Maribo Well

The Algrave loud on his cornet blew,
The long and weary night
The Queen in her bower his signal knew.
Of love I feel the might.

She call'd to her page "Run, boy, with speed,
And hither to me the Algrave lead."

The Algrave he stood before her board;
"What wish you, my Queen? why send me word?"

"Dear Algrave, if once the king were dead,
I'd make thee lord of my gold so red.

"O softly! my Queen, hush! say not so;
"There may be listeners; who can know?"

They thought full surely none else was near,
The King had listened with heedful ear.

The king two servants was heard to call;
"Go bid the Queen to the audience hall."

"Now tell me, my fair and graceful Queen,
"What was it you told the Count yestre'en?"

"I told him no other than this, I vow,
"Than just how great and how good wert thou"

The King two servants was heard to call;
"Go bid the Count to the audience hall."

"Now tell me, Sir Count, and tell me right,
"What told you the Queen of me last night?"

"I told her, and nothing else, I vow,
"How good and noble a king wast thou."

He bade his page boy "The cooks go call,
"And bid them come to the audience hall.

"Go, chop yon Algrave to pieces fine,
"And serve him up to the Queen to dine.

"Go, chop him to pieces as small as fish,
"And serve him up on the Queen's own dish."

The Queen saw what on the table came,
"Now that is surely no kind of game."

She look'd again, and she rightly guess'd,
"The count it must be, the cooks have dress'd."

To save him she knew was not too late,
And cuird each morsel, the small and great.

She wrapp'd them up in an ermine fine,
And laid them all in a gilded shrine.

Those morsels she took, so chopp'd and rent,
And straight to the Maribo fountain went.

She dipp'd them where clearest the water ran,
"Stand up, stand up, thou Christian man!"

And up on his feet did the Algrave stand,
Thank God for his mercy, and leave the land.