Agnes and the Hill-King

Agnes went out to the field and cried.
The birds were singing sweetly
The Hill-King listened at Agnes' side
Beautiful Agnes!

"Agnes, come into the cave with me,
"The ruddiest gold I'll give to thee."

Thrice went fair Agnes the mountain round,
And entered the cave beneath the ground.

Three times throe years in the cave was she,
And sorely she long'd green fields to see.

As Agnes was sitting and Lullaby sang,
The bells so merry in England rang:

She went to her lord; "I were so fain
"In England to go to church again."

"To church in England I let thee go,
"But leave thy jewels and gold below.

"And when in the churchyard, bear in mind,
"Thou shalt not thy golden hair unbind.

"And when thou kneelest at church to prayer,
"Apart from thy mother place the chair.

"And when the Highest of Names is heard,
"Kneel thou not down at the Holy word."

She deck'd her with gold and jewels rare.
And over her shoulders she toss'd her hair.

She reach'd the church at a holy tide.
And took a seat at her mother's side.

So oft as she heard God's Holy Name,
Her knee on the marble pavement came.

And mass and sermon at last are done.
And she is home with her mother gone.

"Agnes, my Agnes, come back to me,
"Thy seven small children they wail for thee."

"TIie children may wail, as they will, and cry,
"With them nothing more to do have I."

He smote her with sickness and pangs of death;
And the birds were singing sweetly
That hour breath'd Agnes her latest breath.
Beautiful Agnes!