Page:Mistral - Mirèio. A Provençal poem.djvu/112

86 "Young man, in cattle-land, I 've heard them say, Maids die of languor."—"Pretty maiden, nay: There is no languor where two are together!" "But brows are blistered in that burning weather, And bitter waters drunk."—"When the sun shines, My lady, thou shalt sit beneath the pines!"

"Ah! but they say, young man, those pines are laden With coils of emerald serpents,"—"Fairest maiden, We 've herons also, and flamingoes red That chase them down the Rhone with wings outspread Like rosy mantles."—"Then, be thou aware, Thy pines are from my lotus-trees too far!"

"But priests and maidens, fair one, never know, The proverb saith, the land where they may go And eat their bread."—"Let mine but eaten be With him I love: that were enough," said she, "To lure me from the home-nest to remove." "If that be so, sweet one, give me thy love!"

"Thy suit," Mirèio said, "mayhap I 'll grant! But first, young man, yon water-lily plant Will bear a cluster of columbine$14$ grapes. Yon hills will melt from all their solid shapes, That goad will flower, and all the world will go In boats unto the citadel of Baux!"