There lived a man who was wise and old,
And the old are wise, we must all agree,
And the things he had learned were manifold,
For he ate the fruit of the knowledge tree.
But lo, and behold you! there came to him,
As he walked abroad in the city square,
Scholar and merchant and soldier grim,
Who making obeisance spoke him fair: —
" We come, from the people of many a land,
Unworthy to press your garment hem —
To crown thee here, as is their command,
For the sake of the good you have done for them.
We come from the peoples of town on town,
The people, who know your power and worth,
And they bade us bring you a golden crown
And crown you — the greatest man on earth. "
" We slept, and you toiled thro' the lee-long night,
You saw us unmeet, and made us fit. "
But the brow of the seer grew black as night;
And he questioned — " What merit has come of it?
I have planned the ships that ye sail afar,
And taught you to sharpen the arrow-head;
But your ships are battered in shiftless war,
And your brothers' blood on the arrow is red.
" I have taught you to build your houses fine;
But the beggars grovel before the door,
And you house your servants amongst the swine,
And boast your pride to the starving poor.
Now do you come with cant and crown
To crown me greatest of all mankind!
But, follow me far from the crowded town,
I 'll shew you the man you come to find! "
They followed him, far from the city square,
Soldier and scholar in cloak and hood.
They came to a village, the pump and there
Gaping the village idiot stood.
Untutored, unmeet to labour or plan,
A brainless, brutish and simple thing —
But the seer outspoke — " Behold the man
You claim as Monarch! Go, crown him King! "
" King! " said the scholar, and laughed his mirth.
" King! " said the soldier, and loudly swore.
" Though long we have bowed to your power and worth,
Henceforth we scoff at your simple lore.
The good he has done, we would wish to hear
In town or in country, in forge or farm. "
" Oh, little, perchance, " replied the seer,
" But he never has done a mortal harm. "
So the village idiot was crowned as King.
'T is strange, and in sooth it may be so.
I am a singer trying to sing,
And how on earth should a singer know?
And the old are wise, we must all agree,
And the things he had learned were manifold,
For he ate the fruit of the knowledge tree.
But lo, and behold you! there came to him,
As he walked abroad in the city square,
Scholar and merchant and soldier grim,
Who making obeisance spoke him fair: —
" We come, from the people of many a land,
Unworthy to press your garment hem —
To crown thee here, as is their command,
For the sake of the good you have done for them.
We come from the peoples of town on town,
The people, who know your power and worth,
And they bade us bring you a golden crown
And crown you — the greatest man on earth. "
" We slept, and you toiled thro' the lee-long night,
You saw us unmeet, and made us fit. "
But the brow of the seer grew black as night;
And he questioned — " What merit has come of it?
I have planned the ships that ye sail afar,
And taught you to sharpen the arrow-head;
But your ships are battered in shiftless war,
And your brothers' blood on the arrow is red.
" I have taught you to build your houses fine;
But the beggars grovel before the door,
And you house your servants amongst the swine,
And boast your pride to the starving poor.
Now do you come with cant and crown
To crown me greatest of all mankind!
But, follow me far from the crowded town,
I 'll shew you the man you come to find! "
They followed him, far from the city square,
Soldier and scholar in cloak and hood.
They came to a village, the pump and there
Gaping the village idiot stood.
Untutored, unmeet to labour or plan,
A brainless, brutish and simple thing —
But the seer outspoke — " Behold the man
You claim as Monarch! Go, crown him King! "
" King! " said the scholar, and laughed his mirth.
" King! " said the soldier, and loudly swore.
" Though long we have bowed to your power and worth,
Henceforth we scoff at your simple lore.
The good he has done, we would wish to hear
In town or in country, in forge or farm. "
" Oh, little, perchance, " replied the seer,
" But he never has done a mortal harm. "
So the village idiot was crowned as King.
'T is strange, and in sooth it may be so.
I am a singer trying to sing,
And how on earth should a singer know?