XII.

THE PET-LAMB, A PASTORAL.

THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink; I heard a voice: it said, "Drink, pretty Creature,

drink!"

And, looking o'er the hedge, before me I espied A snow-white mountain Lamb, with a Maiden at its side.

No other sheep were near, the Lamb was all alone, And by a slender cord was tethered to a stone; With one knee on the grass did the little Maiden kneel,

While to that Mountain Lamb she gave its evening

meal.

The Lamb, while from her hand he thus his supper

took,

Seemed to feast with head and ears; and his tail with pleasure shook.

"Drink, pretty Creature, drink," she said in such

a tone

That I almost received her heart into my own.

'Twas little Barbara Lewthwaite, a Child of beauty

rare!

I watched them with delight; they were a lovely

pair.

Now with her empty Can the Maiden turned away; But, ere ten yards were gone, her footsteps did she stay.

Towards the Lamb she looked; and from that shady

place

I, unobserved, could see the workings of her face: If Nature to her tongue could measured numbers

bring,

Thus, thought I, to her Lamb that little Maid might sing

"What ails thee, Young One? What? Why pull so at thy cord?

Is it not well with thee? Well both for bed and board?

Thy plot of grass is soft, and green as grass can be; Rest, little Young One, rest; what is't that aileth

thee?

“What is it thou wouldst seek? What is wanting to thy heart?

Thy limbs, are they not strong? And beautiful thou

art:

This grass is tender

no peers;

grass; these flowers they have

And that green corn, all day, is rustling in thy ears!

"If the Sun be shining hot, do but stretch thy woollen chain,

This beech is standing by, its covert thou canst

gain;

For rain and mountain storms! the like thou need'st

not fear

The rain and storm are things which scarcely can come here.

"Rest, little Young One, rest; thou hast forgot the

day

When my Father found thee first in places far

away:

Many flocks were on the hills, but thou wert owned by none;

And thy mother from thy side for evermore was

gone.

"He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee

home:

A blessed day for thee! then whither wouldst thou

roam?

A faithful nurse thou hast; the Dam that did thee

yean

Upon the mountain tops no kinder could have been.

"Thou know'st that twice a-day I have brought thee in this Can

Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran; And twice in the day, when the ground is wet with

dew,

I bring thee draughts of milk, warm milk it is, and

new.

Thy limbs will shortly be twice as stout as they

are now,

Then I'll yoke thee to my cart like a pony in the plough;

My playmate thou shalt be; and when the wind is

cold

Our hearth shall be thy bed, our house shall be thy

fold.

"It will not, will not rest! - poor Creature, can it

be

That 'tis thy mother's heart which is working so in thee?

Things that I know not of belike to thee are dear, And dreams of things which thou canst neither see nor hear.

"Alas, the mountain tops that look so green and

fair!

I've heard of fearful winds and darkness that come

there;

The little Brooks that seem all pastime and all play, When they are angry, roar like Lions for their prey.

"Here thou need'st not dread the raven in the sky; Night and day thou art safe, our cottage is hard

by.'

Why bleat so after me? Why pull so at thy chain?

Sleep and at break of day I will come to thee

again !"

As homeward through the lane I went with lazy

feet,

This song to myself did I oftentimes repeat;