Ballad. — The Queen of the Sea
The young Prince is swimming his steed in the sea;
He heareth a voice: “Oh, Prince, look upon me!”
Loud snorteth the steed as he pricks up his ears;
He splashes the foam as he plunges and rears.
Again hears the Prince: “A king’s daughter I be;
Art thou willing to pass the whole evening with me?”
Behold, from the water a white hand extends,
And catches the reins by their silk tassel-ends.
To the white hand a young face there quickly succeeds;
In her locks are entangled the twisted seaweeds.
Her blue eyes are gleaming with love’s wild delight;
On her bosom the foam-drops like pearls sparkle bright.
Then thinketh the Prince, “You must stay, lady fair;”
And adroitly he windeth his hand in her hair.
He has caught her. The hand of the warrior’s strong;
She weeps and she prays as they struggle along.
The Prince to the shore swimmeth on in his pride;
He lands, and loud calls he his friends to his side.
“Ho! come, my brave comrades, and look at my prey.
Behold how she struggles! She’ll ne’er get away.
“Why stand ye a terrified group on the shore?
Ye have ne’er seen a beauty like this one before.”
Back glanceth the Prince, with delight, on his prize;
But the proud look of triumph soon fades from his eyes.
With a shudder he sees on the golden sand trail
A fearsome sea-monster, with hideous green tail—
A tail covered over with scales like a snake,
Its quivering coils in death-agony shake.
The foam from her forehead is pouring in streams,
And the darkness of death from her closing eye gleams;
Her pale hands are clutching the sands of the sea,
And of purport unknown a reproach whispers she.
Afar rides the Prince—deep in thought rideth he;
For long years he’ll remember “the Queen of the Sea.”