StoryTitle("caps", "The Ballad of Saint Athracta's Stags") ?>
PoemStart() ?>
PagePoem(69, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Athracta was a maiden fair, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "A Prince's daughter she;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Down to her feet fell golden hair, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "A wondrous sight to see.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And all amid this golden shower, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The sweetest rosebud face", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Blossomed like a dew-fed flower ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Upon a stem of grace.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Yet loved she not the court of kings, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "But in the wild would be,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "With but one maid her hair to braid ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And bear her company.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So, near Lough Cara's silver sheen, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "They built of turf and bark", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A hut wherein from springtide green ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "They dwelt through winter's dark. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "On seven cross-roads the hut was made, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "That they might offer rest", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To pilgrims by the night waylaid, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And strangers hunger-pressed.", "") ?>
PagePoem(70, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To draw them water from the lake, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "To till their little soil,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Two ancient horses did they take, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Outworn for other toil.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Once gallant chargers these had been, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Keen-eyed and prancing gay,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Who tourneys brave and wars had seen, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "All decked in bright array.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But now their age in peace was spent ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "By kind Athracta's side;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "No gallant wars, no tournament, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And yet they served with pride. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Their neighbors in the forest glades ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Were stately, antlered deer, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Nor of the two most holy maids", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Had these, their brothers, fear. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So dwelt the maidens there alone ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "For many months and years, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The doings of the world unknown, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Its wars, its woes, its tears.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But strife was stirring in the land, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And kings must castles build,", "") ?>
PagePoem(71, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To guard them from the foeman's hand ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With fire and weapon filled.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And so the King's most stern decree ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Went forth upon a day,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"My serfs must build a fort for me, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Each must his service pay. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"Each man and maiden must fulfill ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "In this great work his share;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It is the King of Connaught's will, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Let tardy hands beware!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Athracta sent unto the King:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"We be but maidens twain,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "My Liege, we cannot do this thing, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "I beg we may refrain.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But sternly sent he back the word,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"Ye maids must do your part.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He was a hard and cruel lord,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "No pity touched his heart.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So forth they fared into the wood, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Athracta with her maid,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To fell the timber as they could, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Without of men for aid.", "") ?>
PagePoem(72, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Heavy the axe and full of pain ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Each weak and skill-less stroke, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Yet strove the maids again, again, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With walnut, beech, and oak. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Until upon the wagon cast", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "By which the horses stood,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Their bleeding hands had piled at last ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The goodly logs of wood.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But when Athracta saw the steeds ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Straining with feeble will", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To draw the heavy load, it needs ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Must make her eyes to fill. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Athracta spoke all piteously,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"Alack! poor broken things, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Must you, too, bear your painful share ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "To save the pride of Kings?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"How can I ease your burden, how,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "My faithful servants still?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "My little bands are bleeding now ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With toil beyond their skill.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"O mistress dear,\" then spoke her maid,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"These be but feeble nags;", "") ?>
PagePoem(73, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "How would the King's pride be dismayed ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "If you could harness Stags!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"Thou sayest well,\" Athracta vowed. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"Come hither, Stags!\" she cried, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And lo! the thud of hoofs grew loud ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Ere yet the echo died.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"Come hither, Stags!\" O'er green and glade", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The silver summons thrilled, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And soon the space about the maid ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With antlered kings was filled. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Through moss and fern and tangled trees ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Twelve panting creatures broke,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And bending low their stately knees ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "They knelt beneath the yoke. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Now harnessed in the horses' stead ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The great Stags strained their best, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "To please the lady at their head ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And follow her behest.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But lo! a vexing thing then happed; ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Scarce had they gained the road,", "") ?>
PagePoem(74, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The rusty chains of iron snapped ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Beneath the heavy load.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Yet paused she not in weak despair, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "This noble-hearted maid,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But loosed her heavy golden hair ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Out from its double braid.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "She loosed her locks so wonder-bright ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And shook them to the breeze;—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "It seemed a beam of yellow light ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Had sifted through the trees. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Then from amid this golden net ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "She plucked some silken strands. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And where the chains had first been set ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "She bound them with her hands. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "She tied the ends against the strain, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And knotted them with care,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Then bade the Stags pull once again ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Upon the ropes of hair.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And lo! the slender harness held, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And lo! the antlered steeds ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Went forth to prove their generous love ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Lent to a maiden's needs.", "") ?>
PagePoem(75, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Straight to the King her gift they bore ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "To fill his heart with shame;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And her true maiden went before ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "To show him whence they came. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Now when the King this wonder saw ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "He turned all pale and red,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"She hath a greater power than law,\" ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "He vowed, and bowed his head. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"She hath a greater power than I, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Whose slaves the wild stags be, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And golden hair like this might snare ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "E'en the wild heart of me.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"No need to her of castles stout. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "No need of moat or tower, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "With antlered guardians about ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Her lonely wild-wood bower. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"No need to her of watch or ward. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With friends like these at hand; ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Bid her from me henceforth to be ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Queen of her little land.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0DQ", "", "\"Henceforth she is no serf of mine, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Nor subject to my throne;", "") ?>
PagePoem(76, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Where'er her golden hair may shine ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "That is her realm alone.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So where the seven cross-roads met ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Still dwelt the holy maid,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Her hut a place of refuge set ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "For all who shelter prayed. ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Her realm a holy place of peace, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Where, with the ancient nags, ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Lived out their days in pleasant ways ", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Athracta's faithful Stags.", "") ?>
PoemEnd() ?>