Page:Mistral - Mirèio. A Provençal poem.djvu/107

] His cudgel,—savage weaner!—never blenching, And first the young calves from the udders wrenching, Upon the wrathful mother fell so madly That cudgel after cudgel brake he gladly, Till she, by his brute fury masterèd, Wild-eyed and lowing to the pine-copse fled!

Oft in the branding at Camargue had he Oxen and heifers, two-year-olds and three, Seized by the horns and stretched upon the ground. His forehead bare the scar of an old wound Fiery and forked like lightning. It was said That once the green plain with his blood was red.

On a great branding-day befell this thing: To aid the mighty herd in mastering, Li Santo, Agui Morto,$7$ Albaron,$8$ And Faraman$9$ a hundred horsemen strong Had sent into the desert. And the herd Roused from its briny lairs, and, forward spurred

By tridents of the branders close behind, Fell on the land like a destroying wind. Heifers and bulls in headlong gallop borne Plunged, crushing centaury$10$ and salicorne;$11$ And at the branding-booth at last they mustered, Just where a crowd three hundred strong had clustered.