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legend of the border knight.
He sinks to earth, a blood stained form to rest.
Jasper arose, and leaning on his sword
Fix'd his dark eyes upon the crimson sward.
Afar from his side there raged the fray,
Low were the tones in which he turn'd to say—
"Powerless now I feel for evermore;
My rival falls, and vengeance thou art o'er!"
Alas! soon feeble rose the battle cry,
As Leslie's remnant now fast turned to fly:—
All weary, wounded, and alas! cast down,
Sad band, on whom doth fortune sadly frown.
Jasper the sole survivor of that day,
Home thro' Kenna's dell doth take his way;
When amidst the woodland groves did he hear
Afar a wild hind's cry, so soft and clear,—
A white doe bounded o'er the forest brake,
Impelled by some unknown mysterious fate.
He followed on o'er burn, and brae, and fell,
Until they reached the shade of Kenna's dell.
A golden bow and silver arrow lay
Bright flashing in the autumn sunset ray.
Quick to the mystic bow the dart he strung,
Swift through the balmy air it wildly sung,
And in the white doe's snowy side it lies,—
One bound,—and by the fatal tree she dies!
A moment—and the oak in fragments fell
Jasper arose, and leaning on his sword
Fix'd his dark eyes upon the crimson sward.
Afar from his side there raged the fray,
Low were the tones in which he turn'd to say—
"Powerless now I feel for evermore;
My rival falls, and vengeance thou art o'er!"
Alas! soon feeble rose the battle cry,
As Leslie's remnant now fast turned to fly:—
All weary, wounded, and alas! cast down,
Sad band, on whom doth fortune sadly frown.
Jasper the sole survivor of that day,
Home thro' Kenna's dell doth take his way;
When amidst the woodland groves did he hear
Afar a wild hind's cry, so soft and clear,—
A white doe bounded o'er the forest brake,
Impelled by some unknown mysterious fate.
He followed on o'er burn, and brae, and fell,
Until they reached the shade of Kenna's dell.
A golden bow and silver arrow lay
Bright flashing in the autumn sunset ray.
Quick to the mystic bow the dart he strung,
Swift through the balmy air it wildly sung,
And in the white doe's snowy side it lies,—
One bound,—and by the fatal tree she dies!
A moment—and the oak in fragments fell
