“The Mountain Voice”
Excerpt from the original source “A Book of Ballads from the German.” Translated by Percy Boyd, ESQ. Dublin: 1843
The Mountain Voice
Here rode a knight down the mountain pass,
From the Holy Land returning–
His pennon afar, like some flashing star,
Through the evening’s shade was burning.
And he thought of his love, as he left her side
Of her blue eye fondly beaming–
“Shall my home be now those dear arms,” he cried,
Or the couch that knows no dreaming?”
Then rose there a sound on the midnight gale,
Like the voice of a spirit sighing–
“Thy only rest is on earth’s green breast,
Where, knight, thou shalt soon be lying!”
And then, as he pass’d on his homeward way,
Was his heart with sorrow dreary;
And he sadly sigh’d, and a voice replied:
“O earth, receive the weary!”
Then roll’d a tear down his bronz’d cheek,
As he gazed on his love’s last token:
“In the grave so deep shall they calmly sleep,
Whose peace upon earth is broken!”
And the echo returns with a solemn tone
The words which the knight has spoken–
“They calmly sleep in the grave so deep,
Whose peace upon earth is broken!”
