Читать книгу Browning's Shorter Poems - Robert Browning - Страница 24

The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood

As if they were changed into blocks of wood.

210Unable to move a step, or cry

To the children merrily skipping by,

—Could only follow with the eye

That joyous crowd at the piper's back.

But how the Mayor was on the rack,

And the wretched Council's bosom beat,

As the Piper turned from the High Street

To where the Weser rolled its waters,

Right in the way of their sons and daughters!

However, he turned from South to West,

220And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed,

And after him the children pressed:

Great was the joy in every breast.

"He never can cross that mighty top!

He's forced to let the piping drop,

And we shall see our children stop."

When lo, as they reached the mountain-side,

A wondrous portal opened wide,

As if a cavern were suddenly hollowed;

And the Piper advanced, and the children followed,

230And when all were in, to the very last,

The door in the mountain-side shut fast.

Did I say all? No! One was lame,[page 12]

And could not dance the whole of the way;

And in after years, if you would blame

His sadness, he was used to say—

"It's dull in our town since my playmates left!

I can't forget that I'm bereft

Of all the pleasant sights they see,

Which the Piper also promised me.

240For he led us, he said, to a joyous land.

Joining the town, and just at hand,

Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew,

And flowers put forth a fairer hue,

And everything was strange and new:

The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here,

And their dogs outran our fallow deer.

And honey-bees had lost their stings,

And horses were born with eagles' wings;

And just as I became assured,

250My lame foot would be speedily cured,

The music stopped and I stood still,

And found myself outside the hill,

Left alone against my will,

To go now limping as before.

And never hear of that country more!"