National Lyrics, and Songs for Music/Ancient Spanish Battle Song
ANCIENT SPANISH BATTLE SONG.*[1]
The Moor is on his way!
With the tambour-peal and the tecbir-shout,†[2]
And the horn o'er the blue seas ringing out,
He hath marshalled his dark array!
Shout through the vine-clad land!
That her sons on all their hills may hear,
And sharpen the point of the red wolf spear,
And the sword for the brave man's hand!
Banners are in the field!
The chief must rise from his joyous board,
And turn from the feast e'er the wine be poured,
And take up his father's shield.
The Moor is on his way!
Let the peasant leave his olive-ground,
And the goats roam wild through the pine-woods round—
—There is nobler work to-day!
Send forth the trumpet's call!
Till the bridegroom cast the goblet down,
And the marriage-robe and the flowery crown,
And arm in the banquet-hall!
And stay the funeral-train!
Bid the chanted mass be hushed a while,
And the bier laid down in the holy aisle,
And the mourners girt for Spain!
Ere night must swords be red!
It is not an hour for knells and tears,
But for helmets braced, and serried spears!
To-morrow for the dead!
The Cid is in array!
His steed is barbed, his plume waves high,
His banner is up in the sunny sky,
Now, joy for the Cross to-day!
- ↑ * Reprinted from the "Siege of Valentia."
- ↑ † Tecbir, the Moorish war-cry.