When the evening shadows lengthen,
Bound with chains they bring the youth.
In a car, with dragon horses,
Lost is witch and youth, forsooth.
PART FOURTH.
Hardly five weeks was the staghound
Once more with his lord,
When the dearly bought one sickened,
Died before his lord;
Then his master, in a frenzy,
Tore his hair in woe.
But the dog lay dead for all that—
John was lying low.
When at length his pain was duller,
And some days had passed,
Human feeling woke within him,
And he felt at last
What a sin he had committed
When he gave the lad
To the witch; and lone and haunted,
Sat he still and sad.
“Johnny—poor devoted Johnny,”
Often did he say,
“To a fearful death I gave you,
On an evil day.
Oh, nod to me from thy heaven,
That I am forgiven.
Oh, show mercy to me, Johnny,
Say I am forgiven.”
After that he built a chapel,
Not far from the well;
And a wooden tower also,
With a silver bell—
With a bell of purest silver
They were bid to toll
Every day, in rain and sunshine,
For poor Johnny’s soul.
