Page:Bohemian legends and other poems.djvu/56

“I’ll give you the wreath from my hair,
For a nobler I will not wait.”
Then the dark young man stopped his steed,
And the vain girl mounted elate,
While he whisp ered low in her ears,
“I’ll take thee to paradise straight.”

And away they rode through the town,
Till they came to an awful way;
There were stunted and blasted trees;
There were snakes there ready to slay,
And there many a poison herb
Grew, that hid from the light of day.

And far away in the distance
The vain girl saw the flames of hell,
That leaped with their tongues of fire
’Gainst the sky they hated so well.
And their steed rushed on like the wind,
And soon they were standing in hell.

“Open, my comrades, my black ones,
I have brought you a vain young girl.”
The door flew open, and devils,
Yea, hundreds flew out with a whirl.
And they danced and capered with glee,
And they laughed at the vain young girl.

“Where are your manners, you devils?
Bring the lady a glass of wine.”
Then one of the devils ran quick,
And soon brought her a goblet fine.
“Drink, thou vainest of maidens, drink,
The health of our prince in this wine.”

She drank of that wine and turned pale;
She drank, and flames rushed from her lips.
“Oh, prince of this country,” she said,
“Oh, moisten with water my lips.”
The devils laughed loud at her call,
They said, “Take long draughts, make no sips.”