82 'Tis to woo a bonnie lassie When the kye come hame. When the kye come hame, When the kye come hame, 'Tis not beneath the burgonet, There the blackbird bigs his nest, When the blewart bears a pearl, Has fauldit up his ee, Then the lavrock, frae the blue lift, When the kye come hame. And his lambs are lying still; Yet he downa gang to bed, For his heart is in a flame, When the little wee bit heart Rises red in the east, That the heart can hardly frame ! Wi' a bonnie bonnie lassie, Then since all Nature joins In this love without alloy, O, wha wad prove a traitor To Nature's dearest joy? Or wha wad choose a crown, Wi' its perils an' its fame, And miss his bonnie lassie, When the kye come hame? JAMES HOGG. FROM ATALANTA VICTORIOUS. ATALANTA'S RACE,' IN "THE EARTHLY AND there two runners did the sign abide But on this day with whom shall he contend? A maid stood by him like Diana clad When in the woods she lists her bow to bend, Too fair for one to look on and be glad, Who scarcely yet has thirty summers had, If he must still behold her from afar ; Too fair to let the world live free from war. She seemed all earthly matters to forget; Of all tormenting lines her face was clear, Her wide gray eyes upon the goal were set Calm and unmoved as though no soul were near; But her foe trembled as a man in fear, Nor from her loveliness one moment turned His anxious face with fierce desire that burned. But her late foe stopped short amidst his course, One moment gazed upon her piteously, Then with a groan his lingering feet did force To leave the spot whence he her eyes could see; And, changed like one who knows his time must be But short and bitter, without any word He knelt before the bearer of the sword; Then high rose up the gleaming deadly blade, Bared of its flowers, and through the crowded place Was silence now, and midst of it the maid Went by the poor wretch at a gentle pace, And he to hers upturned his sad white face; Nor did his eyes behold another sight Ere on his soul there fell eternal night. WILLIAM MORRIS ATALANTA CONQUERED. FROM "ATALANTA'S RACE," IN THE EARTHLY Now has the lingering month at last gone by, Than heretofore, but that another face Now through the hush there broke the trum- Stands on the spot he twice has looked upon. pet's clang Just as the setting sun made eventide. Then from light feet a spurt of dust there sprang, But when the people saw how close they ran, When half-way to the starting-point they were, A cry of joy broke forth, whereat the man Headed the white-foot runner, and drew near Unto the very end of all his fear; And scarce his straining feet the ground could feel, His flushed and eager face he turned around, There stood she breathing like a little child Does she indeed see in his glittering eye But he what look of mastery was this Why must she drop her lids before his gaze, And even as she casts adown her eyes Redden to note his eager glance of praise, And wish that she were clad in other guise? Why must the memory to her heart arise Of things unnoticed when they first were heard, Some lover's song, some answering maiden's word? What makes these longings, vague, without a name, And this vain pity never felt before, 84 This tender sorrow for the time past o'er, To win the day, though now but scanty space These doubts that grow each minute more and Was left betwixt him and the winning place. Short was the way unto such wingéd feet, But while she seemed to hear her beating And from his hand the third fair apple cast. But then she cried aloud and faster fled She wavered not, but turned and ran so fast Nor did she rest, but turned about to win Once more, an unblest woful victory why does her breath begin And yet and yet To fail her, and her feet drag heavily? Than e'er before, and all men deemed him Why fails she now to see if far or nigh dead. But with no sound he raised aloft his hand, And thence what seemed a ray of light there flew And past the maid rolled on along the sand; That gift to her, to make of earth a heaven. Then from the course with eager steps she ran, And in her odorous bosom laid the gold. But when she turned again, the great-limbed man Now well ahead she failed not to behold, And mindful of her glory waxing cold, Sprang up and followed him in hot pursuit, Though with one hand she touched the golden fruit. Note, too, the bow that she was wont to bear But as he set his mighty hand on it, Then, as a troubled glance she cast around, Now far ahead the Argive could she see, And in her garment's hem one hand she wound To keep the double prize, and strenuously Sped o'er the course, and little doubt had she The goal is? why do her gray eyes grow dim? Why do these tremors run through every limb? |