Читать книгу Story-Telling Ballads. Selected and Arranged for Story-Telling and Reading Aloud and for the Boys' and Girls' Own Reading онлайн

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That I a serving-man’s place might have.

“Stand up, brave youth,” the king replyd,

“Thy service shall not be denyd;

But tell me first what thou canst do;

Thou shalt be fitted thereunto.

“Wilt thou be usher of my hall,

To wait upon my nobles all?

Or wilt thou be taster of my wine,

To wait on me when I shall dine?

“Or wilt thou be my chamberlain,

To make my bed both soft and fine?

Or wilt thou be one of my guard?

And I will give thee thy reward.”

Sweet William, with a smiling face,

Said to the king, “If’t please your grace

To show such favour unto me,

Your chamberlain I fain would be.”

The king then did the nobles call,

To ask the counsel of them all,

Who gave consent Sweet William he

The king’s own chamberlain should be.

Now mark what strange things came to pass:

As the king one day a hunting was,

With all his lords and noble train,

Sweet William did at home remain.

Sweet William had no company then

With him at home but an old man;

And when he saw the coast was clear,

He took a lute which he had there.