A Dog, too, had he; not for need, And then the bagpipes he could blow; And thus from house to house would go, And all were pleased to hear and see; For none made sweeter melody Than did the poor blind Boy. Yet he had many a restless dream; And when he heard the torrents roar, And heard the water beat the shore Near which their Cottage stood. Beside a lake their Cottage stood, For to this Lake, by night and day, And rivers large and strong: Then hurries back the road it came- As long as earth shall last. And, with the coming of the Tide, And to the Shepherds with their flocks And of those tales, whate'er they were, Or wonders of the Deep. Yet more it pleased him, more it stirr'd, When from the water-side he heard The shouting, and the jolly cheers, The bustle of the mariners In stillness or in storm. But what do his desires avail? For He must never handle sail; Nor mount the mast, nor row, nor float In Sailor's ship or Fisher's boat Upon the rocking waves. His Mother often thought, and said, The danger is so great." Thus lived he by Loch Levin's side Still sounding with the sounding tide, And heard the billows leap and dance, Without a shadow of mischance, Till he was ten years old. When one day (and now mark me well, Ye soon shall know how this befel) On the swift water hurrying down In such a vessel never more May human Creature leave the shore : But For death will be his doom. say what bears him?-Ye have seen The Indian's Bow, his arrows keen, Rare beasts, and birds with plumage bright Gifts which, for wonder or delight, Are brought in ships from far. Such gifts had those sea-faring men Spread round that Haven in the glen; Each hut, perchance, might have its own, And to the Boy they all were known, He knew and prized them all. And one, the rarest, was a Shell The Shell of a green Turtle, thin And hollow;-you might sit therein, It was so wide and deep. 'Twas even the largest of its kind, Large, thin, and light as birch-tree rind; So light a Shell that it would swim, And gaily lift its fearless brim Above the tossing waves. And this the little blind Boy knew: Had stoutly launched from shore Launched from the margin of a bay In his delightful Shell. ; |