him to repeat some old ballad, he knew so many. The student looked towards Isilda; her eyes had more persuasive eloquence than even his sister’s words, and he began:——    

“THE ELLE-MAID GAY.[1]    

“Ridest by the woodland, Ludwig, Ludwig,
      Ridest by the woodland gray?
    Who sits by the woodland, Ludwig, Ludwig?
      It is the Elle-maid gay.    

“A kiss on thy lips lies, Ludwig, Ludwig,
      Pure as the dews of May:
    Think on thine own love, brown-haired Ludwig,
      And not on an Elle-maid gay.    

“She sits ’neath a linden, singing, singing,
      Though her dropped lids nothing say;
    For her beauty lures whether smiling or singing,
      For she is an Elle-maid gay.    

“‘Thou hast drunk of my wine-cup, Ludwig, Ludwig,
      Thou hast drunk of my lips this day;
    I am no more false than thou, young Ludwig,
      Though I am an Elle-maid gay.’    

“‘Ride fast from the woodland, Ludwig, Ludwig,’
      Her laughter tracks his way;
    ‘Didst thou clasp a fair woman, Ludwig, Ludwig,
      And found her an Elle-maid gay?’    

“‘Flee, flee!’ they cry, ‘he is mad, Count Ludwig;
      He rides through the street to-day
    With his beard unshorn, and his cloak brier-torn:
      He has met with the Elle-maid gay.’    

“‘I fear him not, my knight, my Ludwig’
      (The bride’s dear lips did say),
    ‘Though he comes from the woodland, he is my Ludwig;
      He saw not the Elle-maid gay.    

“‘Welcome, my lord, my love, my Ludwig!’

 Prev. P 49/142 next