Maiden
and
Weathercock.
Maiden.
O weathercock on the village spire,1
With your golden feathers all on fire,2
Tell me, what can you see from your perch3
Above there over the tower of the Church
?4
Weathercock
I can see the roofs and the streets below,5
And the people moving to and fro,6
And beyond, without either roof or street,7
The great salt sea and the Fishermen’s fleet.8
I can see a ship come sailing in9
Beyond the headlands and harbour of Lynn,10
And a young man standing on the deck,11
With a silken kerchief
round his neck.12
round his neck.12
Now he is pressing it
to his lips,13
to his lips,13
And now he is kissing his
finger tips,14
finger tips,14
And now he is lifting and
waving his hand15
waving his hand15
And blowing the kisses
toward the land16
toward the land16
Maiden
Ah, that is the ship from over
the sea17
the sea17
That is bringing my lover back
to me,18
to me,18
Bringing my lover so fond and
true,19
true,19
Who does not change with
the wind like you20
the wind like you20
Weathercock
If I change with all the winds that
blow,21
blow,21
It is only because they made me so
;22
And people would think it
wondrous strange23
wondrous strange23
If I, a weathercock, should not change24
O pretty maiden so fine and fair25
With your dreamy eyes and your golden hair,26
When you and your lover meet to-day,27
You will thank me for looking some other way28