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Sir Hugh went forth and brought home a wife,
To share the joys and cares of his life.
Within eight years from their wedding-mom,
Six little chil&en to them were bom.
At last Death summoned her soul away,
And her body was buried in grand array.
Sir Hugh then married another wife,
But she made his home an abode of strife.
The lady he wed was a dismal dame;
Both proud and remorseless she became.
When into the castle-court drove she,
The six small children were sad to see.
When there they all stood in doleful doubt.
She railed at them sore and thrust them out.
Nor cakes nor mead to the children she ffaye,
But told them that "Nothing from her they'd haye."
She took their warm beds of velvet blue,
And said, "Some straw is enough for you."
She carried away their great wax-light,
And said, "Ye must lie in the dark all night."
The poor little things their sorrows told;
The Mother heard them under the mould.
When to her there came their cry of woe,
She said, "I must to my children go."
She implored the Lord with passionate prayer,
That she might succour her infants there.
She was so troubled with earnest grief,
He could not refuse this sweet relief.
The Lord at last gave her leave to go.
But bade her "Return when the cock should crow."
"When the cock ye hear in the morning prime.
Ye may not abide beyond that time."
Thus helped by heaven to work her will.
There throbbed through her heart a mighty thrill.
With her limbs so strong a spring she gave.
And rent the walls of her marble grave.
Straight through the gloaming away she stole,
Swift with the speed of a loving soul.
When she her old home approached nigh.
The dogs howled loud 'neath the darkening sky.
When she arrived at the castle-gate,
There was her daughter in piteous state.
"Ye are my daughter, why stand ye here?
How are thy brothers and sisters dear?"
"Ye can't be my mother — she's fair and red;
Ye are so white — like one from the dead."
"Oh, how should I be comely and red,
When I so long have been with the dead?"
When the Mother entered the chamber door,
The six little bairns were weeping sore.
She washed the one and caressed the other;
She brushed and combed the hair of another.
She dandled the fourth upon her knee.
And spoke to the fifth so tenderly.
The babe she lifted and fondly prest,
And sweetly nourished it at her breast.
Then she turned to her first-born, mournfully,
And said, "Bid your father come here to me."
When he came before her in grewful trim,
Thus in warning mood, she spoke to him.
"I left, for my children, cakes and mead;
Ye give them nothing but water and bread.
"I left them many a great wax-light;
Ye make them lie in the dark all night.
"I left them warm beds of velvet blue;
With straw ye starve them and make them rue.
"If ever I come on this errand again.
Thy fate, I vow, will be woeful then."
He fled from her in repentant fright,
And told what happen'd that haunted night.
Little Jenny, the maid, who lurked in bed.
Upraised herself from her pillow and said,
"Trust them to my care, dear lady, I pray;
To thy children I'll do the best I may."
With hushing look and listening smile,
The Mother lingered and watched awhile.
Hark, the cock doth crow! The Ghost doth glide
Away, in her narrow vault to hide.
To her selfish kin her mission is o'er';
Their harden'd hearts are touched to the core.
Whenever they hear the watch-dogs yell,
They feed the motherless children well.
Whenever they hear the blood-hounds bark,
They fear the Ghost is come through the dark.
When the ban-dogs howl in the evening gloom,
They think the Dead has riven her tomb.
And they bross themselves with a holy fear,
Lest the Warning Ghost should again appear.
For they shudder to think the dead are so near.
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