The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-05-09

PARApHRAsED FRoM THE GERMAN OF scHrLLEi
by JOHN @. SAKE.

pY JOHN q. SAKE.
"Ho every gallant knight and squire,
Attend I" exclaimed the king;
"The Golden Goblet shall be his,
VINO from this rock will spring,
And from the dark abyss below,
The cup 10 me will bring
And at the word, from where he stood
Upon the rocky steep,
He cast the Golden Goblet down
Beneath the ocean deep;
Far down into the black abyss
Where roaring eddies sweep.
III.
And thrice the king to all his men
The proclamation made:
But ali were mute nor king nor squire
The fearful feat essayed;
To follow where the cup went down,
The boldest were afraid.
~.
Now while in silence round the king
They stood in grim array,
Upcame page of handsome mien,
A gallant youth and gay;
And straight he took his girdle OIL,
And cast his cloak away.
And while they praised his form and face,
And marNeleQ what he meant,
Far out upon the dizzy cliff
The gallant stripping went;
And there a long and steady gaze
Into the deep he sent.
A whispered prayer-and down he leaps
From OF the giddy height,
Into the foamiug Hood below,
Where all is black as night!
"a hundred shouts went mp TO heaven)
And he was lost 10 sight!
Then spake the brayest knight of all
Who saw that fearful thing,
" If thus your Gracious Majesty
His jeweled crown should fling,
Pardie! would not seek il there,
To wear il as king
Alas that one so young and fair
Should find watery grave
In vain were mortal succor now
The gallant boy to save ~
But see Ian arm cleaning forth
Above the foaming wave!
TX.
IT'S he see how strailing arms
Obey his Wills command;
One struggle more-the boy is saved
His foot is on the land
And now he bows before the king,
The goblet in his hand!
Here, daughter! fill the cup with vino"
The king exclaimed aloud;
Whereat damsel, young and fair,
In filial duty bowed;
And soon returned the Drumming cup,
Before the smiling crowd.
"Long live your Gracious Majesty"
He sad-and drank the wine;
" And may no mortal ever dare
So dread feat a. mine
Nor brave the monsters that saw
Beneath the foamy brine!
" All, me to think Of all saw (;
II fills me now with dread
The horrid sharks and dragons huge
That IN the sea are bred
And serpents vast that coil and crawl
Within their Shiny bed.
" The goblet hung upon a crag
Far down as i could dive;
i know not how got me thence,
Though fercey did strive;
But God is good, and heard my prayer,
And here l stand alive :"
XIV.
" The cup is thine - the monarch said;
And thou hast earned It dear;
But thou shalt have this costly ring,
"a diamond large and clear y
To dive again, and further bring
What thou shalt see and hear J!
" Nay, father ."-thus the maiden spoke
" This cruel play forbear;
And let some hardy knight of thine
The pages honor share;
Already has the boy achieved
What not man did dare!"
XVI.
Twas then the monarch seized the cup
And threw it in the sea
" Go fetch it up The cried, and thou
A knight of mine shall be-
And this, my daughter, weeping here,
I'll make her wife 70 thee"
XVII.
One glance upon the beauteous maid;
one look of inward pain;
One supphcating prayer 70 heaven,
And down he dives again,
To follow where the goblet fell,
Beneath the raging main
XVIII.
Long-long they gaze with anxious looks;
In vain their eyes explore
The dashing waves beneath the rock,
Where sullen break, rs roar;
Alack-alack The comes not back!
The boy is seen no more