I Between two sister moorland rills There is a spot that seems to lie Sacred to flowerets of the hills, And sacred to the sky.

And in this smooth and open dell 5 There is a tempest-stricken tree; A corner-stone by lightning cut, The last stone of a lonely hut; [1]

And in this dell you see A thing no storm can e'er destroy, 10 The shadow of a Danish Boy. [A]

II In clouds above, the lark is heard, But drops not here to earth for rest; [2]

Within [3] this lonesome nook the bird Did never build her [4] nest. 15 No beast, no bird hath here his home; Bees, wafted on [5] the breezy air, Pa.s.s high above those fragrant bells To other flowers:--to other dells Their burthens do they bear; [6] 20 The Danish Boy walks here alone: The lovely dell is all his own.

III A Spirit of noon-day is he; Yet seems [7] a form of flesh and blood; Nor piping shepherd shall he be, 25 Nor herd-boy of the wood. [8]

A regal vest of fur he wears, In colour like a raven's wing; It fears not [9] rain, nor wind, nor dew; But in the storm 'tis fresh and blue 30 As budding pines in spring; His helmet has a vernal grace, Fresh as the bloom upon his face.

IV A harp is from his shoulder slung; Resting the harp upon his knee; 35 To words of a forgotten tongue, He suits its melody. [10]

Of flocks upon the neighbouring hill [11]

He is the darling and the joy; And often, when no cause appears, 40 The mountain-ponies p.r.i.c.k their ears, --They hear the Danish Boy, While in the dell he sings [12] alone Beside the tree and corner-stone.

[13]

V There sits he; in his face you spy 45 No trace of a ferocious air, Nor ever was a cloudless sky So steady or so fair.

The lovely Danish Boy is blest And happy in his flowery cove: 50 From b.l.o.o.d.y deeds his thoughts are far; And yet he warbles songs of war, That seem [14] like songs of love, For calm and gentle is his mien; Like a dead Boy he is serene. 55

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1836.

... a cottage hut; 1800.]

[Variant 2:

1827.

He sings his blithest and his best; 1800.

She sings, regardless of her rest, 1820.]

[Variant 3:

1827.

But in ... 1800.]

[Variant 4:

1820.

... his ... 1800.]

[Variant 5:

1827.

The bees borne on ... 1800.]

[Variant 6:

1827.

Nor ever linger there. 1800.]

[Variant 7:

1836.

He seems ... 1800.]

[Variant 8:

1802.

A piping Shepherd he might be, A Herd-boy of the wood. 1800.]

[Variant 9:

1802.

... nor ... 1800.]

[Variant 10:

1836.

He rests the harp upon his knee, And there in a forgotten tongue He warbles melody. 1800.]

[Variant 11: