LESSON 24 GELERT

GELERT

THE spearman ［1］ heard the bugle sound,

And cheerily smiled the morn,

And many a brach ［2］ and many a hound

Obeyed Llewellyn's horn ［3］ .

But still he blew a louder blast,

And gave a louder cheer;

Come, Gelert! why art thou the last Llewellyn's horn to hear? O, where does faithful Gelert roam?

The flower ［4］ of all his race!

So true, so brave—a lamb at home,

A lion in the chase ［5］ !"

In sooth he was a peerless hound,

The gift of royal John ［6］ ;

But now no Gelert could be found,

And all the chase rode on.

That day Llewellyn little loved

The chase of hart ［7］ or hare;

But scant ［8］ and small the booty ［9］ proved,

For Gelert was not there.

Unpleased, Llewellyn homeward hied ［10］ ,

When, near the portal ［11］ seat,

His truant Gelert he espied ［12］ ,

Bounding his lord to greet.

But when he gained the castle door,

Aghast ［13］ the chieftain stood;

The hound was smeared with gouts ［14］ of gore ［15］

His lips and fangs ［16］ ran blood ［17］ !

Llewellyn gazed with wild surprise;

Unused such looks to meet,

His favourite checked his joyful guise ［18］ ,

And crouched and licked his feet.

Onward in haste Llewellyn passed—

And on went Gelert too—

And still where'er his eyes were cast,

Fresh blood-gouts shocked his view.

O'erturned his infant's bed he found,

The blood-stained covert ［19］ rent ［20］ ;

And all around, the walls and ground

With recent blood besprent ［21］ .

He called his child—no voice replied;

He searched with terror wild,

Blood! blood! he found on every side,

But nowhere found his child!

Monster! by thee my child's devoured!

The frantic ［22］ father cried,

And to the hilt ［23］ his vengeful sword

He plunged in Gelert's side!—

Aroused by Gelert's dying yell,

Some slumberer wakened nigh ;

What words the parent's joy can tell,

To hear his infant cry!

Concealed beneath a mangled ［24］ heap

His hurried search had missed,

All glowing from his rosy sleep

His cherub ［25］ boy he kissed.

Nor scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread—

But the same couch beneath

Lay a great wolf, all torn and dead,—

Tremendous still in death!

Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain!

For now the truth was clear;

The gallant hound the wolf had slain,

To save Llewellyn's heir ［26］ .

Vain, vain, was all Llewellyn's woe—

Best of thy kind, adieu ［27］ , The frantic deed which laid thee low, This heart shall ever rue ［28］ .

—SPENCER

* * *

［1 ］ spearman: One armed with a spear.

［2 ］ brach: Female hound.

［3 ］ horn: Hunting horn.

［4 ］ flower: Best of all

［5 ］ chase: The hunt after the deer.

［6 ］ Royal John: King of England at the time of Magna Carta, 1215.

［7 ］ hart: Male deer.

［8 ］ scant: Small, scarce.

［9 ］ booty: Animals caught while hunting.

［10 ］ homeward hied: Went home.

［11 ］ portal: Doorway.

［12 ］ espied: Caught sight of.

［13 ］ aghast: Struck with horror.

［14 ］ gouts: Daubs, large drops.

［15 ］ gore: Blood.

［16 ］ fangs: Teeth.

［17 ］ ran blood: Were dripping with blood.

［18 ］ guise: Appearance.

［19 ］ covert: Coverlet, cover of a bed.

［20 ］ rent: Torn.

［21 ］ besprent: Sprinkled all over.

［22 ］ frantic: Angered to madness.

［23 ］ hilt: Handle of a sword.

［24 ］ mangled: Torn.

［25 ］ cherub: A beautiful child.

［26 ］ heir: First-born son.

［27 ］ adieu: Farewell, goodbye.

［28 ］ rue: Be sorry for.