Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GERMANY; A WINTER TALE: CAPUT 15, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GERMANY; A WINTER TALE: CAPUT 15, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A fine and prickly rain now descends
Last Line: "the roman proverb famous."
Subject(s): Animals; Germany; Horses; Rain; Soldiers; Germans


A FINE and prickly rain now descends,
Like needle-tops cold, and wetting;
The horses mournfully waggle their tails,
And wade through the mud with sweating.

Upon his horn the postilion blows
The old tune loved so dearly:
"Three horsemen are riding out at the gate" --
Its memory crosses me clearly.

I sleepy grew, and at length went to sleep,
And as for my dream, this is it:
To the Emperor Barbarossa I
In the wondrous mount paid a visit.

On his stony seat by the table of stone
Like an image no longer I saw him,
Nor had he that very respectable look
With which for the most part they draw him.

He waddled about with me round the halls
Discoursing with much affection,
Like an antiquarian pointing out
The gems of his precious collection.

In the hall of armour he show'd with a club
How the strength of a blow to determine,
And rubb'd off the dust from a few of the swords
With his own imperial ermine.

He took in his hand a peacock's fan,
And clean'd full many a dusty
Old piece of armour, and many a helm,
And many a morion rusty.

The standard he carefully dusted too,
And said, "My greatest pride is,
"That not e'en one moth hath eaten the silk,
"And not e'en one insect inside is."

And when we came to the second hall,
Where asleep on the ground were lying
Many thousand arm'd warriors, the old man said,
Their forms with contentment eyeing:

"We must take care, while here, not to waken the men,
"And make no noise in the gallery;
"A hundred years have again passed away,
"And to-day I must pay them their salary."

And see! the Emperor softly approach'd,
While he held in his hand a ducat,
And quietly into the pocket of each
Of the sleeping soldiery stuck it.

And then he remark'd with a simpering face,
When I observ'd him with wonder:
"I give them a ducat apiece as their pay,
"At periods a century asunder."

In the hall wherein the horses were ranged,
And drawn out in rows long and silent,
Together the Emperor rubb'd his hands
While his pleasure seem'd getting quite vi'lent

He counted the horses, one by one,
And poked their ribs approving;
He counted and counted, and all the while
His lips were eagerly moving.

"The proper number is not complete," --
Thus angrily he discourses:
"Of soldiers and weapons I've quite enough,
"But still am deficient in horses.

"Horse-jockeys I've sent to every place
"In all the world, to supply me
"With the very best horses that they can find
"And now I've a good number by me.

"I only wait till the number's complete,
"Then, making a regular clearance,
"I'll free my country, my German folk,
"Who trustingly wait my appearance." --

Thus spake the Emperor, while I cried:
"Old fellow! seize time as it passes;
"Set to work, and hast thou not horses enough,
"Then fill up their places with asses."

Then Barbarossa smiling replied:
"For the battle there need be no hurry;
"Rome certainly never was built in one day,
"Nothing's gained by bustle and flurry.

"Who comes not to-day, to-morrow will come,
"The oak's slow growth might shame us;
"Chi va piano va sano wisely says
"The Roman proverb famous."





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