The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-05-26
Auf der BOdensee.
from the German of G. Schwab. !

tFrom the German of G. Schwabl
Der Bodensee, the Lake OF Constance, situ-
ated upon the border Of Germany and Switzer-
lard, is the largest lake in those two countries,
being sixteen leagues in length, four in width,
and three hundred and fifty fathoms in depth.
1t is very seldom entirely frozen over The
incident which forms the subject Of this ballad
Is said to have occurred in tho year 1896.
A rider rode through rugged glade,
A field OF snow in the sunshine laid:
His dripping steed through the cold snow hies ;
He must reach ere night where Lake Constance
Rider and horse, ere the night comes down,
Should be lodged in tho safe little lakeside
town.
Rough was The treacherous snow-covered way,
Yet the steed sped on through the sinking
day;
Dale and mountain and hill were passed,
And they came to the open land at last.
10 an open plain where the snow expands.
Level and smooth as the desert sands
Behind him vanishes town and wood,
And his road grows even, his footing good
In the wide expanse nor house nor hill
Nor tree appear all is cold and still.
Yet on sped the rider, mile after mile,
Hearing the seabirds cry the while;
And the water ducks flutterng wings of fear:
NO other sound greets his listening ear
No traveller came on his anxious sight,
10 say II the way he rode was right,
AS on velvet, 80 on through the snow rode he
Where dashes the water2 Where rolls the
sea?'
The evening fell, and then from far
Lights family glimmered, like distant stars.
Up rose through the night mist hill and tree
But naught Of the lake could the traveller see.
stormy and rough once more his course,
Yet onward and onward he spurred his horse;
On, ON till he heard the watch dogs bay,
Aud fishing village before him lay.
"Welcome, young maid at the window" cried
he;
-Can you tell me how far to Constance ses p,
And his heart grows chill as the maid replies:
'Good traveller, Lake Constance behind thea
lies
And were not the water too frozen for oar.
Id say you had landed and come to the shore. >.
"Ihe rider trembled and paled with fear
ION the plain behind me rode here !"
Then answer wild did the maiden make:
Great God! have ridden. sir, over the
On the treacherous floor, DER the botiomless
Deep aE1yr
Did thy horses mad hoofs safe footing keen ?
And crushed not beneath thee the covering
thin,
Nor the swerling waters to death drag thee
in?
And thou art not devoured by the f,sbv
brood
The cold dumb pike in the colder aood?"
Then the maiden called, and the village came
The listening children, the wondering danes.
old men and maidens questioning round,
Cry, "Thank your lucky star that you were not
drowned
but come, Tor our evening board is spread,
Eat with us fish, break with us bread"
But the rider answered never q word;
Since the maiden spoke he had nothing heard.
Hls heart ceased beating, gray grew his hair,
Inc ghost of the danger past presses him
there.
He sees around him the roaring deep,
And the ghastly waters over him sweep;
he hears the ice crushing, and cheek and
brow
Grow damp and pale with the mortal throe;
inen he sighed and he sank to the earth and
died,
And dry grave found by the water side!