BALLAD. ALICE BRAND. Merry it is in the good greenwood, When the mavis* and merle † are singing, When the deer sweeps by, and the hounds are in cry, And the hunter's horn is ringing. "O Alice Brand, my native land Is lost for love of you; And we must hold by wood and wold, As outlaws wont to do. "O Alice, 'twas all for thy locks so bright, "Now must I teach to hew the beech, "And for vest of pall, thy fingers small, A cloak must shear from the slaughtered deer "O Richard! if my brother died, "If pall and vair no more I wear, Nor thou the crimson sheen, As warm, we'll say, is the russet gray, "And, Richard, if our lot be hard, And lost thy native land, * Thrush. ↑ Blackbird. XIII. BALLAD-Continued. 'Tis merry, 'tis merry, in good greenwood, So blithe Lady Alice is singing; On the beech's pride, and oak's brown side, Lord Richard's axe is ringing. Up spoke the moody Elfin King, Who wonn'd within the hill, Like wind in the porch of a ruin'd church, His voice was ghostly shrill. 66 Why sounds yon stroke on beach and oak, Our moonlight circle's screen? Or who comes here to chase the deer, Or who may dare on wold to wear “Up, Urgan, up! to yon mortal hie, "Lay on him the curse of the wither'd heart, The curse of the sleepless eye; Till he wish and pray that his life would part, Nor yet find leave to die." XIV. BALLAD-Continued. 'Tis merry, 'tis merry, in good greenwood, Though the birds have still'd their singing; The evening blaze doth Alice raise, And Richard his fagots bringing. Up Urgan starts, that hideous dwarf, And, as he cross'd and bless'd himself, But out then spoke she, Alice Brand, That woman void of fear,"And if there's blood upon his hand, 'Tis but the blood of deer."- "Now loud thou liest, thou bold of mood! It cleaves unto his hand, The stain of thine own kindly blood, The blood of Ethert Brand." Then forward stepp'd she, Alice Brand, "And if there's blood on Richard's hand, "And I conjure thee, Demon elf, XV. BALLAD-Continued. 'Tis merry, 'tis merry, in Fairy-land, When fairy birds are singing, When the court doth ride by the monarch's side, With bit and bridle ringing: "And gaily shines the Fairy-land But all its glistening show, Like the idle gleam that December's beam Can dart on ice and snow. "And fading like that varied gleam, Is our inconstant shape, Who now like knight and lady seem, 'It was between the night and day, That I sunk down in a sinful fray, "But wist I of a woman bold, Who thrice my brow durst sign, As fair a form as thine." She cross'd him once-she cross'd him twice That lady was so brave; The fouler grew his goblin hue, The darker grew the cave. She cross'd him thrice, that lady bold; He rose beneath her hand The fairest knight on Scottish mold, Her brother, Ethert Brand! Merry it is in good greenwood, When the mavis and merle are singing, XVI. Just as the minstrel sounds were staid, 'Tis Snowdoun's Knight, 'tis James Fitz-James, Ellen beheld as in a dream, Then, starting, scarce suppress'd a scream: "O stranger! in such hour of fear, What evil hap has brought thee here?" "An evil hap, how can it be, That bids me look again on thee? "The happy path! what! said he nought Of war, of battle to be fought, Of guarded pass?”- "No, by my faith! XVII. "Sweet Ellen, dear my life must be, Since it is worthy care from thee; Yet life I hold but idle breath, When love or honour's weigh'd with death. Then let me profit by my chance, And speak my purpose bold at once. I come to bear thee from a wild, Where ne'er before such blossom smiled; By this soft hand to lead thee far Near Bochastle my horses wait; |