Canto II

Time swiftly flies, upon the brooklet's face
The setting sun the twilight's red displays.
The 'stepmother at home is furious, —
"Where is Helen?" — her thoughts are ominous.

The mean old hag spoke to herself like this:
"I'll find out where that daughter of mine is."
— And added, in a no wise pleasant mind:
"Woe her if idle she has been I find!"

Great woe is thine, Helen, poor orphan maid,
Beware! She's coming up to thee, the jade,
Her big mouth opes and with a piercing scream
Arouseth thee thus from thy sweet love's dream:

"Thou miserable wretch, vile shameless face
"Is this the way thou dost thyself disgrace?
"With godless things to fool away the day!
"Did ever man!... Go home! — The devil may

"Enough! Keep still, old hag, or else beware
Before you raise my wroth, and if you dare
Hurt Helen, or e'en with your speech abuse,
The teeth still left within your jaw you'll lose."

His trembling love defending thus, he had—
The gentle shepherd lad — grown truly mad.
On her tormentor casts an angry glance,
Then to this threat he giveth utterance:

"If you want not that I burn down your hut:
Make not heavier this poor orphan's lot.
Her woik is hard she is in constant dread,
And all she gets from you 's a crust of bread."

"Now, Helen dear, go home, thou hast thy speech
If she should maltreat thee, my help beseech!
And you,— old dame — you leave this girl alone
You are yourself as a bad penny known."

He picketh up his cloak, by his wrath stirred
He parts in haste to get -back to his herd.
When lo! He finds that while he was away
Some of the cows of his had gone astray.