Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MOUNTAIN MAIDENS; A CANTATA, by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MOUNTAIN MAIDENS; A CANTATA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The stars die out, and the moon grows dim
Last Line: We are safely home at last!
Subject(s): Mountains; Hills; Downs (great Britain)


Part I.—Sunrise.
(1.) DAWN CHORUS.

THE stars die out, and the moon grows dim,
Slowly, softly, the dark is paling!
Comes o'er the eastern horizon-rim,
Slowly, softly, a bright unveiling.

The white mist floats in the vale at rest,
Ghostly, dimly, a silver shiver;
The golden east and the purple west
Flushing deep with a crimson quiver.

The mountains gleam with expectant light,
Near and grandly, or far and faintly,
In festal robing of solemn white,
Waiting, waiting, serene and saintly.

Lo! on the mountain-crest, sudden and fair,
Bright herald of morning, the rose-tint is there;
Peak after peak lighteth up with the glow
That crowneth with ruby the Alpine snow.

Summit on summit, and crest beyond crest,
The beacons are spreading away to the west;
Crimson and fire, and amber and rose,
Touch with life and with glory the Alpine snows.

(2.) CHORALE.

Father, who hast made the mountains,
Who hast formed each tiny flower,
Who hast filled the crystal fountains,
Who hast sent us sun and shower;
Hear Thy children's morning prayer,
Asking for Thy guardian care;
Keep and guide us all the day,
Lead us safely all the way.

Let Thy glorious creation
Be the whisper of Thy power;
New and wondrous revelation
Still unfolding every hour.
Let the blessing of Thy love
Rest upon us from above;
And may evening gladness be
Full of thanks and praise to Thee.

(3.) RECITATIVE.—Dora.

Our pleasant summer work begins. You go,
O merry Zella, with the obedient herd
To upland pastures, singing all the way.
And you, Lisetta, to the sterner heights,
Where only foot of Alpine goat may pass,
Or step of mountain maiden. It is mine
To work at home preparing smooth white cheese
For winter store, and often needed gain.
And mine the joy of welcoming once more
My loving sisters when the evening falls,

(4.) SONG.—Dora.

The morning light flingeth
Its wakening ray,
And as the day bringeth
The work of the day,
The happy heart singeth;
Awake and away!

No life can be dreary
When work is delight;
Though evening be weary,
Rest cometh at night;
And all will be cheery,
If faithful and right.

When duty is treasure,
And labor a joy,
How sweet is the leisure
Of ended employ!
Then only can pleasure
Be free from alloy.

[Repeat v. i.

(5.) SONG.—Zella.

Away away! with the break of day
To the sunny upland slope!
Away, away! while the earliest ray
Tells of radiant joy and hope.

With the gentle herd that know the word
Of kindness and of care,
While with footsteps free they follow me,
As I lead them anywhere.

Away, away! with a merry lay,
And the chime of a hundred bells;
Away, away! with a carol gay,
And an echo from the fells.

To the pastures high, where the shining sky
Looks down on a wealth of flowers;
To the sapphire spots, where forget-me-nots
Smile on through lonely hours.

Away, away! while the breezes play
In the fragrant summer morn;
Away, away! while the rock-walls grey
Resound with the Alpen-horn.
To the crags, all bright in the golden light
With floral diadems,
As fresh and fair, as 'rich and rare,'
As any roval gems.

Away, away! while the rainbow spray
Wreaths the silver waterfalls;
Away, away! Oh, I cannot stay
When the voice of the morning calls!

(6.) RECITATIVE.—Lisetta.

Adieu, my Dora! Zella dear, adieu!
The quick light tinkle of the goat-bells now
Reminds me they are waiting for my call,
To follow where small flowers have dared to peep
And laugh, beside the glacier and the snow.
I shall not go alone, your love shall go with me.

(7.) DUET.—Zella and Dora.

Adieu, adieu till eventide!
The hours will quickly pass,
The shadow of the rocks will glide
Across the sunny grass.
We shall not mourn the lessening light,
For we shall meet at home to-night.

Adieu, adieu, till eventide!
The hour of home and rest,
The hour that finds us side by side,
The sweetest and the best.
For love is joy, and love is light,
And we shall meet at home to-night!

Adieu, adieu till eventide!
'Tis but a little while!
We would not stay the morning's pride,
Or noontide's dazzling smile.
But welcome evening's waning light,
For we shall meet at home to-night!

Part II.—Noon.
(8.) SONG.—Lisetta.

It is noon upon the mountains, and the breeze has died away,
And the rainbow of the morning passes from the torrent spray,
And a calm of golden silence falls upon the glistening snow,
While the shadows of the noon-clouds rest upon the glen below.

It is noon upon the mountains, noon upon the giant rocks:
Hushed the tinkle of the goat-bells, and the bleating of the flocks;
They are sleeping on the gentians, and upon the craggy height,
In the glow of Alpine noon-tide, in the glory of the light.

It is noon upon the mountains: I will rest beside the snow,
Glittering summits far above me, blueveined glaciers far below;
I will rest upon the gentians, till the quiet shadows creep,
Cool and soft, along the mountains, waking me from pleasant sleep.

(9.) NOON CHORUS.

Rest! while the noon is high,
Rest while the glow
Falls from the summer sky
Over the snow.

Rest! where the Alpen-rose
Crimsons the height,
Piercing the mountain-snows,
Purpling the light.
Rest! while the waterfalls,
Murmuring deep
Far-away lullabies,
Hush thee to sleep.
Rest! while the noon, etc.

Rest! where the mountains rise,.
Shining and white;
Piercing the deep blue skies,
Solemn and bright.
Sleep! while the silence falls,
Soothing to rest,
Sweetest of lullabies,
Calming and blest.
Rest! while the noon, etc.

(10.) RECITATIVE.—Lisetta.

Where am I? I was sleeping by the snow
Upon the Alpen-roses in the noon.
But am I dreaming now? The sun is low,
'Tis twilight in the valley, and I hear
No music of the goat-bells. Oh, I fear
It is no dream, but night is coming soon,
And I am all alone upon the height,
And there are small faint tracks, too quickly lost,
That needs sure foot and eye in fullest light,
And crags to leap, and torrents to be crossed!
I go! may Power and Love still guard and guide aright.

(11.) SONG.—Lisetta.

Alone, alone! yet around me stand
God's mountains, still and grand!
Still and grand, serene and bright,
Sentinels clothed in armor white,
And helmeted with scarlet light.
His Power is near,
I need not fear.
Beneath the shadow of His Throne
Alone, alone, yet not alone!

Alone, alone! yet beneath me sleep
The flowers His hand doth keep.
Small and fair, by crag or dell,
Trustfully closing star and bell,
Eve by eve as twilight fell.
His Love is near,
I need not fear.
Beneath the rainbow of His Throne,
Alone, alone, yet not alone!

Alone, alone! yet I will not fear,
For Power and Love are near,
Step by step, by rock and rill,
Trustfully onward, onward still,
I follow home with hope and will!
So near, so near,
I do not fear!
Beneath the Presence of His Throne,
Alone, alone, yet not alone!

Part III—Sunset.
(12.) SUNSET CHORUS.

It is coming, it is coming,
That marvellous up-summing,
Of the loveliest and grandest all in one:
The great transfiguration,
And the royal coronation,
Of the Monarch of the mountains by the priestly Sun.

Watch breathlessly and hearken,
While the forest throne-steps darken
His investiture in crimson and in fire;
Not a herald-trumpet ringeth,
Not a pæan echo flingeth,
There is music of a silence that is mightier far, and higher.

Then in radiant obedience,
A flush of bright allegiance
Lights up the vassal-summits and the proud peaks all around;
And a thrill of mystic glory
Quivers on the glaciers hoary,
As the ecstasy is full, and the mighty brow is crowned.

Crowned with ruby of resplendence
In unspeakable transcendence,
'Neath a canopy of purple and of gold outspread,
With rock-sceptres upward pointing,
While the glorious anointing
Of the consecrating sunlight is poured upon his head.

Then a swift and still transition
Falls upon the gorgeous vision,
And the ruby and the fire pass noiselessly away;
But the paling of the splendor
Leaves a rose-light, clear and tender,
And lovelier than the loveliest dream that melts before the day.

Oh, to keep it, oh to hold it,
While the tremulous rays enfold it!
Oh to drink in all the beauty, and never thirst again!
Yet less lovely, if less fleeting!
For the mingling and the meeting
Of the wonder and the rapture can but overflow in pain.

It is passing, it is passing:
While the softening glow is glassing
In the crystal of the heavens all the fairest of its rose.
Ever faintly and more faintly,
Ever saintly and more saintly,
Gleam the snowy heights around us in holiest repose.

O pure and perfect whiteness!
O mystery of brightness
Upon those still, majestic brows shed solemnly abroad!
Like the calm and blessèd sleeping
Of saints in Christ's own keeping,
When the smile of holy peace is left, last witness for their God.

(13.) SONG.—Dora.

The tuneful chime of the herd is still,
For the milking hour is past,
And tinkle, tinkle, along the hill,
The goat-bells come at last.
But sister, sister, where art thou?
We watch and wait for thy coming now.

The crimson fades from the farthest height,
And the rose-fire pales away;
And softly, softly, the shroud of night
Enfolds the dying day.
But sister, sister, where art thou?
We watch and wait for thy coming now.

The cold wind swells from the icy steep,
And the pine-trees quake and moan;
And darkly, darkly the grey clouds creep,
And thou art all alone.
O sister, sister, where art thou?
We watch and wait for thy coming now.

(14.) DUET.—Zella and Dora.

We will seek thee, we will find thee,
Though the night-winds howl and sweep!
We will follow through the torrent,
We will follow up the steep.
Follow where the Alpen-roses
Make the mountain all aglow,
Follow, follow through the forest,
Follow, follow to the snow!
And our Alpine call shall echo
From the rock and from the height,
Till a gladder tone rebounding,
Thine own merry voice resounding,
Fill us with a great delight.
Lisetta! Lisetta!
Hush and hearken! Call again!
Lisetta! Lisetta!
Hearken, hearken! All in vain!

We will seek thee, we will find thee,
In the wary chamois' haunt;
Toil and terror, doubt and danger,
Loving hearts shall never daunt!
We will follow in the darkness,
We will follow in the light;
Follow, follow till we find thee,
Through the noon or through the night.
We will seek thee, we will find thee,
Never weary till we hear,
Over all the torrents' rushing,
Joyous answer clearly gushing,
Thine own Alpine echo dear!
Lisetta! Lisetta!
Hush and hearken! All in vain!
Lisetta! Lisetta!
Hearken, hearken! Call again!

(15.) TRIO.—Zella, Dora, and Lisetta.

LISETTA (pp.) I am coming!
ZELLA and DORA (f.) She is coming!
LISETTA (p.) I am coming, wait for me!
ZELLA and DORA (p). She is coming!
LISETTA (mf). I am coming!
ZELLA and DORA (f). Come, oh come, we wait for thee!
Nearer, nearer comes the echo,
Nearer, nearer comes the voice,
Nearer, nearer fall the footsteps,
Making us indeed rejoice.
LISETTA. I am coming, wait for me!
ZELLA and DORA. Come, oh come, we wait for thee!

ZELLA, DORA, and LISETTA.

We her, We her,
We have sought We have found
They me, they me,
Feer and danger all are past,
Now with joyful song we lead her
they lead me,
Safely, safely home at last!

(16.) CHORUS.—Finale.

Safe home, safe home!
Fear and danger all are past,
We are safely home at last!

Oh, the love-light shed around,
In a rich and radiant flow,
When the lost and loved are found,
Is the sweetest heart can know.
Fairer than the dawn-light tender,
Fuller than the noontide glow,
Brighter than the sunset-splendor,
Purer than the moonlit snow.

Now let the wild cloud sweep,
Let the wild rain pour!
Now let the avalanche leap
With its long grand roar!
Now let the black night fall
On the mountain crest!
Safe are our dear ones all
In our mountain nest.

Safe home, safe home!
Fear and danger all are past,
We are safely home at last!





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