Near a low foothill

At Heavens doorsill,
Where the trails descending
To the plain and ending,
Here three shepherds keep
Their three flocks of sheep,
One, Moldavian,
One, Transylvanian
And one, Vrancean.
Now, the Vrancean
And the Transylvanian
n their tho!ghts, conniving,
Have laid plans, contriving
At the close of day
To a"#!sh and slay
The Moldavian$
He, the wealthier one,
Had "ore flocks to keep,
Handso"e, long%horned sheep,
Horses, trained and so!nd,
And the fiercest ho!nds.
One s"all ewe%la"#, tho!gh,
&appled gray as tow,
While three f!ll days passed
'leated lo!d and fast$
Wo!ld not to!ch the grass.
()we%la"#, dapple%gray,
M!**led #lack and gray,
While three f!ll days passed
+o! #leat lo!d and fast$
&ont yo! like this grass,
Are yo! too sick to eat,
-ittle la"# so sweet,(
(Oh "y "aster dear,
&rive the flock o!t near
That field, dark to view,
Where the grass grows new,
Where theres shade for yo!.
(Master, "aster dear,
.all a large ho!nd near,
A fierce one and fearless,
/trong, loyal and peerless.
The Transylvanian
And the Vrancean
When the daylights thro!gh
Mean to "!rder yo!.(
(-a"#, "y little ewe,
f this o"ens tr!e,
f " doo"ed to death
On this tract of heath,
Tell the Vrancean
And Transylvanian
To let "y #ones lie
/o"ewhere here close #y,
'y the sheepfold here
/o "y flocks are near,
'ack of "y h!ts gro!nds
/o ll hear "y ho!nds.
Tell the" what say0
There, #eside "e lay
One s"all pipe of #eech
With its soft, sweet speech,
One s"all pipe of #one
With its loving tone,
One of elderwood,
1iery%tong!ed and good.
Then the winds that #low
Wo!ld play on the" so
All "y listening sheep
Wo!ld draw near and weep
Tears, no #lood so deep.
How "et "y death,
Tell the" not a #reath$
/ay co!ld not tarry,
have gone to "arry
A princess 2 "y #ride
s the whole worlds pride.
At "y wedding, tell
How a #right star fell,
/!n and "oon ca"e down
To hold "y #ridal crown,
1irs and "aple trees
Were "y g!ests$ "y priests
Were the "o!ntains high$
1iddlers, #irds that fly,
All #irds of the sky$
Torchlights, stars on high.
'!t if yo! see there,
/ho!ld yo! "eet so"ewhere,
My old "other, little,
With her white wool girdle,
)yes with their tears flowing,
Over the plains going,
Asking one and all,
/aying to the" all,
Who has ever known,
Who has seen "y own
/hepherd fine to see,
/li" as a willow tree,
With his dear face, #right
As the "ilk%foa", white,
His s"all "o!stache, right
As the yo!ng wheats ear,
With his hair so dear,
-ike pl!"es of the crow
-ittle eyes that glow
-ike the ripe #lack sloe,
)we%la"#, s"all and pretty,
1or her sake have pity,
-et it 3!st #e said
have gone to wed
A princess "ost no#le
There on Heavens doorsill.
To that "other, old,
-et it not #e told
That a star fell, #right,
1or "y #ridal night$
1irs and "aple trees
Were "y g!ests, priests
Were the "o!ntains high$
1iddlers, #irds that fly,
All #irds of the sky$
Torchlights, stars on high.