Saracens, vows to hang the
chain before the chapel of the Virgin, if ever he returns home.

"A ti ped, vierge Mario,
Ma cadeno penjarai,
Se jamai
Tourne mai
A Moustie, dins ma patrio!"

There is the tale of the Princess Clemence, daughter of a king of
Provence. Her father was deformed, and the heir-presumptive to the
French crown sought her in marriage. In order that the prince might be
sure she had inherited none of the father's deformity, she was called
upon to show herself in the garb of Lady Godiva before his ambassadors.
This rather delicate subject is handled with consummate art.

The idea of federalism is found expressed with sufficient clearness in
various parts of these poems of the Golden Isles, and the patriotism of
the poet, his love of France, is perfectly evident, in spite of all that
has been said to the contrary. In the poem addressed to the Catalans,
after numerous allusions to the dissensions and rebellions of bygone
days, we read:--

"Now, however, it is clear; now, however, we know that in the divine
order all is for the best; the Provencals, a unanimous flame, are part
of great France, frankly, loyally; the Catalans, with good-will, are
part of magnanimous Spain. For the brook must flow to the sea, and the
stone must fall on the heap; the wheat is best protected from the
treacherous cold wind when planted close; and the little boats, if they
are to navigate safely, when the waves are black and the air dark, must
sail together. For it is good to be many, it is a fine thing to say, 'We
are children of France!'"

But in days of peace let each province develop its own life in its own
way.

"And France and Spain, when they see their children warming themselves
together in the sunbeams of the fatherland, singing matins out of the
same book, will say, 'The children have sense enough, let them laugh and
play together, now they are old enough to be free.'

"And we shall see, I promise you, the ancient freedom come down, O
happiness, upon the smallest city, and love alone bind the races
together; and if ever the black talon of the tyrant is seen, all the
races will bound up to drive out the bird of prey!"

Of all the poems of Mistral expressing this order of ideas, the one
entitled _The Countess_ made the greatest stir. It appeared in 1866, and
called forth much angry discussion and imputation of treason from the
enemies of the new movement. _The Countess_ is an allego