Love

The Legend of Heinz von Stein

by Charles G. Leland 1824–1903

From The Home Book of Verse, ed. Burton Egbert Stevenson (1918)

Love

Out rode from his wild, dark castle
The terrible Heinz von Stein;
He came to the door of a tavern,
And gazed on the swinging sign.

He sat himself down at a table,
And growled for a bottle of wine;
Up came with a flask and a corkscrew
A maiden of beauty divine.

Then, seized with a deep love-longing,
He uttered, "O damosel mine,
Suppose you just give a few kisses
To the valorous Ritter von Stein!"

But she answered, "The kissing business
Is entirely out of my line;
And I certainly will not begin it
On a countenance ugly as thine!"

Oh, then the bold knight was angry,
And cursed both coarse and fine;
And asked, "How much is the swindle
For your sour and nasty wine?"

And fiercely he rode to the castle,
And sat himself down to dine;
And this is the dreadful legend
Of the terrible Heinz von Stein.

MLA

Leland, Charles G. “The Legend of Heinz von Stein.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/leland/8/.

Chicago

Leland, Charles G. “The Legend of Heinz von Stein.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/leland/8/.

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