MALBROOCK. TRANSLATED BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. ALBROOCK, the prince of commanders, Is gone to the war in Flanders ; His fame is like Alexander's; But when will he ever come home? Mironton, mironton, mirontaine. Perhaps at Trinity Feast, or Perhaps he may come at Easter, Egad! he had better make haste, or Mironton, &c. For Trinity Feast is over, And has brought no knews from Dover, And Easter is pass'd, moreover, And Malbroock still delays. 66 He's dead! He's dead as a herring! For I beheld his berring, And four officers transferring His corpse away from the field. One officer carried his sabre, And he carried it not without labour, Who only bore a shield. Malbroock. "The third was helmet bearerThat helmet which on its wearer Fill'd all who saw it with terror, And cover'd a hero's brains. "Now having got so far, I N Paris a queer little man you may see, A little man all in grey; Rosy and round as an apple is he, Content with the present, whate'er it may be, While from care and from cash he is equally free, And merry both night and day! "Ma foi! I laugh at the world," says he, "I laugh at the world, and the world laughs at me!" What a gay little man in grey! He runs after the girls, like a great many more, This little man all in grey; He sings, falls in love and in debt o'er and o'er, And drinks without wasting a thought on the score: The Little Man all in Grey. And then in the face of a dun shuts his door, Or keeps out of the bailiff's way. 66 Ma foi! I laugh at the world," says he, "I laugh at the world, and the world laughs at me!" What a gay little man in grey! When the rain comes in through the broken panes, This little man all in grey Goes to bed content, and never complains, And, though winter be chilling the blood in his veins, Not to care for a fire to-day! "Ma foi! I laugh at the world," says he, I laugh at the world, and the world laughs at me!" What a gay little man in grey! The prettiest wife one need wish to possess Has this little man all in grey; But the world will talk, and I must confess That her exquisite taste, and her elegant dress That her lovers, perchance, may pay. Still her husband looks on. "Ma foi!" says he, I laugh at the world, and the world laughs at me!" What a gay little man in grey y! Now rack'd by the gout, on his comfortless bed Lies this little man all in grey; And the priest, with his book and his shaven head, Comes and talks of the devil, the grave, and the dead, Till the sick man's patience is wholly fled, And he frightens the priest away! Ma foi! I laugh at the devil," says he, "I laugh at the world, and the world laughs at me!” What a gay little man in grey! |