登陆注册
15681600000129

第129章 BALLAD

OF THE BANISHED AND RETURNING COUNT.

[Goethe began to write an opera called Lowenstuhl, founded upon the old tradition which forms the subject of this Ballad, but he never carried out his design.]

OH, enter old minstrel, thou time-honour'd one!

We children are here in the hall all alone,The portals we straightway will bar.

Our mother is praying, our father is goneTo the forest, on wolves to make war.

Oh sing us a ballad, the tale then repeat,'Till brother and I learn it right;We long have been hoping a minstrel to meet,For children hear tales with delight.

"At midnight, when darkness its fearful veil weaves, His lofty and stately old castle he leaves,But first he has buried his wealth.

What figure is that in his arms one perceives,As the Count quits the gateway by stealth?

O'er what is his mantle so hastily thrown?

What bears he along in his flight?

A daughter it is, and she gently sleeps on"--The children they hear with delight.

"The morning soon glimmers. the world is so wide, In valleys and forests a home is supplied,The bard in each village is cheer'd.

Thus lives he and wanders, while years onward glide,And longer still waxes his beard;But the maiden so fair in his arms grows amain,'Neath her star all-protecting and bright, Secured in the mantle from wind and from rain--"The children they hear with delight.

"And year upon year with swift footstep now steals, The mantle it fades, many rents it reveals,The maiden no more it can hold.

The father he sees her, what rapture he feels!

His joy cannot now be controll'd.

How worthy she seems of the race whence she springs,How noble and fair to the sight!

What wealth to her dearly-loved father she brings!"--The children they hear with delight.

"Then comes there a princely knight galloping by, She stretches her hand out, as soon as he's nigh,But alms he refuses to give.

He seizes her hand, with a smile in his eye:

'Thou art mine!' he exclaims, 'while I live!'

'When thou know'st,' cries the old man, 'the treasure that's there,A princess thou'lt make her of right;Betroth'd be she now, on this spot green and fair--'"The children they hear with delight.

"So she's bless'd by the priest on the hallowed place, And she goes with a smiling but sorrowful face,From her father she fain would not part.

The old man still wanders with ne'er-changing pace,He covers with joy his sad heart.

So I think of my daughter, as years pass away,And my grandchildren far from my sight;I bless them by night, and I bless them by day"--The children they hear with delight.

He blesses the children: a knocking they hear, The father it is! They spring forward in fear,The old man they cannot conceal--"Thou beggar, wouldst lure, then, my children so dear?

Straight seize him, ye vassals of steel!

To the dungeon most deep, with the fool-hardy knave!"The mother from far hears the fight;

She hastens with flatt'ring entreaty to crave--The children they hear with delight.

The vassals they suffer the Bard to stand there, And mother and children implore him to spare,The proud prince would stifle his ire, 'Till driven to fury at hearing their prayer,His smouldering anger takes fire:

"Thou pitiful race! Oh, thou beggarly crew!

Eclipsing my star, once so bright!

Ye'll bring me destruction, ye sorely shall rue!"The children they hear with affright.

The old man still stands there with dignified mien, The vassals of steel quake before him, I ween,The Count's fury increases in power;"My wedded existence a curse long has been,And these are the fruits from that flower!

'Tis ever denied, and the saying is true,That to wed with the base-born is right;The beggar has borne me a beggarly crew,--"The children they hear with affright.

"If the husband, the father, thus treats you with scorn, If the holiest bonds by him rashly are torn,Then come to your father--to me!

The beggar may gladden life's pathway forlorn,Though aged and weak he may be.

This castle is mine! thou hast made it thy prey,Thy people 'twas put me to flight;The tokens I bear will confirm what I say"--The children they hear with delight.

"The king who erst govern'd returneth again, And restores to the Faithful the goods that were ta'en,I'll unseal all my treasures the while;The laws shall be gentle, and peaceful the reign"--The old man thus cries with a smile--

"Take courage, my son! all hath turned out for good,And each hath a star that is bright, Those the princess hath borne thee are princely in blood,"--The children thy hear with delight.

1816.

-----

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 快穿:系统教我谈恋爱

    快穿:系统教我谈恋爱

    没有什么是永恒的,包括这个世界。被一个坑坑了,爬起来就是了,没有什么爱恨情仇,没有什么捉奸在床,只是因为不爱了。霜柒原本以为这只是一次普通的快穿(慢穿),她可不认为自己有啥神秘之处过人之处。可经历的世界多了,发现自己有个过人之处,那就是——心真不是一般的大!咦哈哈哈哈!前世的因,前世就结了,没有什么你欠我的,我欠你的。今生……我的世界里没有你,一壶老酒,浪迹天涯!缘来缘去终是缘……
  • 我的机器人助理

    我的机器人助理

    王辰做了一个很长的梦,没想到梦想时竟然把梦里的东西带了出来,于是他想给他的小伙伴造个身体芯片不合格?咱们有技术!材料太差?咱们自己做!……钱不够?谁拦着咱们挣钱了?一个智能机器人的制养成之路。
  • 金发神医妃

    金发神医妃

    拥有一头金发的她无故穿越到一个架空的朝代,更悲催的是北国的皇上竟然看上了她,让她给他做小妾!笑话!她才不要!想她堂堂一个二十一世纪的现代人,岂能被一个古人来决定自己的命运!她要反抗!你不是喜欢金发么,本姑娘送你便是!可她毕竟只是一个弱女子,又岂能反抗的了一个皇上?但幸运的是,在逃跑的路上,她被温柔霸气的南国王爷所救,也至此与他上演了一场轰轰烈烈的爱情故事!(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 闪婚蜜宠:老公大人,早安

    闪婚蜜宠:老公大人,早安

    “老公,有人欺负我…”“封了她!”“老公,有人说我配不上你”“把她带过来!”自从沈天韵碰上了这个杀伐果断的男人,她似乎变了很多……
  • 阴阳魔修

    阴阳魔修

    天下之术,何分正邪,因我功法噬魂,便称我是魔?我若是魔,天下谁来镇我!牧潜偶然学到噬魂之法,抓邪魔,吞魂魄,解奇迷,破阴谋。上斗天神下斗邪。左拥鬼妃右拥仙,睥睨天下纵阴阳,可灭妖佛可噬仙。
  • 先婚后爱:老婆我们回家

    先婚后爱:老婆我们回家

    他说你就是懦弱,不敢面对夜子墨的死,不敢接受我对你的好……她说也许我就是懦弱的,不敢拿感情赌一把,甚至不敢承认你已经走进我心里了……她说陆辰逸你不能死,我不允许你死,你还欠我一个婚礼,你还欠我一个承诺,还欠我孩子一个爸爸……他慢慢睁开眼睛说我不甘心,不甘心就这样死,我还没有被你虐够,既然已经得到你的心,怎么舍得让你难过,要死也要死在你后面……
  • 权少心尖宠:特种兵老婆很嚣张

    权少心尖宠:特种兵老婆很嚣张

    她,C国顶级特工,却不明不白被人害死。还好,老天开眼,让她重生一次。却不小心被一个身份尊贵的男人缠上,哦,不,应该是上辈子就缠上了!“老婆,我饿了!”某男一脸可怜,木笙毫不领情,“饿了去吃饭!”“可是人家想吃你下面!”“……”他,商业大亨,身份尊贵,神秘强大,杀伐果断,俊美如斯,雷厉风行……个屁!告诉我,这个无赖,卖萌,天天耍流氓的是谁!!!
  • 锦书天涯

    锦书天涯

    十余年前,弑天大陆风宗嫡系血脉弟子封释涯,跟随家中长辈前往封尘大陆时,在船只上救下一名女孩,并带回宗门。却不知救下的女孩竟与封尘隐宗有着千丝万缕的关系。十年后,弑天大陆风云骤起。皇室皇位之争错综纷乱。四宗门少主得知宗门秘术真相,结伴出逃,前往封尘。然而,封尘大陆,就真的是一方净土么?等待着他们的,又将是怎样的道路?
  • 王俊凯之伤心往事

    王俊凯之伤心往事

    小时候见过的两个人,因为诺言,再一次的见面、相恋,可是天有不测风云。。。。
  • 狂武霸神

    狂武霸神

    一代修罗魔尊,挟造化神物封神册兵解转世,化身为少年杨开。从此杨开之名,如彗星一般崛起,脚踏八荒六合,头顶日月星辰,横扫各路天才豪强。若干年后,杨开踏上神坛,手执封神册,俯视着跪倒在面前的人群,“尔等凡人受我恩惠,却不知感恩,还妄图成就神位,长生不死,简直痴心妄想。”