Embers - Part 6
Library

Part 6

Spin, spin, belle Mergaton!

Your gown shall be st.i.tched ere the old moon fade: The age of a moon shall your hands spin on, Or a wife in her shroud shall be laid-- Gigoton, Mergaton, spin!

Spin, spin, belle Mergaton!

The Little Good Folk the spell they have cast; By your work well done while the moon hath shone, Ye shall cleave unto joy at last-- Gigoton, Mergaton, spin!

FLY AWAY, MY HEART "O traveller, see where the red sparks rise,"

(Fly away, my heart, fly away) But dark is the mist in the traveller's eyes.

(Fly away, my heart, fly away) "O traveller, see far down the gorge, The crimson light from my father's forge-"

(Fly away, my heart, fly away)

"O traveller, hear how the anvils ring"; (Fly away, my heart, fly away) But the traveller heard, ah, never a thing: (Fly away, my heart, fly away) "O traveller, loud do the bellows roar, And my father waits by the smithy door-"

(Fly away, my heart, fly away)

"O traveller, see you thy true love's grace,"

(Fly away, my heart, fly away) And now there is joy in the traveller's face: (Fly away, my heart, fly away) Oh, wild does he ride through the rain and mire, To greet his love by the smithy fire-- (Fly away, my heart, fly away)

SUZON

O mealman white, give me your daughter, Oh, give her to me, your sweet Suzon!

O mealman dear, you can do no better, For I have a chateau at Malmaison.

Black charcoalman, you shall not have her She shall not marry you, my Suzon-- A bag of meal, and a sack of carbon!

Non, non, non, non, non, non, non, non

Go look at your face, my fanfaron, For my daughter and you would be night and day.

Non, non, non, non, non, non, non, non, Not for your chateau at Malmaison; Non, non, non, non, non, non, non, non, You shall not marry her, my Suzon.

MY LITTLE TENDER HEART

My little tender heart, O gai, vive le roi!

My little tender heart, O gai, vive le roi!

'Tis for a grand baron, Vive le roi, la reine!

'Tis for a grand baron, Vive Napoleon!

My mother promised it, O gai, vive le roi!

My mother promised it, O gai, vive le roi!

To a gentleman of the king, Vive le roi, la reine!

To a gentleman of the king, Vive Napoleon!

Oh, say, where goes your love?

O gai, vive le roi!

Oh, say, where goes your love?

O gai, vive le roi!

He rides on a white horse, Vive le roi, la reine!

He wears a silver sword, Vive Napoleon!

Oh, grand to the war he goes, O gai, vive le roi!

Oh, grand to the war he goes, O gai, vive le roi!

Gold and silver he will bring, Vive le roi, la reine!

And eke the daughter of a king-- Vive Napoleon!

THE MEN OF THE NORTH

They have wrestled their thews with the Arctic bear, With tireless moose they've trod; They have drained heel-deep of a fighting air, And breasted the winds of G.o.d.

They have stretched their beds in the hummocked snow, They have set their teeth to the Pole; With Death they have gamed it, throw for throw, And drunk with him bowl for bowl-- They are all for thee, O England!

In their birch canoes they have run cloud-high, On the crest of a nor'land storm; They have soaked the sea, and have braved the sky, And laughed at the Conqueror Worm.

They reck not beast and they fear no man, They have trailed where the panther glides; On the edge of a mountain barbican, They have tracked where the reindeer hides-- And these are for thee, O England!

They have freed your flag where the white Pole-Star Hangs out its auroral flame; Where the bones of your Franklin's heroes are They have honoured your ancient name.

And, iron in blood and giant in girth, They have stood for your t.i.tle-deed Of the infinite North, and your lordly worth, And your pride and your ancient greed-- And for love of thee, O England!

THE CROWNING

A thousand years of power, A thousand marches done, Lands beyond lands our dower, Flag with no setting sun-- Now to the new King's sealing, Come from the farthest seas, Sons of the croft and sheiling, Sons of the moor and leas--

Those that went from us, daring The wastes and the wilds and the wood: Hither they come to us, sharing Our glory, the call of the blood; Hither they come to the sealing-- They or the seed of them come, Bring the new King the revealing Of continents yesterday dumb.