He saw me, and he turned aside, As if he wished himself to hide: Then with his coat he made essay I followed him, and said, "My Friend, What ails you? wherefore weep you so?" "Shame on me, Sir! this lusty Lamb, He makes my tears to flow. To-day I fetched him from the rock; He is the last of all my flock. When I was young, a single Man, And after youthful follies ran, Though little given to care and thought, Of sheep I numbered a full score, Year after year my stock it grew; Is all that is alive; And now I care not if we die, And perish all of poverty. Six Children, Sir! had I to feed ; Hard labour in a time of need! My pride was tamed, and in our grief They said I was a wealthy man; And it was fit that thence I took "Do this: how can we give to you," They cried, "what to the poor is due ?" I sold a sheep, as they had said, And bought my little children bread, And they were healthy with their food; -it never did me good. For me A woeful time it was for me, To see the end of all my gains, The pretty flock which I had reared With all my care and pains, To see it melt like snow away! Another still! and still another! It was a vein that never stopp'd Like blood-drops from my heart they dropp'd. Till thirty were not left alive They dwindled, dwindled, one by one, And I may say, that many a time I wished they all were gone: For me it was a woeful day. To wicked deeds I was inclined, I went my work about. Oft-times I thought to run away; Sir! 'twas a precious flock to me, I loved my Children more and more. God cursed me in my sore distress I prayed, yet every day I thought I loved my Children less; And every week, and every day, My flock, it seemed to melt away. VOL. I. L They dwindled, Sir, sad sight to see! From ten to five, from five to three, A lamb, a weather, and a ewe;— And then at last, from three to two; And, of my fifty, yesterday I had but only one: And here it lies upon my arm, To-day I fetched it from the rock; |