The Battle Of Blenheim

  It was a summer evening,     Old Kaspar's work was done,   And he before his cottage door     Was sitting in the sun,   And by him sported on the green   His little grandchild Wilhelmine.   She saw her brother Peterkin     Roll something large and round,   Which he beside the rivulet     In playing there had found;   He came to ask what he had found,   That was so large and smooth and round.   Old Kaspar took it from the boy,     Who stood expectant by;   And then the old man shook his head,     And with a natural sigh,   "'T is some poor fellow's skull," said he,   "Who fell in the great victory.   "I find them in the garden,     For there's many hereabout;   And often, when I go to plow     The plowshare turns them out!   For many thousand men," said he,   "Were slain in that great victory."   "Now tell us what 't was all about,"     Young Peterkin he cries;   While little Wilhelmine looks up     With wonder-waiting eyes;   "Now tell us all about the war,   And what they killed each other for."   "It was the English," Kaspar cried,     "Who put the French to rout;   But what they killed each other for     I could not well make out.   But everybody said," quoth he,   "That 't was a famous victory.   "My father lived at Blenheim then,     Yon little stream hard by;   They burnt his dwelling to the ground,     And he was forced to fly:   So with his wife and child he fled,   Nor had he where to rest his head.   "With fire and sword the country round     Was wasted far and wide,   And many a childing mother then     And new-born baby died:   But things like that, you know, must be     At every famous victory.   "They say it was a shocking sight     After the field was won;   For many thousand bodies here     Lay rotting in the sun:   But things like that, you know, must be   After a famous victory.   "Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won,     And our good Prince Eugene."   "Why 't was a very wicked thing!"     Said little Wilhelmine.   "Nay nay my little girl," quoth he,   "It was a famous victory.   "And everybody praised the Duke     Who this great fight did win."   "And what good came of it at last?"     Quoth little Peterkin.   "Why, that I cannot tell," said he,   "But 't was a famous victory." ROBERT SOUTHEY