Poems (Cook)/Oh! Come to the Ingle-side

by Eliza Cook

 

OH! COME TO THE INGLE-SIDE

Oh! come to the ingle-side!
 For the night is dark and drear;
The snow is deep, and the mountain wide;
 Then stay and rest thee here.
My board is simply spread,
 I've little food to spare;
But thou shalt break my oaten bread,
 And have a welcome share:
For while the fagot burns
 To warm my cottage floor,
They never shall say the poor man turns
 A poorer from his door.
Then come to the ingle-side,
 The night is dark and drear;
The snow is deep, and the mountain wide,
 Oh! stay and rest thee here!

If thou seekest the castle gate,
 Though broad that gate may be,
A weary time thou'lt have to wait,
 For it lets in none like thee.
If thou cravest bit or sup
 Where courtly gallants feed,
Thou'lt find there is nor plate nor cup
 For the starving lips of need.
They have couches 'neath proud domes,
 And downy ones they are;
But the guests who sleep have as princely homes,
 And carry the pearl and star.
Then come to my ingle-side,
 For the night is dark and drear;
The snow is deep, and the mountain wide,
 Oh stay and rest thee here!

If thou wert rich and strong,
 I would not ask thee in;
But thy journey has been lone and long,
 And thy tatter'd garb is thin.
Thy limbs are stiff with cold,
 Thy hair is icy white;
Thou art a pilgrim far too old
 To face this bitter night.
Less pity might there be
 In a breast e'er warmly clad;
But I have been as poor as thee,
 As hungry and as sad.
Then come to my ingle-side,
 The night is dark and drear;
The snow is deep, and the mountain wide,
 Oh! stay and rest thee here!

See, see, the shaggy hound
 Creeps in to thaw his coat;
And a frozen robin that I found
 Chirps with a grateful note.
They claim and have from me
 What richer hands might grudge:
How right or wrong the mercy be
 I leave a God to judge.
And thou shalt sit by the log,
 I'll feed thee as I can;
For the heart that cherishes bird and dog,
 Turns not from suffering man.
Then come to my ingle-side,
 The night is dark and drear;
The snow is deep, and the mountain wide,
 Oh! stay and rest thee here!