TRANSLATIONS OF BÜRGER'S LENORE
79
LENORA
At break of day, with frightful dreams
Lenora struggled sore:
My William, art thou slaine, say'd she
Or dost thou love no more?
Lenora struggled sore:
My William, art thou slaine, say'd she
Or dost thou love no more?
He went abroade with Richard's host,
The Paynim foes to quell:
But he no word to her had writt,
An he were sick or well.
The Paynim foes to quell:
But he no word to her had writt,
An he were sick or well.
With sowne of trump, and beat of drum,
His fellow soldyers come;
Their helmes bydeckt with oaken boughs,
They seeke their long'd-for home.
His fellow soldyers come;
Their helmes bydeckt with oaken boughs,
They seeke their long'd-for home.
And ev'ry roade and ev'ry lane
Was full of old and young,
To gaze at the rejoicing band,
To hail with gladsome toung.
Was full of old and young,
To gaze at the rejoicing band,
To hail with gladsome toung.
"Thank God!" their wives and children saide,
"Welcome!" the brides did saye:
But greete or kiss Lenora gave
To none upon that daye.
"Welcome!" the brides did saye:
But greete or kiss Lenora gave
To none upon that daye.
She askte of all the passing traine,
For him she wisht to see:
But none of all the passing traine
Could tell if lived hee.
For him she wisht to see:
But none of all the passing traine
Could tell if lived hee.
And when the soldyers all were bye,
She tore her raven haire,
And cast herself upon the growne
In furious despaire.
She tore her raven haire,
And cast herself upon the growne
In furious despaire.
Her mother ran and lyfte her up,
And clasped in her arme,
My child, my child, what dost thou ail?
God shield thy life from harm!"
And clasped in her arme,
My child, my child, what dost thou ail?
God shield thy life from harm!"
O mother, mother! William's gone!
What's all besyde to me?
There is no mercye, sure, above!
All, all were spar'd but hee!
What's all besyde to me?
There is no mercye, sure, above!
All, all were spar'd but hee!
- ↑ The first version, as published in the Monthly Magazine.
