t-horse he!
Harnessed up for citizens,
Nor a ramping party-hack
Full of showy kicks and neighs.

For my little winged steed's
Hoofs are shod with solid gold
And his bridle, dragging free,
Is a rope of gleaming pearls.

Bear me wheresoe'er thou wouldst--
To some lofty mountain-trail
Where the torrents toss and shriek
Warnings over folly's gulf.

Bear me through the silent vales
Where the solemn oaks arise
From whose twisted roots there well
Ancient springs of fairy lore.

There, oh, let me drink--mine eyes
Let me lave--Oh, how I thirst
For that flashing wonder-spring,
Full of wisdom and of light.

All my blindness flees. My glance
Pierces to the dimmest cave,
To the lair of Atta Troll,
And his speech I understand!

Strange it is--this bearish speech
Hath a most familiar ring!
Once, methinks, I heard such tones
In my own dear native land.

[Illustration]

CANTO IV

Roncesvalles, thou noble vale!
When thy golden name I hear,
Then the lost blue flower blooms
Once again within my heart!

All the glittering world of dreams
Rises from its hoary gulf,
And with great and ghostly eyes
Stares upon me till I quake!

What a stir and clang! The Franks
Battle with the Saracens,
While a thin, despairing wail
Pours like blood from Roland's horn.

In the Vale of Roncesvalles,
Close beside great Roland's Gap--
So 'twas named because the Knight
Once to clear himself a path.

Now this youngest was the pet
Of his mother. Once in play
Chewing off his tiny ear--
She devoured it for love.

A most genial youth is he,
Clever in gymnastic tricks,
Throwing somersaults as clever
As dear Massmann's somersaults.

Blossom of the pristine cult,
For the mother-tongue he raves,
Scorning all the senseless jargon
Of the Romans and the Greeks.

"Fresh and pious, gay and free,"
Hating all that smacks of soap
Or the modern craze for baths--
Verily like Massmann too!

Most inspired is this youth
When he clambers up the tree
Which from out the hollow gorge
Rears itself along the cliff,

Rears and lifts unto the crest
Where at night this jolly band
Squat and loll about t