| |
| THE SPEARMEN heard the bugle sound, | |
| And cheerly smiled the morn; | |
| And many a brach and many a hound | |
| Obeyed Llewelyn’s horn. | |
| |
| And still he blew a louder blast, | 5 |
| And gave a lustier cheer: | |
| “Come, Gêlert, come, wert never last | |
| Llewelyn’s horn to hear. | |
| |
| “O, where doth faithful Gêlert roam, | |
| The flower of all his race, | 10 |
| So true, so brave,—a lamb at home, | |
| A lion in the chase?” | |
| |
| ’T was only at Llewelyn’s board | |
| The faithful Gêlert fed; | |
| He watched, he served, he cheered his lord, | 15 |
| And sentineled his bed. | |
| |
| In sooth he was a peerless hound, | |
| The gift of royal John; | |
| But now no Gêlert could be found, | |
| And all the chase rode on. | 20 |
| |
| And now, as o’er the rocks and dells | |
| The gallant chidings rise, | |
| All Snowdon’s craggy chaos yells | |
| The many-mingled cries! | |
| |
| That day Llewelyn little loved | 25 |
| The chase of hart and hare; | |
| And scant and small the booty proved, | |
| For Gêlert was not there. | |
| |
| Unpleased Llewelyn homeward hied, | |
| When, near the portal seat, | 30 |
| His truant Gêlert he espied, | |
| Bounding his lord to greet. | |
| |
| But, when he gained his castle door, | |
| Aghast the chieftain stood; | |
| The hound all o’er was smeared with gore, | 35 |
| His lips, his fangs, ran blood. | |
| |
| Llewelyn gazed with fierce surprise; | |
| Unused such looks to meet, | |
| His favorite checked his joyful guise, | |
| And crouched and licked his feet. | 40 |
| |
| Onward, in haste, Llewelyn passed, | |
| And on went Gêlert too; | |
| And still, where’er his eyes he cast, | |
| Fresh blood-gouts shocked his view. | |
| |
| O’erturned his infant’s bed he found, | 45 |
| With blood-stained covert rent; | |
| And all around the walls and ground | |
| With recent blood besprent. | |
| |
| He called his child,—no voice replied,— | |
| He searched with terror wild; | 50 |
| Blood, blood, he found on every side, | |
| But nowhere found his child. | |
| |
| “Hell-hound! my child ’s by thee devoured,” | |
| The frantic father cried; | |
| And to the hilt his vengeful sword | 55 |
| He plunged in Gêlert’s side. | |
| |
| His suppliant looks, as prone he fell, | |
| No pity could impart; | |
| But still his Gêlert’s dying yell | |
| Passed heavy o’er his heart. | 60 |
| |
| Aroused by Gêlert’s dying yell, | |
| Some slumberer wakened nigh: | |
| What words the parent’s joy could tell | |
| To hear his infant’s cry! | |
| |
| Concealed beneath a tumbled heap | 65 |
| His hurried search had missed, | |
| All glowing from his rosy sleep, | |
| The cherub boy he kissed. | |
| |
| Nor scath had he, nor harm, nor dread, | |
| But, the same couch beneath, | 70 |
| Lay a gaunt wolf, all torn and dead, | |
| Tremendous still in death. | |
| |
| Ah, what was then Llewelyn’s pain! | |
| For now the truth was clear; | |
| His gallant hound the wolf had slain | 75 |
| To save Llewelyn’s heir: | |
| |
| Vain, vain was all Llewelyn’s woe; | |
| “Best of thy kind, adieu! | |
| The frantic blow which laid thee low | |
| This heart shall ever rue.” | 80 |
| |
| And now a gallant tomb they raise, | |
| With costly sculpture decked; | |
| And marbles storied with his praise | |
| Poor Gêlert’s bones protect. | |
| |
| There never could the spearman pass, | 85 |
| Or forester, unmoved; | |
| There oft the tear-besprinkled grass | |
| Llewelyn’s sorrow proved. | |
| |
| And there he hung his horn and spear, | |
| And there, as evening fell, | 90 |
| In fancy’s ear he oft would hear | |
| Poor Gêlert’s dying yell. | |
| |
| And, till great Snowdon’s rocks grow old, | |
| And cease the storm to brave, | |
| The consecrated spot shall hold | 95 |
| The name of “Gêlert’s Grave.” | |
| |
