Underneath an old oak tree There was of swine a huge company, That grunted as they crunched the mast: For that was ripe, and fell full fast.
Then they trotted away, for the wind grew high: 5 One acorn they left, and no more might you spy.
Next came a Raven, that liked not such folly: He belonged, they did say, to the witch Melancholy!
Blacker was he than blackest jet, Flew low in the rain, and his feathers not wet. 10 He picked up the acorn and buried it straight By the side of a river both deep and great.
Where then did the Raven go?
He went high and low, Over hill, over dale, did the black Raven go. 15 Many Autumns, many Springs Travelled[170:1] he with wandering wings: Many Summers, many Winters-- I can"t tell half his adventures.
At length he came back, and with him a She, 20 And the acorn was grown to a tall oak tree.
They built them a nest in the topmost bough, And young ones they had, and were happy enow.
But soon came a Woodman in leathern guise, His brow, like a pent-house, hung over his eyes. 25 He"d an axe in his hand, not a word he spoke, But with many a hem! and a st.u.r.dy stroke, At length he brought down the poor Raven"s own oak.
His young ones were killed; for they could not depart, And their mother did die of a broken heart. 30
The boughs from the trunk the Woodman did sever; And they floated it down on the course of the river.
They sawed it in planks, and its bark they did strip, And with this tree and others they made a good ship.
The ship, it was launched; but in sight of the land 35 Such a storm there did rise as no ship could withstand.
It bulged on a rock, and the waves rush"d in fast: Round and round flew the raven, and cawed to the blast.
He heard the last shriek of the perishing souls-- See! see! o"er the topmast the mad water rolls! 40 Right glad was the Raven, and off he went fleet, And Death riding home on a cloud he did meet, And he thank"d him again and again for this treat: They had taken his all, and REVENGE IT WAS SWEET!
1797.
FOOTNOTES:
[169:1] First published in the _Morning Post_, March 10, 1798 (with an introductory letter, _vide infra_): included (with the letter, and except line 15 the same text) in the _Annual Anthology_, 1800, in _Sibylline Leaves_, 1817 (pp. vi-viii), 1828, 1829, and 1834.
[To the editor of the _Morning Post_.]
"Sir,--I am not absolutely certain that the following Poem was written by EDMUND SPENSER, and found by an Angler buried in a fishing-box:--
"Under the foot of Mole, that mountain h.o.a.r, Mid the green alders, by the Mulla"s sh.o.r.e."
But a learned Antiquarian of my acquaintance has given it as his opinion that it resembles SPENSER"S minor Poems as nearly as Vortigern and Rowena the Tragedies of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.--The Poem must be read in _recitative_, in the same manner as the Aegloga Secunda of the Shepherd"s Calendar.
CUDDY." _M. P._, _An. Anth._
[170:1] Seventeen or eighteen years ago an artist of some celebrity was so pleased with this doggerel that he amused himself with the thought of making a Child"s Picture Book of it; but he could not hit on a picture for these four lines. I suggested a _Round-about_ with four seats, and the four seasons, as Children, with Time for the shew-man. Footnote, _Sibylline Leaves_, 1817.
LINENOTES:
t.i.tle] "A Christmas Tale," &c., was first prefixed in S. L. 1817. The letter introduced the poem in the Morning Post. In the Annual Anthology the "Letter" is headed "The Raven". Lamb in a letter to Coleridge, dated Feb. 5, 1797, alludes to this poem as "Your _Dream_".
[1-8]
Under the arms of a goodly oak-tree There was of Swine a large company.
They were making a rude _repast_, Grunting as they crunch"d the _mast_.
Then they trotted away: for the wind blew high-- 5 One acorn they left, ne more mote you spy, Next came a Raven, who lik"d not such folly: He belong"d, I believe, to the witch MELANCHOLY!
M. P., An. Anth., and (with variants given below) MS. S. T. C.
[1] Beneath a goodly old oak tree MS. S. T. C.: an old] a huge S. L.
1817, 1828, 1829.
[6] ne more] and no more MS. S. T. C.
[7] Next] But soon MS. S. T. C.
[8] belonged it was said S. L. 1817.
[10] in the rain; his feathers were wet M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[15] O"er hill, o"er dale M. P.
[17] with] on MS. S. T. C.
[20] came back] return"d M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[21] to a tall] a large M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[22] topmost] uppermost MS. S. T. C.
[23] happy] jolly M. P., An. Anth.
[26] and _he_ nothing spoke M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[28] At length] Wel-a-day MS. S. T. C.: At last M. P., An. Anth.
[30] And his wife she did die M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[31] The branches from off it M. P., An. Anth.: The branches from off this the MS. S. T. C.
[32] And floated MS. S. T. C.
[33] They saw"d it to planks, and its rind M. P., An. Anth.: They saw"d it to planks and its bark MS. S. T. C.
[34] they built up a ship M. P., An. Anth.
[36] Such . . . ship] A tempest arose which no ship M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[38] The auld raven flew round and round M. P., An. Anth.: The old raven flew round and round MS. S. T. C., S. L. 1817, 1828, 1829.
[39] He heard the sea-shriek of their perishing souls M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C.
[40-4]
They be sunk! O"er the topmast the mad water rolls The Raven was glad that such fate they did _meet_.
They had taken his all and REVENGE WAS SWEET.