BALLADE OF DEAD LADIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 75, 29 March 1913, Page 13

BALLADE OF DEAD LADIES.

(After VillonJ (Mr. Andrew Lang's recent Scath took away one of the most delightfully versatile writers in the English hinguage. These verses are in his lighter manner.)

Nay, tell mc now in what strange air The Roman Flora dwells to-day; Where Alchippiada hides, and where Beautiful Thais has passed away? Whence answers Echo, afield, astray. By mere or stream, —arotyid. below? Lovelier she than a woman of clay; Nay, but where is the last year's snow?

Where is wise Heloise, that care Brought on Abelard, and dismay? All for her love he found a snare, A maimed poor monk in orders grey;;* And where's the Queen who willed to slay Buridaii, that in a sack must go Afloat down Seine, —a perilous way Nay, but where is the last year's snow? Where's that White Queen," a lily rare, With her sweet song, the Siren's lay?' Where's Bertha Broad-foot, Beatrice fair? Alys and Ermengarde, where are they? Good Joan, whom English did betray Iv Rouen Town, and burned her' No, Maiden and Queen, no man may say; Nay, but where is the last year's snow ? ENVOY. Prince, all this week thou need'st not pray, Nor yet this year the thing to know. One burden answers, ever aud aye, "Nay, but where is the last year's snow?" —Andrew Lang. —Reprinted by permission of the publishers, Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons.,