Page:Mistral - Mirèio. A Provençal poem.djvu/31

] So saying, they drew the farm-house door a-nigh, And, in the dewy twilight, saw thereby The maid herself. Distaff in hand she stood, Watching her silk-worms at their leafy food. Then master Ambroi let his osiers fall, And sang out cheerily, "Good-even, all!"

"Father, the same to you!" the damsel said. "I had come out my distaff-point to thread, It grows so dark. Whence come you now, I pray? From Valabrègo?"$6$ Ambroi answered, "Yea. I said, when the fast-coming dark I saw, 'We 'll sleep at Lotus Farm, upon the straw.'"

Whereat, with no more words, father and son Hard by upon a roller sat them down, And fell to their own work right busily. A half-made cradle chanced the same to be. Fast through the nimble fingers of the two The supple osier bent and crossed and flew.

Certes, our Vincen was a comely lad. A bright face and a manly form he had, Albeit that summer he was bare sixteen. Swart were his cheeks; bat the dark soil, I ween, Bears the fine wheat, and black grapes make the wine That sets our feet a-dance, our eyes a-shine.