Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/267

 POPULAR POETRY 255 sorrow, of complaint and hope, which filled the soul of the nation. These songs, which had power to penetrate the innermost fibres of the heart and to strike each note of its harmonious chords, were soon carried from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart, and became the indestruc- tible property of the nation, because ' A thought had escaped from an isolated soul that was common to humanity and appealed to every human heart.' These folk-songs are the pulsations of the nation's heart, embodiments of its joys and of its sorrows, and, above all, of its affections. The old German songs surpassed all others in originality and quaintness, in earnestness and humour. Many of them are so chastely modest, so calm and un- impassioned, that they were evidently composed by women. The farewell ballads are particularly touching ; for instance, the following : Min herz das ist betriibet ser, Das schafft ir friuntlich scheiden, Er niag genesen nimniermer, Und mocht wol sterben vor leide. Min hoste cron, Ich muss dich Ion, Und muess davon, Wan ich muess iiber die heide. My heart is very, very sad, 'Tis absence gives it pain. Joy can no more reach it, But welcome sorrow's death, For I must leave thee ! And from my native heath My wandering footstep guide. The wanderer journeys forth, but his heart fails him, and he adds :