THE BIRD AND THE SHIP.

FROM MÜLLER.

"THE rivers rush into the sea,
By castle and town they go;
The winds behind them merrily
Their noisy trumpets blow.

"The clouds are passing far aud high,
We little birds in them play;
And everything, that can sing and fly,
Goes with us, and far away.

"I greet thee, bonny boat! Whither, or whence
With thy fluttering golden band?"—
"I greet thee, little bird! To the wide sea
I haste from the narrow land.

"Full and swollen is every sail;
I see no longer a hill,

I have trusted all to the sounding gale,
And it will not let me stand still.

"And wilt thou, little bird, go with us?
Thou mayest stand on the mainmast tall,
For full to sinking is my house

With merry companions all."

"I need not and seek not company, Bonny boat, I can sing all alone;

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For the mainmast tall too heavy am I,
Bonny boat, I have wings of my own.

High over the sails, high over the mast,
Who shall gainsay these joys?

When thy merry companions are still, at last
Thou shalt hear the sound of my voice.

"Who neither may rest, nor listen may,
God bless them every one!

I dart away, in the bright blue day,
And the golden fields of the sun.

"Thus do I sing my weary song,

Wherever the four winds blow;
And this same song, my whole life long,
Neither Poet nor Printer may know."

THE HAPPIEST LAND.

-FRAGMENT OF A MODERN GERMAN BALLAD.

She gives a side-glance and looks down, She is fooling thee!

THE BLACK KNIGHT.

FROM THE GERMAN OF UHLAND.

"TWAS Pentecost, the Feast of Gladness,
When woods and fields put off all sadness,
Thus began the King and spake;
"So from the halls

Of ancient Hofburgh's walls,

A luxuriant Spring shall break."

Drums and trumpets echo loudly,
Wave the crimson banners proudly.
From balcony the King looked on;
In the play of spears,

Fell all the cavaliers,

Before the monarch's stalwart son.

To the barrier of the fight

Rode at last a sable Knight.

Danced in sable iron sark,
Danced a measure weird and dark,
Coldly clasped her limbs around.
From breast and hair
Down fall from her the fair
Flowerets, faded, to the ground.

To the sumptuous banquet came
Every Knight and every Dame.
'Twixt son and daughter all dis-
traught,

With mournful mind

The ancient King reclined,

Gazed at them in silent thought.

Pale the children both did look,

"Sir Knight! your name and scut- But the guest a beaker took;

cheon say!"

"Should I speak it here,

Ye would stand aghast with fear;

I am a Prince of mighty sway!"

When he rode into the lists,

"Golden wine will make you whole!" The children drank,

Gave many a courteous thank;
"Oh, that draught was very cool!"

The arch of heaven grew black with Each the father's breast embraces,

mists,

And the castle 'gan to rock.

At the first blow,

Fell the youth from saddle-bow,
Hardly rises from the shock.

Pipe and viol call the dances,

Torch-light through the bigh hall glances;
Waves a mighty shadow in;
With manner bland
Doth ask the maiden's hand,
Doth with her the dance begin;

Son and daughter; and their faces
Colourless grow utterly.
Whichever way

Looks the fear-struck father grey,
He beholds his children die.

"Woe! the blessed children both
Takest thou in the joy of youth;

Take me, too, the joyless father!"
Spake the grim Guest,

From his hollow, cavernous breast, "Roses in the spring I gather!”

SILENT LOVE.
WHO love would seek,
Let him love evermore

And seldom speak;
For in love's domain
Silence must reign;
Or it brings the heart
Smart

And pain.