98
WESTERN RESERVE STUDIES
WILLIAM AND HELEN
By Walter Scott
From heavy dreams fair Helen rose
And ey'd the dawning red:
"Alas, my love, thou tarriest long;
O, art thou false or dead?"
And ey'd the dawning red:
"Alas, my love, thou tarriest long;
O, art thou false or dead?"
With gallant Fred'rick's princely power
He sought the bold crusade;
But not a word from Judah's wars
Told Helen how he sped.
He sought the bold crusade;
But not a word from Judah's wars
Told Helen how he sped.
With Paynim and with Saracen
At length a truce was made,
And ev'ry knight return'd to dry
The tears his love had shed.
At length a truce was made,
And ev'ry knight return'd to dry
The tears his love had shed.
Our gallant host was homeward bound
With many a song of joy;
Green wav'd the laurel in each plume,
The badge of victory.
With many a song of joy;
Green wav'd the laurel in each plume,
The badge of victory.
And old and young, and sire and son,
To meet them crowd the way.
With shouts, and mirth, and melody,
The debt of love to pay.
To meet them crowd the way.
With shouts, and mirth, and melody,
The debt of love to pay.
Full many a maid her true love met,
And sobb'd in his embrace,
And flutt'ring joy in tears and smiles
Array'd full many a face.
And sobb'd in his embrace,
And flutt'ring joy in tears and smiles
Array'd full many a face.
Nor joy nor smile for Helen sad;
She sought the host in vain;
For none could tell her William's fate,
If faithless, or if slain.
She sought the host in vain;
For none could tell her William's fate,
If faithless, or if slain.
The martial band is passed and gone;
She rends her raven hair,
And in distraction's bitter mood
She weeps with wild despair.
She rends her raven hair,
And in distraction's bitter mood
She weeps with wild despair.
"O rise, my child," her mother said,
Nor sorrow thus in vain;
A perjur'd lover's fleeting heart
No tears recall again."
Nor sorrow thus in vain;
A perjur'd lover's fleeting heart
No tears recall again."
