The Lady Of The Lake: Canto Iv. - The Prophecy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDDEFEE AGGHHIIGGJJJ JJKL MNJO AKKPQJJDDRRSSM TTJJUUUV EJJJ MMWWPQ DJXXYYXXZJXXJN WJXXDDA2A2B2B2HHC2C2 D2E2DDXXF2F2 DWHXXG2G2N EXXEEH2H2DDXXI2I2JJJ 2J2XXK2K2L2L2M2M2E EHHXXJJJJN2N2XXJJJ EEEH DDJ JJJXXJJXXHHEEHHDDHJA 2 DDDHH DJJJHHXXHHO2O2XXP2P2 XXJJXXH DJ XXEEQ2I | A |
The rose is fairest when 't is budding new | B |
And hope is brightest when it dawns from fears | C |
The rose is sweetest washed with morning dew | B |
And love is loveliest when embalmed in tears | D |
O wilding rose whom fancy thus endears | D |
I bid your blossoms in my bonnet wave | E |
Emblem of hope and love through future years ' | F |
Thus spoke young Norman heir of Armandave | E |
What time the sun arose on Vennachar's broad wave | E |
- | |
II | A |
Such fond conceit half said half sung | G |
Love prompted to the bridegroom's tongue | G |
All while he stripped the wild rose spray | H |
His axe and bow beside him lay | H |
For on a pass 'twixt lake and wood | I |
A wakeful sentinel he stood | I |
Hark on the rock a footstep rung | G |
And instant to his arms he sprung | G |
'Stand or thou diest What Malise soon | J |
Art thou returned from Braes of Doune | J |
By thy keen step and glance I know | J |
Thou bring'st us tidings of the foe ' | - |
For while the Fiery Cross tried on | J |
On distant scout had Malise gone | J |
'Where sleeps the Chief ' the henchman said | K |
'Apart in yonder misty glade | L |
To his lone couch I'll be your guide ' | - |
Then called a slumberer by his side | M |
And stirred him with his slackened bow | N |
'Up up Glentarkin rouse thee ho | J |
We seek the Chieftain on the track | O |
Keep eagle watch till I come back ' | - |
- | |
III | A |
Together up the pass they sped | K |
'What of the foeman ' Norman said | K |
'Varying reports from near and far | P |
This certain that a band of war | Q |
Has for two days been ready boune | J |
At prompt command to march from Doune | J |
King James the while with princely powers | D |
Holds revelry in Stirling towers | D |
Soon will this dark and gathering cloud | R |
Speak on our glens in thunder loud | R |
Inured to bide such bitter bout | S |
The warrior's plaid may bear it out | S |
But Norman how wilt thou provide | M |
A shelter for thy bonny bride '' | - |
'What know ye not that Roderick's care | T |
To the lone isle hath caused repair | T |
Each maid and matron of the clan | J |
And every child and aged man | J |
Unfit for arms and given his charge | U |
Nor skiff nor shallop boat nor barge | U |
Upon these lakes shall float at large | U |
But all beside the islet moor | V |
That such dear pledge may rest secure ' | - |
- | |
IV | E |
''Tis well advised the Chieftain's plan | J |
Bespeaks the father of his clan | J |
But wherefore sleeps Sir Roderick Dhu | J |
Apart from all his followers true ' | - |
'It is because last evening tide | M |
Brian an augury hath tried | M |
Of that dread kind which must not be | W |
Unless in dread extremity | W |
The Taghairm called by which afar | P |
Our sires foresaw the events of war | Q |
Duncraggan's milk white bull they slew ' | - |
- | |
Malise | D |
'Ah well the gallant brute I knew | J |
The choicest of the prey we had | X |
When swept our merrymen Gallangad | X |
His hide was snow his horns were dark | Y |
His red eye glowed like fiery spark | Y |
So fierce so tameless and so fleet | X |
Sore did he cumber our retreat | X |
And kept our stoutest kerns in awe | Z |
Even at the pass of Beal 'maha | J |
But steep and flinty was the road | X |
And sharp the hurrying pikeman's goad | X |
And when we came to Dennan's Row | J |
A child might scathless stroke his brow | N |
- | |
V | W |
Norman | J |
'That bull was slain his reeking hide | X |
They stretched the cataract beside | X |
Whose waters their wild tumult toss | D |
Adown the black and craggy boss | D |
Of that huge cliff whose ample verge | A2 |
Tradition calls the Hero's Targe | A2 |
Couched on a shelf beneath its brink | B2 |
Close where the thundering torrents sink | B2 |
Rocking beneath their headlong sway | H |
And drizzled by the ceaseless spray | H |
Midst groan of rock and roar of stream | C2 |
The wizard waits prophetic dream | C2 |
Nor distant rests the Chief but hush | D2 |
See gliding slow through mist and bush | E2 |
The hermit gains yon rock and stands | D |
To gaze upon our slumbering bands | D |
Seems he not Malise dike a ghost | X |
That hovers o'er a slaughtered host | X |
Or raven on the blasted oak | F2 |
That watching while the deer is broke | F2 |
His morsel claims with sullen croak ' | - |
- | |
Malise | D |
'Peace peace to other than to me | W |
Thy words were evil augury | H |
But still I hold Sir Roderick's blade | X |
Clan Alpine's omen and her aid | X |
Not aught that gleaned from heaven or hell | G2 |
Yon fiend begotten Monk can tell | G2 |
The Chieftain joins him see and now | N |
Together they descend the brow ' | - |
- | |
VI | E |
And as they came with Alpine's Lord | X |
The Hermit Monk held solemn word | X |
'Roderick it is a fearful strife | E |
For man endowed with mortal life | E |
Whose shroud of sentient clay can still | H2 |
Feel feverish pang and fainting chill | H2 |
Whose eye can stare in stony trance | D |
Whose hair can rouse like warrior's lance | D |
'Tis hard for such to view unfurled | X |
The curtain of the future world | X |
Yet witness every quaking limb | I2 |
My sunken pulse mine eyeballs dim | I2 |
My soul with harrowing anguish torn | J |
This for my Chieftain have I borne | J |
The shapes that sought my fearful couch | J2 |
A human tongue may ne'er avouch | J2 |
No mortal man save he who bred | X |
Between the living and the dead | X |
Is gifted beyond nature's law | K2 |
Had e'er survived to say he saw | K2 |
At length the fateful answer came | L2 |
In characters of living flame | L2 |
Not spoke in word nor blazed in scroll | M2 |
But borne and branded on my soul | M2 |
WHICH SPILLS THE FOREMOST FOEMAN'S LIFE | E |
THAT PARTY CONQUERS IN THE STRIFE ' | - |
- | |
VII | E |
'Thanks Brian for thy zeal and care | H |
Good is thine augury and fair | H |
Clan Alpine ne'er in battle stood | X |
But first our broadswords tasted blood | X |
A surer victim still I know | J |
Self offered to the auspicious blow | J |
A spy has sought my land this morn | J |
No eve shall witness his return | J |
My followers guard each pass's mouth | N2 |
To east to westward and to south | N2 |
Red Murdoch bribed to be his guide | X |
Has charge to lead his steps aside | X |
Till in deep path or dingle brown | J |
He light on those shall bring him clown | J |
But see who comes his news to show | J |
Malise what tidings of the foe ' | - |
- | |
VIII | E |
'At Doune o'er many a spear and glaive | E |
Two Barons proud their banners wave | E |
I saw the Moray's silver star | H |
And marked the sable pale of Mar ' | - |
'By Alpine's soul high tidings those | D |
I love to hear of worthy foes | D |
When move they on ' 'To morrow's noon | J |
Will see them here for battle boune ' | - |
'Then shall it see a meeting stern | J |
But for the place say couldst thou learn | J |
Nought of the friendly clans of Earn | J |
Strengthened by them we well might bide | X |
The battle on Benledi's side | X |
Thou couldst not well Clan Alpine's men | J |
Shall man the Trosachs' shaggy glen | J |
Within Loch Katrine's gorge we'll fight | X |
All in our maids' and matrons' sight | X |
Each for his hearth and household fire | H |
Father for child and son for sire Lover | H |
for maid beloved But why | E |
Is it the breeze affects mine eye | E |
Or dost thou come ill omened tear | H |
A messenger of doubt or fear | H |
No sooner may the Saxon lance | D |
Unfix Benledi from his stance | D |
Than doubt or terror can pierce through | H |
The unyielding heart of Roderick Dhu | J |
'tis stubborn as his trusty targe | A2 |
Each to his post all know their charge ' | - |
The pibroch sounds the bands advance | D |
The broadswords gleam the banners dance' | D |
Obedient to the Chieftain's glance | D |
I turn me from the martial roar | H |
And seek Coir Uriskin once more | H |
- | |
IX | D |
Where is the Douglas he is gone | J |
And Ellen sits on the gray stone | J |
Fast by the cave and makes her moan | J |
While vainly Allan's words of cheer | H |
Are poured on her unheeding ear | H |
'He will return dear lady trust | X |
With joy return he will he must | X |
Well was it time to seek afar | H |
Some refuge from impending war | H |
When e'en Clan Alpine's rugged swarm | O2 |
Are cowed by the approaching storm | O2 |
I saw their boats with many a light | X |
Floating the livelong yesternight | X |
Shifting like flashes darted forth | P2 |
By the red streamers of the north | P2 |
I marked at morn how close they ride | X |
Thick moored by the lone islet's side | X |
Like wild ducks couching in the fen | J |
When stoops the hawk upon the glen | J |
Since this rude race dare not abide | X |
The peril on the mainland side | X |
Shall not thy noble father's care | H |
Some safe retreat for thee prepare ' | - |
- | |
X | D |
Ellen | J |
- | |
'No Allan no ' Pretext so kind | X |
My wakeful terrors could not blind | X |
When in such tender tone yet grave | E |
Douglas a parting blessing gave | E |
The tear th | Q2 |
Sir Walter Scott
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