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OLD father Mole, (Mole hight that mountain gray | |
| That walls the northside of Armulla dale;) | |
| He had a daughter fresh as floure of May, | |
| Which gave that name unto that pleasant vale; | |
| Mulla, the daughter of old Mole, so hight | 5 |
| The Nimph, which of that water course has charge, | |
| That, springing out of Mole, doth run downe right | |
| To Buttevant, where, spreading forth at large, | |
| It giveth name unto that auncient cittie, | |
| Which Kilnemullah cleped is of old; | 10 |
| Whose ragged ruines breed great ruth and pittie | |
| To travailers, which it from far behold. | |
| Full faine she lov’d, and was belov’d full faine | |
| Of her owne brother river, Bregog hight, | |
| So hight because of this deceitfull traine, | 15 |
| Which he with Mulla wrought to win delight. | |
| But her old sire more carefull of her good, | |
| And meaning her much better to preferre, | |
| Did thinke to match her with the neighbour flood, | |
| Which Allo hight, Broad-water called farre; | 20 |
| And wrought so well with his continuall paine, | |
| That he that river for his daughter wonne: | |
| The dowre agreed, the day assigned plaine, | |
| The place appointed where it should be doone. | |
| Nath’lesse the Nimph her former liking held; | 25 |
| For love will not be drawne, but must be ledde; | |
| And Bregog did so well her fancie weld, | |
| That her good will he got her first to wedde. | |
| But for her father, sitting still on hie, | |
| Did warily still watch which way she went, | 30 |
| And eke from far observ’d, with iealous eie, | |
| Which way his course the wanton Bregog bent; | |
| Him to deceive, for all his watchfull ward, | |
| The wily lover did devise this slight: | |
| First into many parts his streame he shared, | 35 |
| That, whilest the one was watcht, the other might | |
| Passe unespide to meete her by the way; | |
| And then, besides, those little streames so broken | |
| He under ground so closely did convay, | |
| That of their passage doth appeare no token, | 40 |
| Till they into the Mullaes water slide. | |
| So secretly did he his love enjoy: | |
| Yet not so secret, but it was descride, | |
| And told her father by a shepheards boy. | |
| Who, wondrous wroth for that so foule despight, | 45 |
| In great avenge did roll downe from his hill | |
| Huge mightie stones, the which encomber might | |
| His passage, and his water-courses spill. | |
| So of a River, which he was of old, | |
| He none was made, but scattred all to nought; | 50 |
| And, lost emong those rocks into him rold, | |
| Did lose his name: so deare his love he bought. | |
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