73
Hasten—hasten—hasten onward,
Viols and guitars are playing,
Kettle-drums and loud-voiced trumpets.
So they hastened up the mountain,
And they entered Hermann's dwelling—
"Mother! come and greet the maiden;
Greet the bride, the wretched woman."—
"Shall I greet thee, wretched maiden!
Would that thou thy neck hadst broken
Ere that thou hadst known my Hermann."—
"Brother! go, and greet the maiden;
Greet the bride, thy hapless sister."—
"Sister! go and greet the maiden,
Greet the bride, thy hapless sister."
"Sister! sister! well I greet thee,
In a year a son shall bless thee."
And the mother deemed it evil
That her children greeted Dortha.
"Wherefore, wherefore, deem it evil—
I, at least, no wrong have done thee."
In the midst of evening's banquet,
E
