And who may be thy mother, maid?
There’s no one here, my maiden staid.”
“Oh, sir, my stepmother’s in the town,
She went for her daughter to the town;
To-morrow they both come home.”
PART SECOND.
A forest and a widening plain,
And see the rider comes again
From out the forest on snowy steed—
One hears the hoof-irons ring at his speed,
As he rides to the hamlet.
And by the hamlet down he sprang,
And on the door knocks, bang, bang, bang.
“Hola within, come open the door,
Let me see thy face, beloved, once more,
Oh, thou who art my treasure.”
Out came a granny, skin and bone:
“Ha! What brings you?” Harsh was her tone
“I bring you a change in house,” he said.
“I fain would your handsome daughter wed—
The one you call not your own.”
“Ha! ha! your words are passing strange—
Who would have thought of such a change!
Be welcome though, my honorable guest,
Unknown to me, I still bid you rest—
Come, tell me how you came here.”
“Know I am king of all this land—
I strayed here from my knightly band.
I'll give you silver, I’ll give you gold
For that daughter of yours—wealth untold,
For that beautiful spinner.”
“Oh, master king, ’tis strange, most strange—
Who would have thought of such a change!
We are not worthy, oh, master king,
To dare to think of such a thing;
We are poor, humble people.
