The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-11-11
The Singers Curse.

Hom the German of INLAND.
In days of olden story stood a castle, high and
grand,
Whose turrei,, brightly glimmering. we're seer
from oceans strand,
Within the ramparts gloomy were pleasant gar
dens laid,
And 'mong the flowers were fountains, which il
the sunshine played.
Here dwelt powerful monarch whose conqusst
none could tell,
Whose heart twould seem was harder than th'
gold he loved SO well,
For cen his thought was terror, revenge was In hi
breath
His softsst word was--scourging, his choices
mandate--death.
Now once unto this castle two singers found thei
way,
The one with golden ringlets the others hair 81
A harp the elder carried; noble steed did ride,
The other, fresh as morning, walked proudly b.
his side.
The elder M spako to yOunEsri "My son. now ready
To sing with sweetest cadence our tsndsrest mel
ody,
Let joy and sorrow mingle. nay rival, in thy tone
Perchance to-day we'll soften this monsrch's hear
Of stone"
Already stand the singers within the pillard hall
Enthroned sit king and queen, while courtier
round them fall
The king SO grandly awful, like tho crimson north
ern light,
But the queen as sweet and gentle as the moon il
summers night.
And as begins the old man to sweep the trembling
strings
The music, soft then louder through the gloom.
arch way rings,
But while the younger sngeIh-a1 the blissfu
may in heaven
Seem the echoes eff the elder like groans from
spirits riven.
They sing of youth and beauty, of the golden day
gone by,
OF freedom, truth, religion and manly dignity;
They sing of all the sweetness the human hear
may feel,
OF all the aspiratio ms our inmost souls reveal.
The slaves forget their oering and stand in silenc
there,
The bravest of the warriors bow down their head
in prayer,
The beauteous queen, all fearful, yet smiling Oh
so sweet,
Plucks rose from off her bosom and throws 1t 8
their feet
aye have my court corrupted allure ye now m
wife 7"
The king in rage domandeth, and palel with in
His sword he madly throweth-it ceaves the boy
ish breast
The song of heavenly sweetness doth the lii
blood's flow arrest.
Struck dumb with fear and horror, the thron
stand shuddering by;
The fair young singer, lifeless in bis master
arms doth lie
He wraps him in his mantle, he binds him on hi
horse, ..
He leaves the fated castle, the old man with tn
corse.
He hastes unto the gateway beside which ho dot
stand,
Still grasping, ever firmly, his harp within hi
Till 'gainst marble column he skaters it
twain,
While ringing through the stiffness i, borne thl
fearful strain
"woe to you--princsly mansion, for n ever MOI
Within your gorgeous, dusky halls the chez rf'
notes Of song;
But only sighs and grcaning and the timid bono
mans tread,
Till thy towers which stand defiant. with mol
are overspread.
"Woe to ye-pleasant gardens in the gracou
light of May
Behold the face, distorted, Of the friend I bel
away
For this ye too must suffer, your every sprin
must dry;
Through many sunny day to come, neglect
will you lie.
'And woe-ye more than murlerer-ye baleft
curse of song,
In vain ye strive for glory through deeds of bloc
and wrong:
Oblivion be thy portion-thy name, be IL forgot
Thy house shall perish wholly, thy memory cha
| rot"
The old man calls 10 heayen--anl heaven Il
/! cry has heard
The walls and towers lie crumbing, the haul
| Of ominous Bird
| One column standeth only, 10 tell Of vanish,
| might,
Lo, this already broken may fall eer morning
| light.
Where once were blooming gardens, weeds, raj
and noxious, grow,
| No tree there casts its shadow-ihere doth
| fountain now.
| The monarch's name is unknown, his deeds
songs rehearse,
neutrality-suspicious. is the singers curi