Classic Poem

There is music beneath the linden trees,
And a dancing of youths and maidens;
'Mid the dancers are two whom nobody knows;
They gracefully move to the cadence.

And it's up and down, with a motion strange
They foot it, glancing shyly;
Then they laugh to each other and shake their heads,
And the maiden whispers slyly,

“'Tis a curious lily, my lovely youth,
That trembles upon your bonnet,
It only grows i' the depth o' the sea—
No son of Adam won it.

“You are the merman who comes to woo
The village maids to your wishes.
As soon as I saw you I knew you well
By your teeth like bones of fishes.”

And it's up and down, with a motion strange,
They foot it, glancing shyly;
Then they laugh to each other and shake their heads,
And the gallant whispers slyly,

“My lovely lady, I'm fain to know
Why your icy hand so cold is;
And tell me why, of your garment white,
The hem so wet i' the fold is.

“As soon as I saw you I knew you well,
By your nods and curtsies tricksy,
I knew you were no child of earth,
But my cousin, the water nixie.”

The fiddles give over, the dance is done,
They part with a courteous greeting;
They know one another alas! too well,
And crave for no further meeting.