IT was a summer evening,— | |
| Old Kaspar’s work was done, | |
| And he before his cottage door | |
| Was sitting in the sun; | |
| And by him sported on the green | 5 |
| His little grandchild Wilhelmine. | |
| |
| She saw her brother Peterkin | |
| Roll something large and round, | |
| Which he beside the rivulet, | |
| In playing there, had found; | 10 |
| He came to ask what he had found | |
| That was so large and smooth and round. | |
| |
| Old Kaspar took it from the boy, | |
| Who stood expectant by; | |
| And then the old man shook his head, | 15 |
| And, with a natural sigh,— | |
| “’T is some poor fellow’s skull,” said he, | |
| “Who fell in the great victory. | |
| |
| “I find them in the garden, | |
| For there ’s many hereabout; | 20 |
| And often, when I go to plough, | |
| The ploughshare turns them out; | |
| For many thousand men,” said he, | |
| “Were slain in the great victory.” | |
| |
| “Now tell us what ’t was all about.” | 25 |
| Young Peterkin he cries; | |
| And little Wilhelmine looks up | |
| With wonder-waiting eyes,— | |
| “Now tell us all about the war, | |
| And what they fought each other for.” | 30 |
| |
| “It was the English,” Kaspar cried, | |
| “Who put the French to rout; | |
| But what they fought each other for | |
| I could not well make out; | |
| But everybody said,” quoth he, | 35 |
| “That ’t was a famous victory. | |
| |
| “My father lived at Blenheim then, | |
| Yon little stream hard by; | |
| They burnt his dwelling to the ground, | |
| And he was forced to fly; | 40 |
| So with his wife and child he fled, | |
| Nor had he where to rest his head. | |
| |
| “With fire and sword the country round | |
| Was wasted far and wide; | |
| And many a childing mother there, | 45 |
| And new-born baby died; | |
| But things like that, you know, must be | |
| At every famous victory. | |
| |
| “They say it was a shocking sight | |
| After the field was won,— | 50 |
| For many thousand bodies here | |
| Lay rotting in the sun; | |
| But things like that, you know must be | |
| After a famous victory. | |
| |
| “Great praise the Duke of Marlborough won, | 55 |
| And our good Prince Eugene.” | |
| “Why, ’t was a very wicked thing!” | |
| Said little Wilhelmine. | |
| “Nay, nay, my little girl!” quoth he, | |
| “It was a famous victory. | 60 |
| |
| “And everybody praised the duke | |
| Who this great fight did win.” | |
| “But what good came of it at last?” | |
| Quoth little Peterkin. | |
| “Why, that I cannot tell,” said he; | 65 |
| “But ’t was a famous victory.” | |
| |
