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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The fore-mast wi his knee,

And he brake that gallant ship in twain,

And sank her in the sea.

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On Jura’s heath how sweetly swell

The murmurs of the mountain bee!

How softly mourns the writhed shell

Of Jura’s shore, its parent sea!

But softer, floating o’er the deep,

The Mermaid’s sweet sea-soothing lay,

That charmed the dancing waves to sleep,

Before the bark of Colonsay.

Aloft the purple pennons wave,

As parting gay from Crinan’s shore,

From Morven’s wars the seamen brave

Their gallant Chieftain homeward bore.

In youth’s gay bloom, the brave Macphail

Still blamed the lingering bark’s delay;

For her he chid the flagging sail,

The lovely Maid of Colonsay.

“And raise,” he cried, “the song of love,

The maiden sung with tearful smile,

When first, o’er Jura’s hills to rove,

We left afar the lonely isle!—

“‘When on this ring of ruby red

Shall die,’ she said, ‘the crimson hue,

Know that thy favourite fair is dead,

Or proves to thee and love untrue.’”

Now, lightly poised, the rising oar