The Emperor's Bird's-Nest.
By H. W. Longfellow.
Once the Emperor Charles of Spain,
With his swarthy, grave commanders,
I forget in what campaign,
Long besieged in mud and rain
Some old frontier town of Flanders.
With his swarthy, grave commanders,
I forget in what campaign,
Long besieged in mud and rain
Some old frontier town of Flanders.
Up and down the dreary camp,
In great boots of Spanish leather,
Striding with a measured tramp,
These Hidalgos, dull and damp,
Cursed the Frenchmen, cursed the weather.
In great boots of Spanish leather,
Striding with a measured tramp,
These Hidalgos, dull and damp,
Cursed the Frenchmen, cursed the weather.
Thus, as to and fro they went,
Over upland and through hollow,
Giving their impatience vent,
Perched upon the Emperor's tent,
In her nest they spied a swallow.
Over upland and through hollow,
Giving their impatience vent,
Perched upon the Emperor's tent,
In her nest they spied a swallow.
Yes, it was a swallow's nest,
Built of clay and hair of horses'
Mane or tail, or dragon's crest,
Found on hedge-rows, east or west,
After skirmish of the forces.
Built of clay and hair of horses'
Mane or tail, or dragon's crest,
Found on hedge-rows, east or west,
After skirmish of the forces.
Then an old Hidalgo said,
As he twirled his gray mustachio,
"Sure this swallow over-head
Thinks our Emperor's tent a shed,
And our Emperor but a Macho!'[1]
As he twirled his gray mustachio,
"Sure this swallow over-head
Thinks our Emperor's tent a shed,
And our Emperor but a Macho!'[1]
- ↑ Macho, the Spanish for mule.
