Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 02

<h2>BALLAD</h2> <h3>BY CHARLES GODFREY LELAND</h3> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Der noble Ritter Hugo<br/></span> <span class="i2">Von Schwillensaufenstein,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Rode out mit shpeer and helmet,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Und he coom to de panks of de Rhine.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Und oop dere rose a meer maid,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vot hadn't got nodings on,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Und she say, "Oh, Ritter Hugo,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vhere you goes mit yourself alone?"<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">And he says, "I rides in de creenwood<br/></span> <span class="i2">Mit helmet und mit shpeer,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Till I cooms into em Gasthaus,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Und dere I trinks some beer."<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Und den outshpoke de maiden<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vot hadn't got nodings on:<br/></span> <span class="i0">"I tont dink mooch of beoplesh<br/></span> <span class="i2">Dat goes mit demselfs alone.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"You'd petter coom down in de wasser,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vere deres heaps of dings to see,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Und hafe a shplendid tinner<br/></span> <span class="i2">Und drafel along mit me.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Dere you sees de fisch a schwimmin,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Und you catches dem efery one:"&mdash;<br/></span> <span class="i0">So sang dis wasser maiden<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vot hadn't got nodings on.</span><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_356" id="Page_356"></SPAN></span><br/></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Dere ish drunks all full mit money<br/></span> <span class="i2">In ships dat vent down of old;<br/></span> <span class="i0">Und you helpsh yourself, by dunder!<br/></span> <span class="i2">To shimmerin crowns of gold.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Shoost look at dese shpoons und vatches!<br/></span> <span class="i2">Shoost see dese diamant rings!<br/></span> <span class="i0">Coom down und full your bockets,<br/></span> <span class="i2">Und I'll giss you like avery dings.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Vot you vantsh mit your schnapps und lager?<br/></span> <span class="i2">Coom down into der Rhine!<br/></span> <span class="i0">Der ish pottles der Kaiser Charlemagne<br/></span> <span class="i2">Vonce filled mit gold-red wine!"<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0"><i>Dat</i> fetched him&mdash;he shtood all shpell pound;<br/></span> <span class="i2">She pooled his coat-tails down,<br/></span> <span class="i0">She drawed him oonder der wasser,<br/></span> <span class="i2">De maidens mit nodings on.<br/></span> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_357" id="Page_357"></SPAN></span></div> </div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />