The Return of the Dead and Other Ballads

Excerpt

THE RETURN OF THE DEAD

Swayne Dyring o’er to the island strayed;
   And were I only young again!
He wedded there a lovely maid—
   To honied words we list so fain.

Together they lived seven years and more;
   And were I only young again!
And seven fair babes to him she bore—
   To honied words we list so fain.

Then death arrived in luckless hour;
   And were I only young again!
Then died the lovely lily flower—
   To honied words we list so fain.

The Swayne he has crossed the salt sea way,
   And were I only young again!
And he has wedded another may—
   To honied words we list so fain.

And he that may to his home has brought;
   And were I only young again!
But peevish was she, and with malice fraught—
   To honied words we list so fain.

And when she came to the castle gate,
   And were I only young again!
The seven children beside it wait—
   To honied words we list so fain.

The children stood in sorrowful mood,
   And were I only young again!
She spurned them away with her foot so rude—
   To honied words we list so fain.

Nor bread nor meat will she bestow;
   And were I only young again!
Said “Hate ye shall have and the hunger throe”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

She took away the bolsters blue;
   And were I only young again!
“Bare straw will serve for the like of you”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

Away she’s ta’en the big wax light;
   And were I only young again!
Said she “Ye shall lie in the murky night”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

The babies at night with hunger weep;
   And were I only young again!
The woman heard that in the grave so deep—
   To honied words we list so fain.

To God’s high throne such haste she made;
   And were I only young again!
“O I must go to my babies’ aid”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

She begged so loud, and she begged so long,
   And were I only young again!
That at length consent from her God she wrung—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“But thou must return when the cock shall crow,
   And were I only young again!
“No longer tarry must thou below”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

Then up she struck with her stark thigh bone,
   And were I only young again!
And burst through wall and marble stone—
   To honied words we list so fain.

And when to the dwelling she drew nigh,
   And were I only young again!
The hounds they yelled to the clouds so high—
   To honied words we list so fain.

And when to the castle gate she won,
   And were I only young again!
Her eldest daughter stood there alone—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“Hail daughter mine, what dost thou here?
   And were I only young again!
How fare thy brothers and sisters dear?”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“O dame thou art no mother of mine,
   And were I only young again!
For she was a lady fair and fine—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“A lady fine with cheeks so red,
   And were I only young again!
But thou art pale as the sheeted dead”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“O how should I be fine and sleek?
   And were I only young again!
How else than pale should be my cheek?—
   To honied words we list so fain.

“And how should I be white and red?
   And were I only young again!
Beneath the mould I’ve long been dead”—
   To honied words we list so fain.

And when she entered the high, high hall,
   And were I only young again...!