The Son of Sorrow. A Fable from the Swedish

All lonely, excluded from Heaven,1

Sat Sorrow one day on the strand ;2

And, mournfully buried in thought,3

Form’d a figure of clay with her hand.4

Jove appeared. “ What is this ?” he demands ;5

She replied. “ ’Tis a figure of clay.6

Show thy pow’r on the work of my hand ;7

Give it life, mighty Father, I pray !”8

“ Let him live !” said the God. “ But observe,9

As I lend him, he mine must remain,”10

“ Not so,” Sorrow said, and implor’d,11

“Oh ! let me my offspring retain !12

“ ’Tis to me his creation he owes.”13

“ Yes,” said Jove, “but’twas I gave him breath.”14

As he spoke, Earth appears on the scene,15

And, observing the image, thus saith :16

“ From me—from my bosom he’s torn,17

I demand, then, what’s taken from me.18

“ This strife shall be settled,” said Jove ;19

“ Let Saturn decide ’tween the three.”20

This sentence the Judge gave. “ To all21

He belongs, so let no one complain ;22

The life, Jove, Thou gav’st him shalt Thou23

With his soul, when he dies, take again.24

“ Thou, Earth, shalt receive back his frame,25

At peace in thy lap he’ll recline ;26

But during his whole troubled life,27

He shall surely, O Sorrow, be thine !28

“ His features thy look shall reflect ;29

Thy sigh shall be mixed with his breath ;30

And he ne’er shall be parted from thee31

Until he reposes in death !”32

Moral.

The sentence of Heaven, then is this :33

And hence Man lies under the sod ;34

Though Sorrow possesses him, living35

He returns both to Earth and to God.36