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Title: The Mermaid's Prophecy
Author: George Borrow [
More Titles by Borrow]
The King he has caught the fair mermaid, and deep
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
In the dungeon has placed her, to pine and to weep,
Because his will she had not done.
The Queen of the Danes addressed two of her band:
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
"To come to my presence the mermaid command,
For my will by her it shall be done."
The mermaid came in, to the Queen she up went:
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
"What wilt thou, O Queen, that for me thou hast sent?
By me thy will can never be done."
The Queen the blue cushion stroked down with a smile:
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
"Sit down pretty mermaid and rest thee awhile,
My will by thee must now be done."
"Why seek'st thou, O Queen, to betray my young life?
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
For under that cushion is stuck a sharp knife,
By me thy will can never be done."
"If thou knowest that, then much more thou dost know,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
So do thou my destiny unto me show,
And thus by thee shall my will be done."
"If I should thy destiny to thee announce,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
On a fire of faggots thoud'st burn me at once!
By me unwilling your will is done.
"Three babes thou shalt bear, each a beautiful boy,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
And in leaving thy womb they thy life shall destroy,
And thus fair Queen thy will is done."
"If with me, luckless me, it no better shall speed,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
Inform me what fortune for them is decreed,
For thus by thee can my will be done."
"The first shall be King in old Denmark of them,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
The next shall succeed to the gold diadem,
By me can thus thy will be done.
"The third as the wisest of mortals shall shine,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
And for him thou art doomed thy young life to resign,
Thus all your will, fair Queen, I've done."
In her mantle of azure the Queen wrapt her head,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
And unto the hall to the Monarch she sped,
For she her will had fairly done.
"Now hear my entreaty, my heart's belov'd Lord,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
To my own disposal this mermaid award,
For she my will has fairly done."
"I'll not give her thee, nor her life shalt thou save,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
For my seven brave vessels she swamped in the wave,
My pleasure thus she has not done."
Black, black as a clod grew the Queen at that word,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
And down she fell senseless before the King's board,
Because her will she had fairly clone.
"My Queen and my dearest! thy heart shall not break,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
Thou art free to the strand the fair mermaid to take,
Because thy will she has fairly done."
The mermaid in scarlet so fine she array'd,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
Although she had heard her own death by her spaed,
For thus, for thus, her will she'd done.
The Queen gave command to the maids in her train:
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
"Convey ye the mermaid hence down to the main,
For she my will has fairly done."
Upon the blue billows the mermaid they place,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
The Queen fell to weeping, and sad was each face,
For she her will, alack! had done.
"O prythee don't weep, and O prythee don't grieve,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
Heaven's portals stand open thy soul to receive,
Now I thy will have fairly done.
"In the mansions of Heaven thou aye shalt remain,
(_The mermaid dances the floor upon_)
And there perfect quiet and rest thou shalt gain--
Now all thy will, fair Queen, I've done!"
[The end]
George Borrow's poem: The Mermaid's Prophecy
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