Page:Early poems of William Morris.djvu/215

 My sisters wore; I wore but white:

Red, brown, and white, are three;

Three damozels; each had a knight,

When the Sword went out to sea.

Sir Robert shouted loud, and said.

When the Sword went out to sea,

"Alicia, while I see thy head,

What shall I bring" for thee?"

" O, my sweet lord, a ruby red:"

The Sword went out to sea.

Sir Miles said, while the sails hung down.

When the Sword went out to sea,

"Oh, Ursula! while I see the town,

What shall I bring for thee?"

"Dear knight, bring back a falcon brown:"

The Sword went out to sea.

But my Roland, no word he said

When the Sword went out to sea;

But only turn'd away his head,—

A quick shriek came from me:

"Come back, dear lord, to your white maid;"—

The Sword went out to sea.

The hot sun bit the garden-beds,

When the Sword came back from sea;

Beneath an apple-tree our heads

Stretched out toward the sea;

Grey gleam'd the thirsty castle-leads,

When the Sword came back from sea.