,


s: And the shoots of pine-trees combed him,


s: Flocks that wander through the birchwoods,


s: Thousands with their well-filled udders;


s: Whisked, like shred of cloth, to distance,


s: Brother's love thou leav'st behind thee;


s: That the soft hay should be thrown them,


s: See that on the swine thou tread'st not,


s: "Sweep thou then the floor to cleanness,


s: Wash its eyes, and smooth its hair down,


s: "From the stove scrape all the rust off,


s: Greatly shocked would be thy bridegroom,


s: Thou with reverent care should'st tend it,


s: From the stones the parched corn taking,


s: Bake thou there the loaves with pleasure,


s: Mind thou, too, the spoons and count them,


s: Lest the dogs should steal them from you,


s: Water brought, and likewise bath-whisks,


s: Wash thou there as it shall please thee,


s: And her beauteous breasts that nursed thee,


s: Great her sufferings when she bore thee,


s: Wanderer through the country's footpaths,


s: Larks have tongues, and husbands notions;


s: And the woods were filled with harshness,


s: From beneath the tongues shot firebrands,


s: With their tongues they heaped reproaches


s: And his beard the moss from tree-trunks,


s: Through the swamps and through the lowlands,


s: In the house thy birth which witnessed.'


s: "'Wherefore hast thou thus come homeward,


s: Girl with strength to help in threshing,


s: Quick to bleach the clothes to whiteness,


s: Thus may weave the Moon's fair daughters,


s: Stands, the rind to pound from off them,


s: Pounding thus the rind from marsh-roots,


s: Whence large loaves of bread to bake her,


s: When thou seek'st her father's dwelling,


s: Whom for three long years thou waitedst,


s: "Bridegroom, give thy bride instruction,


s: With thine eyes the next year teach her,


s: From the heath fetch thou some horse-tail,


s: Lest the noise should reach the village,


s: Neighbours' wives should hear the crying,


s: Then she stooped, and called me darling;


s: While my childhood's years were passing.


s: Leave the fields where leap the reindeer,


s: And the wastes where flock the wild geese,


s: And the swampy ground with birch-trees."


s: Quick they sped, and fast they journeyed,


s: Mid-aged folks their shoes were spoiling,


s: Perhaps the horse has brought back something,


s: That thou soon should'st walk beneath it,


s: For the ringed hands that should close them,


s: Till should sing and dance our duckling.


s: And for eight years thou hast longed for.


s: "Hast thou brought whom thou hast wished for,


s: Thou hast brought from out the greenwood,


s: In the spring days has she bleached them,


s: Nor from the ditch-side they brought thee,


s: From the cornfields rich they brought thee,


s: And he brought great stumps of fir-trees,


s: "Large the loaves that she has baked us,


s: And the pointed blades pressed downward,


s: On the heaths where cranberries flourish,


s: And the bridesmaid's eyes are sparkling,


s: "Now that I have praised the bridesmaid,


s: Crashed the shafts against a tree-stump,


s: (These are by the translator, when not otherwise stated. K. K.


s: indicates Prof. Kaarle Krohn, and A. M. Madame Aino Malmberg,


s: For proper names, refer to the Glossary at the end of Vol. II.)


s: variously interpreted: I have used "steadfast" by Prof. Krohn's


s: advice, though I think "lusty" might be a better rendering.


s: ascribed to Väinämöinen. Visits to parents' graves for advice and


s: Cranberries. "I think Lemminkainen means that he has no cows,


s: and only calls these different berries his cows." (A. M.)


s: The word used in l. 94 is "penningin," from "penni," a word


s: common to most Teutonic and Northern languages.


s: remonstrances from his mother and Kyllikki.


s: passage is of Christian origin." (K. K.)


s: but the circumstances were quite different.


s: probably corresponding to our cold spring east wind.


s: weddings, corresponding to the Russian svat, or matchmaker.


s: But babes are babes, and mine, no doubt,


s: "Look at his shoes! We must buy a pair.")


s: Shall I be shined, shampooed and shaved,


s: Singed and trimmed 'round the edges, too?


s: "He hasn't a romper that's fit to wear.")


s: "Look at those stockings! Just one big tear!")


s: I'll shave myself and look just as smart.


s: There's been a young stranger at our house,


s: Who hated his brother, his father, his mother,


s: Nor promise nor present could make him look pleasant;


s: He cried when he couldn't have something;


s: Kind words by the earful but made him more tearful,


s: He stormed when his meals weren't ready,


s: And when they _were_ ready, he screamed.


s: He went to bed growling, got up again howling


s: And quarreled and snarled as he dreamed.


s: Nor fear my lines were heard with groans


s: He couldn't have a doughnut, and it made him very mad;


s: He undertook to get revenge by screaming at his dad.


s: "Cut out that noise!" I ordered, and he gave another roar,


s: And so I put him in "the room" and shut and locked the door.


s: I left him in his prison cell two minutes, just about,


s: And, penitent, he smiled at me when I did let him out.


s: But when he got another look at the forbidden fruit


s: He gave a yell that they could hear in Jacksonville or Butte.


s: "You want your dad to keep you jailed all afternoon, I guess."


s: He smiled at me and answered his equivalent for "yes."


s: Well, that's the case with me, but still


s: They're merely dolls, called Indian Chief,


s: When "Twee, pahk, birt," does splendidly?


s: Why should one say, "Please pass the bread,"


s: And why "I'm starved. Have supper quick,"


s: When "LUNCH!" yelled loudly, does the trick?


s: So leave out words and save your breath.


s: Spring, you are welcome, for you are the friend of


s: Fathers of all little girlies and chaps.


s: Spring, you are welcome, for you mean the end of


s: Bundling them up in their cold-weather wraps.


s: Breathes there a parent of masculine gender,


s: One whose young hopeful is seven or less,


s: Who never has cursed the designer and vender


s: Leggings and overcoat, rubbers that squeeze on,


s: Not in the lot is one thing you can ease on,


s: One that's affixed with no trouble at all.


s: Spring, you are welcome, thrice welcome to father;


s: Not for your flowers and birds, I'm afraid,


s: As much as your promised relief from the bother


s: Of bundling the kid for the daily parade.


s: I can't understand why you pass up the toys


s: That Santa considered just right for small boys;


s: I can't understand why you turn up your nose


s: At dogs, hobby-horses, and treasures like those,


s: And play a whole hour, sometimes longer than that,


s: With a thing as prosaic as daddy's old hat.


s: The tables and shelves have been loaded for you


s: With volumes of pictures--they're pretty ones, too--


s: Of birds, beasts, and fishes, and old Mother Goose


s: Repines in a corner and feels like the deuce,


s: While you, on the floor, quite contentedly look


s: At page after page of the telephone book.


s: If it's fun to take books from the bookcase,


s: To carry them back to the bookcase again?


s: Why isn't it pleasure to put on the hummer


s: A magazine read and discarded last summer?


s: A shame to break in on your blissful dreams.


s: I've sat and watched you a long, long while,


s: And not since I came have you ceased to smile.


s: So it strikes me as wrong to arouse you, boy,


s: From sleep that's so plainly a sleep of joy.


s: 'Twill make a big diff'rence tonight, of course,


s: But p'rhaps you are riding a real live horse;


s: In dreams, it's a pleasant and harmless sport,


s: If that's your amusement, why end it quick?


s: Dream-food can't possibly make you sick.


s: It's trouble for me if they're disobeyed.


s: But I'll bet if the boss could see you, son,


s: When I see his wonderful choo-choo trains,


s: Which he daily builds with infinite pains,


s: When I first gaze on his wonderful trains,


s: From the toil of his strenuous day to rest,


s: And when I gaze on his trains once more,


s: Where they lie, abandoned, across the floor,


s: Of putting each "Pullman" back in its place,


s: The things that make us think him great.


s: And, where most kids would howl and squall,


s: When I mixed with the shoppers and fought in vain


s: To get what I sought, in the Christmas rush;


s: When they stood on my toes in the crowded train,


s: Or dented my ribs in the sidewalk crush,


s: I dropped my manners and snarled and swore,


s: And thought: "It's a bothersome, beastly bore!"


s: But when, at the Christmas dawn, they brought


s: My kid to the room where his things were piled,


s: And when, from my vantage point, I caught


s: The look on his face, I murmured: "Child,


s: Your dad was a fool when he snarled and swore,


s: And called it a bothersome, beastly bore."


s: His books and his blocks made him tired,


s: And so did his games and mechanical toys,


s: I didn't think much of the story despite


s: And I never dreamt, when I told it that night,


s: I never imagined 'twould make such a hit


s: That for hours at a time he would quietly sit


s: To all other stories, this one is preferred;


s: And out at our house it's as frequently heard


s: When choo-choos and horses and picture books fail,


s: He'll remain, quite content, in his chair,


s: While I tell o'er and o'er the incredible tale


s: For three long weeks you've been, O House,


s: And you've stayed neat, with none on hand


s: Has floored him and induced a howl of pain,


s: He's clean forgotten all about his tumble


s: But if, when I leave home, I say that maybe


s: I'll get him something nice while I'm away,


s: Will not forget, though I be gone all day.


s: Ah, would I might lose sight of things unpleasant:


s: The bills I owe; the work I haven't done.


s: And only think of future joys and present,


s: Like the approaching payday, and my son.


s: He runs down clues and leads, and learns


s: Or, squirming like a mouse that's caught,


s: When you're without the strength to say,


s: And take my reward from your look of joy


s: When you open the bundle and cry: "O, see!


s: Since all you'd have to do is think you were,


s: Or you could be some famous football star,


s: Instead of that, you tell me that you are


s: Why pick him out, when you can take your choice?


s: Is his so charming, nice, and sweet a role


s: That acting it should make you to rejoice


s: And be a source of comfort to your soul?


s: That you above all else should want to be


s: And looped some loops that were bold and new.


s: And gasped or cheered as he tempted fate,


s: More daring each day than the day before,


s: Till the birdman fell and arose no more.


s: The bandit bragged of his daylight crimes


s: And said: "I'm the wonder of modern times."


s: And the people shook when they heard his name.


s: He boasted: "I'm one that they'll never get."


s: Well, son, I suppose you would be admired


s: For the valorous habit that you've acquired


s: And hugging her tight in the public street.


s: But the day will come, I have not a doubt,


s: When you'll stagger home with an eye scratched out.


s: Sarga the Seventh--Krishna supposed false


s: Sarga the Ninth--The End of Krishna's Trial


s: "The sky is clouded; and the wood resembles


s: The sky, thick-arched with black Tamâla boughs;


s: O Radha, Radha! take this Soul, that trembles


s: In life's deep midnight, to Thy golden house."


s: So Nanda spoke,--and, led by Radha's spirit,


s: The feet of Krishna found the road aright;


s: Wherefore, in bliss which all high hearts inherit,


s: Together taste they Love's divine delight.


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ MÂLAVA _and the Mode_ RUPAKA.)


s: O thou that held'st the blessed Veda dry


s: When all things else beneath the floods were hurled;


s: Strong Fish-God! Ark of Men! _Jai!_ Hari, _jai!_


s: Hail, Keshav, hail! thou Master of the world!


s: The round world rested on thy spacious nape;


s: Upon thy neck, like a mere mole, it stood:


s: O thou that took'st for us the Tortoise-shape,


s: Hail, Keshav, hail! Ruler of wave and wood!


s: The world upon thy curving tusk sate sure,


s: Like the Moon's dark disc in her crescent pale;


s: O thou who didst for us assume the Boar,


s: When thou thy Giant-Foe didst seize and rend,


s: Fierce, fearful, long, and sharp were fang and nail;


s: Thou who the Lion and the Man didst blend,


s: Lord of the Universe! hail, Narsingh, hail!


s: Wonderful Dwarf!--who with a threefold stride


s: Cheated King Bali--where thy footsteps fall


s: O Keshav, hail! thou Help and Hope of all!


s: The sins of this sad earth thou didst assoil,


s: The anguish of its creatures thou didst heal;


s: Freed are we from all terrors by thy toil:


s: Hail, Purshuram, hail! Lord of the biting steel!


s: To thee the fell Ten-Headed yielded life,


s: Thou in dread battle laid'st the monster low!


s: Ah, Rama! dear to Gods and men that strife;


s: We praise thee, Master of the matchless bow!


s: With clouds for garments glorious thou dost fare,


s: A peasant--yet the King of Day and Night.


s: Merciful-hearted! when thou earnest as Boodh--


s: Albeit 'twas written in the Scriptures so--


s: Thou bad'st our altars be no more imbrued


s: With blood of victims: Keshav! bending low--


s: We praise thee, Wielder of the sweeping sword,


s: Brilliant as curving comets in the gloom,


s: Whose edge shall smite the fierce barbarian horde;


s: Hail to thee, Keshav! hail, and hear, and come,


s: And fill this song of Jayadev with thee,


s: And make it wise to teach, strong to redeem,


s: And sweet to living souls. Thou Mystery!


s: Thou Light of Life! Thou Dawn beyond the dream!


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and the Mode_ NIHSÂRA.)


s: All in the Spring-time waited by the wood


s: For Krishna fair, Krishna the all-forgetful,--


s: Krishna with earthly love's false fire consuming--


s: And some one of her maidens sang this song:--


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ VASANTA _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: I know where Krishna tarries in these early days of Spring,


s: When every wind from warm Malay brings fragrance on its wing;


s: Brings fragrance stolen far away from thickets of the clove,


s: In jungles where the bees hum and the Koil flutes her love;


s: He dances with the dancers of a merry morrice one,


s: All in the budding Spring-time, for 'tis sad to be alone.


s: I know how Krishna passes these hours of blue and gold


s: When parted lovers sigh to meet and greet and closely hold


s: Hand fast in hand; and every branch upon the Vakul-tree


s: Droops downward with a hundred blooms, in every bloom a bee;


s: He is dancing with the dancers to a laughter-moving tone,


s: In the soft awakening Spring-time, when 'tis hard to live alone.


s: Where Kroona-flowers, that open at a lover's lightest tread,


s: All in the sunny Spring-time, when who can live alone?


s: Where the breaking forth of blossom on the yellow Keshra-sprays


s: Dazzles like Kama's sceptre, whom all the world obeys;


s: And Pâtal-buds fill drowsy bees from pink delicious bowls,


s: As Kama's nectared goblet steeps in languor human souls;


s: There he dances with the dancers, and of Radha thinketh none,


s: All in the warm new Spring-tide, when none will live alone.


s: The silken-soft pale Mogra, whose perfume fine and faint


s: Can melt the coldness of a maid, the sternness of a saint--


s: There dances with those dancers thine other self, thine Own,


s: All in the languorous Spring-time, when none will live alone.


s: Opens upon the mangoes to feel the sunshine come;


s: And Atimuktas wind their arms of softest green about,


s: Then she, the maid of Radha, spake again;


s: And pointing far away between the leaves


s: Guided her lovely Mistress where to look,


s: And note how Krishna wantoned in the wood


s: Now with this one, now that; his heart, her prize,


s: Panting with foolish passions, and his eyes


s: Beaming with too much love for those fair girls--


s: Fair, but not so as Radha; and she sang:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ RÂMAGIRÎ _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: See, Lady! how thy Krishna passes these idle hours


s: Rubies to mate his laughing lips, and diamonds like his, eyes;--


s: In the company of damsels, who dance and sing and play,


s: Lies Krishna, laughing, toying, dreaming his Spring away.


s: And o'er his brow with, roses blown she fans a fragrance rare,


s: That falls on the enchanted sense like rain in thirsty air,


s: While the company of damsels wave many an odorous spray,


s: And Krishna, laughing, toying, sighs the soft Spring away.


s: Another, gazing in his face, sits wistfully apart,


s: Speak so that Krishna cannot choose but send the message back,


s: In the company of damsels whose bright eyes in a ring


s: Shine round him with soft meanings in the merry light of Spring.


s: The third one of that dazzling band of dwellers in the wood--


s: Body and bosom panting with the pulse of youthful blood--


s: Leans over him, as in his ear a lightsome thing to speak,


s: And then with leaf-soft lip imprints a kiss below his cheek;


s: A kiss that thrills, and Krishna turns at the silken touch


s: To give it back--ah, Radha! forgetting thee too much.


s: And one with arch smile beckons him away from Jumna's banks,


s: Where the tall bamboos bristle like spears in battle-ranks,


s: And plucks his cloth to make him come into the mango-shade,


s: And fair the flowers to lie upon, and sweet the dancers sing.


s: Sweetest of all that Temptress who dances for him now


s: With subtle feet which part and meet in the Râs-measure slow,


s: To the chime of silver bangles and the beat of rose-leaf hands,


s: And pipe and lute and cymbal played by the woodland bands;


s: So that wholly passion-laden--eye, ear, sense, soul o'ercome--


s: Krishna is theirs in the forest; his heart forgets its home.


s: Lapped in milk-warm spring-time weather,


s: Who laughed when Radha glided, hidden, by,


s: And all among those damsels free and bold


s: Touched Krishna with a soft mouth, kind and cold;


s: And like the others, leaning on his breast,


s: Unlike the others, left there Love's unrest;


s: And like the others, joining in his song,


s: Unlike the others, made him silent long.


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Thus lingered Krishna in the deep, green wood,


s: And gave himself, too prodigal, to those;


s: But Radha, heart-sick at his falling-off,


s: Where nectarous blossoms wove a shrine of shade,


s: Haunted by birds and bees of unknown skies--


s: She sate deep-sorrowful, and sang this strain,


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: Ah, my Beloved! taken with those glances,


s: Ah, my Beloved! dancing those rash dances,


s: Ah, Minstrel! playing wrongful strains so well;


s: Ah, Krishna! Krishna with the honeyed lip!


s: My Dancer, my Delight!--I love thee still.


s: Rise! thou whose forehead is the star of day,


s: Come! thou whose greatness gleams beneath its shroud


s: Like Indra's rainbow shining through the cloud--


s: Must love thee--cannot choose but love thee ever,


s: From lips but sadly sweet, from restless bosoms,


s: To mine, O Krishna with the mouth of blossoms!


s: To mine, thou soul of Krishna! yet I sigh


s: Half hopeless, thinking of myself forsaken,


s: And thee, dear Loiterer, in the wood o'ertaken


s: With passion for those bold and wanton ones,


s: Who knit thine arms as poison-plants gripe trees


s: With twining cords--their flowers the braveries


s: That flash in the green gloom, sparkling stars and stones.


s: My Prince! my Lotus-faced! my woe! my love!


s: Whose broad brow, with the tilka-spot above,


s: Shames the bright moon at full with fleck of cloud;


s: Thou, Krishna, to be palm to palm with such!


s: O Soul made for my joys, pure, perfect, proud!


s: Linger about thee, watching in the grove.


s: I will be patient still, and draw thee ever,


s: Under the thick kadambas with that throng:


s: Will there not come an end to earthly madness?


s: Shall I not, past the sorrow, have the gladness?


s: Must not the love-light shine for him ere long?


s: For (sang on that high Lady in the shade)


s: My soul for tenderness, not blame, was made;


s: Mine eyes look through his evil to his good;


s: My heart coins pleas for him; my fervent thought


s: Prevents what he will say when these are naught,


s: And that which I am shall be understood.


s: Then spake she to her maiden wistfully--


s: Go to him,--win him hither,--whisper low


s: Say, if he will--joys past his hope to know


s: Where Radha is, and that henceforth she charms


s: Yes, go! say, if he will, that he may come--


s: May come, my love, my longing, my desire;


s: May come forgiven, shriven, to me his home,


s: And make his happy peace; nay, and aspire


s: To uplift Radha's veil, and learn at length


s: Lead him; say softly I shall chide his blindness,


s: And vex him with my angers; yet add this,


s: He shall not vainly sue for loving-kindness,


s: Nor miss to see me close, nor lose the bliss


s: All widowed, till he find the way to me;


s: Say that mine eyes are dim, my breast all anguish,


s: His steps come near, his anxious pleading face


s: While I--what, did he deem light loves so tender,


s: To yield him up my bosom's maiden splendour,


s: And fold him in my fragrance, and unbraid


s: My shining hair for him, and clasp him close


s: And sing him strains which only spirits know,


s: And make him captive with the silk-soft chain


s: Of twinned-wings brooding round him, and bestow


s: My gems, my moonlight-pearls, my girdle-gold,


s: While gained for ever, I shall dare to grow


s: Life to life with him, in the realms divine;


s: And--Love's large cup at happy overflow,


s: Yet ever to be filled--his eyes and mine


s: Will meet in that glad look, when Time's great gate


s: For even now (she sang) I see him pause,


s: Heart-stricken with the waste of heart he makes


s: Amid them;--all the bows of their bent brows


s: Wound him no more: no more for all their sakes


s: Plays he one note upon his amorous lute,


s: Pensive, as if his parted lips should say--


s: There is no more delight in the lute-strings,


s: Sweet Shadows! what thing has gone wrong?


s: They are dead, and the blossoms seem dying


s: "We will play no more, beautiful Shadows!


s: I am not now the Krishna who kissed you;


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Thereat,--as one who welcomes to her throne


s: A new-made Queen, and brings before it bound


s: Throned Radha; and--all treasonous follies chained--


s: He played no more with those first play-fellows:


s: But, searching through the shadows of the grove


s: For loveliest Radha,--when he found her not,


s: Faint with the quest, despairing, lonely, lorn,


s: And pierced with shame for wasted love and days,


s: He sate by Jumna, where the canes are thick,


s: And sang to the wood-echoes words like these:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and to the Mode_ YATI)


s: Radha, Enchantress! Radha, queen of all!


s: Gone--lost, because she found me sinning here;


s: I could not stay her out of shame and fear;


s: And if she heard, what would she do? what say?


s: What profit was it to me, night and day,


s: To live, love, dance, and dream, having her not?


s: I wronged thy patience, till it sighed away.


s: Remembering that one look beside the river,


s: Softer the vexed eyes seem, and the proud brow


s: Than lotus-leaves when the bees make them quiver.


s: Too late is Krishna wise--too far art thou!


s: Yet all day long in my deep heart I woo thee,


s: And all night long with thee my dreams are sweet;


s: Why, then, so vainly must my steps pursue thee?


s: Dear vanished Splendour! till my tears subdue thee?


s: Surpassing One! I knew thou didst not brook


s: Half-hearted worship, and a love that wavers;


s: Therefore I seek with desperate endeavours;


s: Me from my heaven, astray--condemned--forsook!


s: And yet I seem to feel, to know, thee near me;


s: Thy steps make music, measured music, near:


s: Radha! my Radha! will not sorrow clear me?


s: Shine once! speak one word pitiful and dear!


s: Canst thou--because I did forget--forsake me?


s: Forgive! the sin is sinned, is past, is over;


s: No thought I think shall do thee wrong again;


s: Bright Spirit! or I perish of this pain.


s: In dread of doom to love, but not recover.


s: There is no black snake, Kama! in my hair;


s: Blue lotus-bloom, and not the poisoned brine,


s: Shadows my neck; what stains my bosom bare,


s: Is sandal-dust, not ashes; nought of mine.


s: Makes me like Shiva that thou, Lord of Love!


s: Shouldst strain thy string at me and fit thy dart;


s: This world is thine--let be one breast thereof


s: Which bleeds already, wounded to the heart


s: Shot from those brows that did my sin reprove.


s: Thou gavest her those black brows for a bow


s: Arched like thine own, whose pointed arrows seem


s: Her glances, and the underlids that go--


s: So firm and fine--its string? Ah, fleeting gleam!


s: Small need of Kama's help hast thou, I trow,


s: To smite me to the soul with love;--but set


s: Those arrows to their silken cord! enchain


s: My thoughts in that loose hair! let thy lips, wet


s: With dew of heaven as bimba-buds with rain,


s: Of longing in my heart; and, keener yet,


s: Pant to my spirit things unseen, unsaid;


s: But if thy touch, thy tones, if the dark blossom


s: Of thy dear face, thy jasmine-odours shed


s: If these be all with me, canst thou be far--be fled?


s: _So sang he, and I pray that whoso hears


s: The music of his burning hopes and fears,


s: That whoso sees this vision by the River


s: Of Krishna, Hari, (can we name him ever?)


s: And marks his ear-ring rubies swinging slow,


s: As he sits still, unheedful, bending low


s: To play this tune upon his lute, while all


s: And Krishna wotteth nought, but, with set face


s: Turned full toward Radha's, sings on in that place;


s: May all such souls--prays Jayadev--be wise


s: To lean the wisdom which hereunder lies._


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Then she whom Radha sent came to the canes--


s: With listless limbs and spirit weak from love;--


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ KARNÂTA _and the Mode_ EKATÂLÎ.)


s: Art thou sick for Radha? she is sad in turn,


s: Heaven foregoes its blessings, if it holds not thee,


s: All the cooling fragrance of sandal she doth spurn,


s: Moonlight makes her mournful with radiance silvery;


s: Even the southern breeze blown fresh from pearly seas,


s: Seems to her but tainted by a dolorous brine;


s: And for thy sake discontented, with a great love overladen,


s: Her soul comes here beside thee, and sitteth down with thine.


s: Her soul comes here beside thee, and tenderly and true


s: It weaves a subtle mail of proof to ward off sin and pain;


s: A breastplate soft as lotus-leaf, with holy tears for dew,


s: To guard thee from the things that hurt; and then 'tis gone again


s: Kama's sweet world, a meeting-spot with rose and jasmine fair,


s: But now her lovely face is shadowed by her fears;


s: Her glorious eyes are veiled and dim like moonlight in eclipse


s: By breaking rain-clouds, Krishna! yet she paints you in her tears


s: And form and mien a King, a great and godlike thing;


s: And then with bended head she asks grace from the Love Divine,


s: To keep thee discontented with the phantoms thou forswearest,


s: Till she may win her glory, and thou be raised to thine.


s: _Strike soft strings to this soft measure,


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ DESHÂGA _and the Mode_ EKATÂLÎ.)


s: Krishna, till thou come unto her, all the sandal and the flowers


s: Krishna, till thou come unto her, angel though she be, thy Love


s: Krishna, till them come unto her, with the comfort of thy kiss


s: Deeper than thy loss, O Krishna! must be loss of Radha's bliss.


s: To save the shepherd's threatened flock,


s: Up from the earth reared the huge rock--


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Say where I am, and win her softly hither."


s: On the hills all the grass is burned yellow;


s: Droop with tendrils that mock by their clinging


s: In the blossoms their small horns are blowing


s: And the haunts of his beautiful playmates,


s: Now thy name is his playmate--that only!--


s: From the sand make the couch where he lies,


s: Yea, Lady! in the self-same spot he waits


s: Where with thy kiss thou taught'st him utmost love,


s: And drew him, as none else draws, with thy look;


s: And all day long, and all night long, his cry


s: Is "Radha, Radha," like a spell said o'er:


s: And in his heart there lives no wish nor hope


s: Save only this, to slake his spirit's thirst


s: For Radha's love with Radha's lips; and find


s: Peace on the immortal beauty of thy breast.


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and the Mode_ EKATÂLÎ.)


s: Swift and still as lightning's splendour


s: Wherefore didst thou lead him heav'nward


s: And then the Maid, compassionate, sang on--


s: He listens in the wood, with love sore-tried;


s: He sends his thoughts afoot to meet his bride.


s: The darkness falls as deep as Krishna's sorrow;


s: Than mine, and soon gray dawn will bring white morrow.


s: Of doubt or 'plaining; and the dread has passed.


s: In bowers of earth between lover and lover:


s: In the strong certainty of joys immortal;


s: Of lips that close beyond Time's shadowy portal.


s: This glory and this joy with Krishna. Go!


s: The prize it promised,--see thee coming slow,


s: A lovely, loving soul, true to its home;


s: Upon his breast, and live there. Radha, come!


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: But seeing that, for all her loving will,


s: The flower-soft feet of Radha had not power


s: To leave their place and go, she sped again--


s: That maiden--and to Krishna's eager ears


s: Told how it fared with his sweet mistress there.


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GONDAKIRÎ _and the Mode_ RUPAKA.)


s: Krishna! 'tis thou must come, (she sang)


s: Her steps would fail if she tried to come,


s: Would falter and fail, with yearning weak;


s: At the first of the road they would falter and pause,


s: Wearing thine emblems, and musing of nought


s: And a love-look lightens her eyes in the gloom,


s: And the darkness is sweet with her sighs.


s: Till, watching in vain, she glideth again


s: Under the shade of the whispering leaves;


s: With a heart too full of its love at last


s: Is Love, that Radha sits drooping there,


s: Her beautiful bosoms panting with thought,


s: And--angel albeit--her rich lips breathe


s: And--if spirits can tremble--she trembles now


s: To end, and be waking and certain and true;


s: And, dreaming, she loosens her girdle-pearls,


s: Then starts, if a leaf of the champâk falls,


s: Which led--though long--to Love's abode._


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Meantime the moon, the rolling moon, clomb high,


s: The moon which on the front of gentle night


s: Gleams like the chundun-mark on beauty's brow;


s: The conscious moon which hath its silver face


s: Marred with the shame of lighting earthly loves:


s: And while the round white lamp of earth rose higher,


s: Sang soft impatience and half-earnest fears:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ MÂLAVA _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: 'Tis time!--he comes not!--will he come?


s: Yet, if I wrong him! (sang she)--can he fail?


s: Could any in the wood win back his kisses?


s: To hold him from my arms? any love-blisses


s: Blind him once more to mine? O Soul, my prize!


s: Art thou not merely hindered at this hour?


s: Sore-wearied, wandering, lost? how otherwise


s: Shouldst thou not hasten to the bridal-bower?


s: Alone, with eyes cast down and lingering steps,


s: Of Krishna false; and her quick thoughts took shape


s: In a fine jealousy, with words like these--


s: Sink and rise the warm, white pearl-strings,


s: On his neck she lies and smiles there:--


s: O Moon! (she sang) that art so pure and pale,


s: Is Krishna wan like thee with lonely waiting?


s: O lamp of love! art thou the lover's friend,


s: And wilt not bring him, my long pain abating?


s: O fruitless moon! thou dost increase my pain


s: O faithless Krishna! I have striven in vain.


s: And then, lost in her fancies sad, she moaned--


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and the Mode_ EKATÂLÎ)


s: Earth will of earth! I mourn more than I blame;


s: If he had known, he would not sit and paint


s: The tilka on her smooth black brow, nor claim


s: Quick kisses from her yielded lips--false, faint--


s: False, fragrant, fatal! Krishna's quest is o'er


s: The temptress was too near, the heav'n too far;


s: Garlands of fire-flowers for her loosened hair,


s: Make then the most of that whereto thou'rt given,


s: Feign her thy Paradise--thy Love of loves;


s: Say that her eyes are stars, her face the heaven,


s: Her bosoms the two worlds, with sandal-groves


s: Full-scented, and the kiss-marks--ah, thy dream


s: And vain to string the emeralds on her arm,


s: And hang the milky pearls upon her neck,


s: Of crowded, glossy bees, come there to suck


s: The rosebuds of her breast, the sweetest flowers


s: Nor wilt thou so believe thine own blind wooing,


s: Nor slake thy heart's thirst even with the cup


s: Which at the last she brims for thee, undoing


s: Her girdle of carved gold, and yielding up,


s: Love's uttermost: brief the poor gain and pride


s: Is love that feeds on shadow; vain, as thou dost,


s: For that which lives not there; and vain, as thou must,


s: To marvel why the painted pleasure flies,


s: When the fair, false wings seemed folded for ever


s: For me too is it, having so much striven,


s: To see this slight snare take thee, and thy soul


s: Which should have climbed to mine, and shared my heaven,


s: Spent on a lower loveliness, whose whole


s: For on some isle of Jumna's silver stream


s: He gives all that they ask to those hard eyes,


s: While mine which are his angel's, mine which gleam


s: With light that might have led him to the skies--


s: That almost led him--are eclipsed with tears


s: Hang not thy head for shame, nor come so slowly,


s: As one whose message is too ill to tell;


s: If thou must say Krishna is forfeit wholly--


s: Wholly forsworn and lost--let the grief dwell


s: Where the sin doth,--except in this sad heart,


s: Then in this other strain she wailed his loss--


s: The rose-leaf palms that cling and clasp,


s: But love is strong to pardon, slow to part,


s: And still the Lady, in her fancies, sang--


s: A little--oh! a little--breathe once more


s: The fragrance like his mouth's! blow from thy shore


s: Show him once more to me a minute's space,


s: My Krishna, with the love-look in his face,


s: To thy stern will, and bow myself to it,


s: Enduring still, though desolate, to live:


s: To feel the zephyrs burn, the sunlight sad,


s: The peace of holy heaven, a restless strife.


s: Whither love draws me for a soul loved so?


s: How yet endure such sorrow?--or how cease?


s: If that thou canst, blow poison here, not nard;


s: God of the five shafts! shoot thy sharpest hard,


s: Yamûn! be Yama's sister! be Death's kin!


s: Cooling this cruel, burning pain for ever.


s: Glides slow, with murmurs low and sweet,


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: In these vain fears, and the clear morning broke,


s: Lo, Krishna! lo, the longed-for of her soul


s: Came too!--in the glad light he came, and bent


s: Fear, wonder, joy, passion, and reverence


s: Strove for the trembling words, and Radha knew


s: Peace won for him and her; yet none the less


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ BHAIRAVÎ _and the Mode_ YATI)


s: Krishna!--then thou hast found me!--and thine eyes


s: Heavy and sad and stained, as if with weeping!


s: Ah! is it not that those, which were thy prize,


s: So radiant seemed that all night thou wert keeping


s: Vigils of tender wooing?--have thy Love!


s: Here is no place for vows broken in making;


s: Thou Lotus-eyed! thou soul for whom I strove!


s: Go! ere I listen, my just mind forsaking.


s: Krishna! my Krishna with the woodland-wreath!


s: The while thy very lips are dark to the teeth


s: With dye that from her lids and lashes came,


s: Left on the mouth I touched. Fair traitor! go!


s: Say not they darkened, lacking food and sleep


s: Long waiting for my face; I turn it--so--


s: Go! ere I half believe thee, pleading deep;


s: But wilt thou plead, when, like a love-verse printed


s: I see the marks she stamped, the kisses dinted


s: Large-lettered, by her lips? thy speech withheld


s: Speaks all too plainly; go,--abide thy choice!


s: If thou dost stay, I shall more greatly grieve thee;


s: Not records of her victory?--peace, dear voice!


s: Hence with that godlike brow, lest I believe thee.


s: For dar'st thou feign the saffron on thy bosom


s: Or that this many-coloured love-tree blossom


s: Shone not, but yesternight, above her face?


s: Comest thou here, so late, to be forgiven,


s: O thou, in whose eyes Truth was made to live?


s: O thou, so worthy else of grace and heaven?


s: Go, Krishna! go!--lest I should think, unwise,


s: Thy heart not false, as thy long lingering seems,


s: Lest, seeing myself so imaged in thine eyes,


s: I shame the name of Pity--turn to dreams


s: The sacred sound of vows; make Virtue grudge


s: Her praise to Mercy, calling thy sin slight;


s: Go therefore, dear offender! go! thy Judge


s: Had best not see thee to give sentence right.


s: _But may he grant us peace at last and bliss


s: Who heard,--and smiled to hear,--delays like this,


s: Delays that dallied with a dream come true,


s: Fond wilful angers; for the maid laughed too


s: His dark role for her veil, and Krishna make


s: The word she spoke for parting kindliest sign


s: He should not go, but stay. O grace divine,


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Yet not quite did the doubts of Radha die,


s: Nor her sweet brows unbend; but she, the Maid--


s: Knowing her heart so tender, her soft arms


s: Aching to take him in, her rich mouth sad


s: For the comfort of his kiss, and these fears false--


s: Spake yet a little in fair words like these:


s: _(What follows is to the Music_ GURJJARÎ _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: The lesson that thy faithful love has taught him


s: The wind of spring, obeying thee, hath brought him


s: What joy in all the three worlds was so precious


s: Lift thy face, and let the jealous veil reveal


s: Remember, being distant, how he bore thee


s: Look on him sadly turning from before thee


s: Is he not the soul thou lovedst, sitting lonely


s: He who grants thee high delight in bridal-bower


s: What the gods do love may do at such an hour


s: Why weepest thou? why keepest thou in anger


s: Lift thine eyes now, and look on him, bestowing,


s: Let him pluck at last the flower so sweetly growing


s: The fruit of lips, of loving tones, of glances


s: Let him speak with thee, and pray to thee, and prove thee


s: Let his silent loving lamentation move thee


s: How knowest thou? All, listen, dearest Lady,


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: But she, abasing still her glorious eyes,


s: And still not yielding all her face to him,


s: Relented; till with softer upturned look


s: She smiled, while the Maid pleaded; so thereat


s: Mixed sighs with words in this fond song he sang:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ DESHÎYAVARÂDÎ _and the Mode_


s: My fear is lost in love, my love in fear;


s: This bids me trust my burning wish, and come,


s: That checks me with its memories, drawing near:


s: Lift up thy look, and let the thing it saith


s: End fear with grace, or darken love to death.


s: Or only speak once more, for though thou slay me,


s: Thy heavenly mouth must move, and I shall hear


s: Dulcet delights of perfect music sway me


s: Again--again that voice so blest and dear;


s: Sweet Judge! the prisoner prayeth for his doom


s: That he may hear his fate divinely come.


s: Speak once more! then thou canst not choose but show


s: Thy mouth's unparalleled and honeyed wonder


s: Where, like pearls hid in red-lipped shells, the row


s: Of pearly teeth thy rose-red lips lie under;


s: Ah me! I am that bird that woos the moon,


s: And pipes--poor fool! to make it glitter soon.


s: The passion of my soul, because my gladness


s: Will pour forth from my heart;--since that far day


s: When through the mist of all my sin and sadness


s: Thou didst vouchsafe--Surpassing One!--to break,


s: All else I slighted for thy noblest sake.


s: Thou, thou hast been my blood, my breath, my being;


s: The pearl to plunge for in the sea of life;


s: The sight to strain for, past the bounds of seeing;


s: The victory to win through longest strife;


s: My Queen! my crowned Mistress! my sphered bride!


s: Take this for truth, that what I say beside.


s: Of bold love--grown full-orbed at sight of thee--


s: For, thou divine fulfilment of all hope!


s: Thou all-undreamed completion of the vision!


s: Passes as clouds do, when the moon shines clear.


s: So if thou'rt angry still, this shall avail,


s: Look straight at me, and let thy bright glance wound me;


s: Of thy delicious arms; make fast around me


s: The silk-soft manacles of wrists and hands,


s: Then kill me! I shall never break those bands.


s: Have not my right to hear thy beating heart;


s: The happy jasmine-buds that clasp thy waist


s: If that fair girdle only there must shine,


s: Give me the girdle's life--the girdle mine!


s: Thy brow like smooth Bandhûka-leaves; thy cheek


s: Which the dark-tinted Madhuk's velvet shows;


s: Thy long-lashed Lotus eyes, lustrous and meek;


s: Thy nose a Tila-bud; thy teeth like rows


s: Points with thy lovelinesses all five darts.


s: But Radiant, Perfect, Sweet, Supreme, forgive!


s: My heart is wise--my tongue is foolish still:


s: I know that thou art Radha--that this will


s: Last and be heaven: that I have leave to rise


s: Up from thy feet, and look into thine eyes!


s: And a heart afraid,--so bold it is grown--


s: To hold thy hand with a bridegroom's touch,


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: Thus followed soft and lasting peace, and griefs


s: Died while she listened to his tender tongue,


s: And while he led the way to the bride-bower


s: The maidens of her train adorned her fair


s: With golden marriage-cloths, and sang this song:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ VASANTA _and the Mode_ YATI.)


s: Hath found the road by tears and prayers


s: And all soft thoughts and things and hopes


s: So follow! while the flowers break forth


s: Though thy steps are faint for pleasure,


s: "_Mine_! "--hark! we are near enough for hearing--


s: "_Soon she will come--she will smile--she will say


s: Honey-sweet words of heavenly endearing;


s: O soul! listen; my Bride is on her way!_"


s: The night that scents her breath so sweet


s: So came she where he stood, awaiting her


s: At the bower's entry, like a god to see,


s: With marriage-gladness and the grace of heaven.


s: The great pearl set upon his glorious head


s: Shone like a moon among the leaves, and shone


s: Like stars the gems that kept her gold gown close:


s: But still a little while she paused--abashed


s: At her delight, of her deep joy afraid--


s: And they that tended her sang once more this:


s: (_What follows is to the Music_ VARÂDI _and the Mode_ RUPAKA.)


s: Enter, thrice-happy! enter, thrice-desired!


s: With the soul destined to thee from of old.


s: Tremble not! lay thy lovely shame aside;


s: Lay it aside with thine unfastened zone,


s: And love him with the love that knows not fear,


s: Because it fears not change; enter thou in,


s: Flower of all sweet and stainless womanhood!


s: Enter beneath the flowers, O flower-fair!


s: Beneath these tendrils, Loveliest! that entwine


s: And clasp, and wreathe and cling, with kissing stems;


s: Enter, with tender-blowing airs of heaven,


s: Soft as love's breath and gentle as the tones


s: Of lover's whispers, when the lips come close:


s: Enter the marriage-bower, most beautiful!


s: And take and give the joy that Hari grants,


s: Thy heart has entered, let thy feet go too!


s: Lo, Krishna! lo, the one that thirsts for thee!


s: Give him the drink of amrit from thy lips.


s: Then she, no more delaying, entered straight;


s: Her step a little faltered, but her face


s: Shone with unutterable quick love; and--while,


s: The music of her bangles passed the porch--


s: Shame, which had lingered in her downcast eyes,


s: Departed shamed ... and like the mighty deep,


s: Which sees the moon and rises, all his life


s: (_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_


s: "Upon whose brow shame is ashamed to sit"


s: Sing something, Jymul Rao! for the goats are gathered now,


s: The village-gates are set, and the night is gray as yet,


s: God hath given wondrous fancies to thee:--sing!


s: And the girls sit in a tangle, and hush the tinkling bangle,


s: While the boys pile the flame with store of sticks.


s: And vain of village praise, but full of ancient days,


s: He begins with a smile and with a sigh--


s: "Who knows the babul-tree by the bend of the Ravee?"


s: Quoth Gunesh, "I!" and twenty voices, "I!"


s: "Well--listen! there below, in the shade of bloom and bough,


s: Is a musjid of carved and coloured stone;


s: And Abdool Shureef Khan--I spit, to name that man!--


s: "He was Sultan Mahmoud's vassal, and wore an Amir's tassel


s: Yet the head which went so proud, it is not in his shroud;


s: There are bones in that grave,--but not a skull!


s: "And, deep drove in his breast, there moulders with the rest


s: A dagger, brighter once than Chundra's ray;


s: A Rajpoot lohar whet it, and a Rajpoot woman set it


s: Past the power of any hand to tear away.


s: "'Twas the Ranee Neila true, the wife of Soorj Dehu,


s: You shall hear the mournful story, with its sorrow and its glory,


s: All in the wide Five-Waters was none like Soorj Dehu,


s: To foeman who so dreadful, to friend what heart so true?


s: Like Indus, through the mountains came down the Muslim ranks,


s: And town-walls fell before them as flooded river-banks;


s: But Soorj Dehu the Rajpoot owned neither town nor wall;


s: His house the camp, his roof-tree the sky that covers all;


s: His seat of state the saddle; his robe a shirt of mail;


s: His court a thousand Rajpoots close at his stallion's tail.


s: Not less was Soorj a Rajah because no crown he wore


s: Save the grim helm of iron with sword-marks dinted o'er;


s: Because he grasped no sceptre save the sharp tulwar, made


s: Broke up with spear and matchlock the Muslim's "Illahu."


s: And many a day of battle upon the Muslim proud


s: Tell Soorj, as India's lightning falls from the silent cloud.


s: Nor ever shot nor arrow, nor spear nor slinger's stone,


s: Could pierce the mail that Neila the Ranee buckled on:


s: Then at the noon, in durbar, swore fiercely Shureef Khan


s: That Soorj should die in torment, or live a Mussulman.


s: But Soorj laughed lightly at him, and answered, "Work your will!


s: The last breath of my body shall curse your Prophet still."


s: With words of insult shameful, and deeds of cruel kind,


s: They vexed that Rajpoot's body, but never moved his mind.


s: And one is come who sayeth, "Ho! Rajpoots! Soorj is bound;


s: Your lord is caged and baited by Shureef Khan, the hound.


s: "All day the coward Muslims spend on him rage and spite;


s: If ye have thought to help him, 'twere good ye go to-night."


s: Up sprang a hundred horsemen, flashed in each hand a sword;


s: In each heart burned the gladness of dying for their lord;


s: Up rose each Rajpoot rider, and buckled on with speed


s: The bridle-chain and breast-cord, and the saddle of his steed.


s: But unto none sad Neila gave word to mount and ride;


s: Only she called the brothers of Soorj unto her side,


s: And said, "Take order straightway to seek this camp with me;


s: If love and craft can conquer, a thousand is as three.


s: "If love be weak to save him, Soorj dies--and ye return,


s: For where a Rajpoot dieth, the Rajpoot widows burn."


s: Thereat the Ranee Neila unbraided from her hair


s: And all across her bosoms--like lotus-buds to see--


s: She wrapped the tinselled sari of a dancing Kunchenee;


s: And fastened on her ankles the hundred silver bells,


s: To whose light laugh of music the Nautch-girl darts and dwells.


s: And all in dress a Nautch-girl, but all in heart a queen,


s: She set her foot to stirrup with a sad and settled mien.


s: Only one thing she carried no Kunchenee should bear,


s: The knife between her bosoms;--ho, Shureef! have a care!


s: Thereat, with running ditty of mingled pride and pity,


s: And the girls with tearful eyes note the music's fall and rise,


s: All day lay Soorj the Rajpoot in Shureef's iron cage,


s: All day the coward Muslims spent on him spite and rage.


s: With bitter cruel torments, and deeds of shameful kind,


s: They racked and broke his body, but could not shake his mind.


s: And only at the Azan, when all their worst was vain,


s: They left him, like dogs slinking from a lion in his pain.


s: No meat nor drink they gave him through all that burning day,


s: And done to death, but scornful, at twilight-time he lay.


s: So when the gem of Shiva uprose, the shining moon,


s: Soorj spake unto his spirit, "The end is coming soon."


s: "I would the end might hasten, could Neila only know--


s: What is that Nautch-girl singing with voice so known and low?


s: "Singing beneath the cage-bars the song of love and fear


s: My Neila sang at parting!--what doth that Nautch-girl here?


s: "Whence comes she by the music of Neila's tender strain,


s: She, in that shameless tinsel?--O Nautch-girl, sing again!"


s: "Ah, Soorj!"--so followed answer--"here thine own Neila stands,


s: Faithful in life and death alike,--look up, and take my hands:


s: "Speak low, lest the guard hear us;--to-night, if thou must die,


s: Shureef shall have no triumph, but bear thee company."


s: So sang she like the Koil that dies beside its mate;


s: With eye as black and fearless, and love as hot and great.


s: Then the Chief laid his pale lips upon the little palm,


s: And sank down with a smile of love, his face all glad and calm;


s: And through the cage-bars Neila felt the brave heart stop fast,


s: "O Soorj!"--she cried--"I follow! have patience to the last."


s: She turned and went. "Who passes?" challenged the Mussulman;


s: "Ask if the high chief-captain be pleased to hear me sing;"


s: And Shureef, full of feasting, the Kunchenee bade bring.


s: Then, all before the Muslims, aflame with lawless wine,


s: Entered the Ranee Neila, in grace and face divine;


s: And all before the Muslims, wagging their goatish chins,


s: The Rajpoot Princess set her to the "bee-dance" that begins,


s: "_If my love loved me, he should be a bee,


s: I the yellow champâk, love the honey of me._"


s: All the wreathed movements danced she of that dance;


s: Not a step she slighted, not a wanton glance;


s: In her unveiled bosom chased th' intruding bee,