will
Joyfully now sing the praises
Of a pastor in the country.
Simple is his life, and narrow:
Where the village ends, end also
All his labours and endeavours.
While men slaughtered one another,
In the bloody Thirty Years' War,
For God's honour, the calm grandeur
Of the Schwarzwald's solemn pine-woods
Breathed its peace into his soul.
Spider-webs spread o'er his book-shelves;
And, 'mid all the theologians'
Squabbles, he most likely never
Had read one polemic treatise.
With dogmatics altogether,
Science in her heavy armour,
He possessed but slight acquaintance.
But, whenever 'mongst his people
Could some discord be adjusted--
When the spiteful neighbours quarrelled;
When the demon of dissension
Marriage marred and children's duty;
When the daily load of sorrow
Heavily weighed down some poor man,
And the needy longing soul looked
Eagerly for consolation--
Then, as messenger from Heaven,
To his flock the old man hastened;
From the depths of his heart's treasure
Gave to each advice and comfort.
And if, in a distant village,
Someone lay upon a sick-bed,
With grim Death hard battle waging,
Then--at midnight--at each hour,
When a knock came at his hall-door--
E'en if snow the pathway covered--
Undismayed he went to comfort
And bestow the sacred blessing.
Solitary was his own life,
For his nearest friends were only
His two noble dogs (St. Bernards).
His reward: a little child oft
Bashfully approached him, kissing
His old hand with timid reverence;
Also oft a grateful smile played
O'er the features of the dying,
Which was meant for the old priest.

Unperceived the old man came now
By the border of the forest,
To the Trumpeter whose last notes
Rang resounding in the distance,
Tapped him friendly on the shoulder:
"My young master, may God bless you,
'Twas a fine tune you were playing!
Since the horsemen of the emperor
Buried here their serjeant-major,
Whom a Swedish cannon-ball had
Wounded mortally at Rhinefeld,
And they blew as a farewell then
The Reveille for their dead comrade--
Though 'tis long since it has happened,
I have never hea