Page:Field Poems of Childhood.djvu/133

 "No woman yet of our proud race

Lived to her fourteenth year unwed;

The brazen churl that eyed a girl

Bought her the ring or paid his head—

So ninna and anninia!

"But once came spies (I know the thieves!)

And brought disaster to our race;

God heard us when our fifteen men

Were hanged within the market-place—

But ninna and anninia!

"Good men they were, my babe, and true,—

Right worthy fellows all, and strong;

Live thou and be for them and me

Avenger of that deadly wrong—

So ninna and anninia!"