The Tzar and the Two Shepherds

The tzar has wandered from the city-gate,
To seek seclusion from the cares of state;
And thus he mused; “What troubles equal mine!
That I accomplish when I purpose this:--
In vain I bid the sun of concord shine,
And toil unwearied for my subjects’ bliss;
Its brightness lasts a moment, and the tzar
For the state’s safety is compell’d to war,
God knows I love my subjects--fain would bless them,
But oft mistake--and injure and oppress them.
I seek for truth, but courtiers all deceive me;
They fill their purses and deluded leave me!
My people sigh and groan:--I share their pain,
And struggle to relieve them, but in vain.”

Thus mused the lord of many nations; then
Looked up, and saw wide scatter’d o’er the glen
The poor lean flocks:--the sheep had lost their lambs,
And the stray’d lambkins bleated for their dams:--
They fled from place to place, alarm’d, afraid;
The lazy dogs were sleeping in the shade!
How busy is the shepherd!--now he hies
To the grove’s verge:--now to the valley flies:--
Seeks to assemble here the sheep that stray,
And there a favourite lamb he hurries on:
But lo! the wolf!--he springs upon his prey;
The shepherd hastens, but the thief is gone:
He cries--he beats his breast--he tears his hair,
Invoking death in agonized despair.

“Behold my picture!” said his majesty,
“Here is another sovereign, just like me:--
I’m glad to know vexations travel far,
And plague a shepherd as they plague a tzar.”

And on he moved in more contented mood--
Whither he knew not;--but beyond the wood
He saw the loveliest flock that ever grazed,
And linger’d, mute with wonder, as he gazed:--
How strong, how sleek, how satisfied, how fair!
Wool soft as silk, and piled in luxury there,
Its golden burthen seemed too great to bear.
The lambs, as if they ran for wagers playing,
Or near their dams, or far--securely straying--
The shepherd, ’neath the linden-tree,
Tuned his pipe most joyfully!

“Ah!” said the tzar, “ye little think
How close ye stand on danger’s brink,
The uncharitable wolf is near:--
And he for music has no ear.”

And so it was--as if the wolf had heard,
Advancing in full gallop he appear’d.

But the dogs, the wily traitor knew,
Sprung up, and at the robber flew:--
His blood has for his daring paid;
And the lambkin that through fear had stray’d,
Is gather’d into the fold anew;
And the shepherd’s pipe was echoed still,
Down the vale and up the hill.

The monarch lost all patience now:--
“What! dost thou sit there like a rock,
While wolves are ravaging thy flock?
A very pretty shepherd thou!”

“Tzar! here no evil can betide my sheep,
My dogs are faithful--and they do not sleep.”