  Waken, lords and ladies gay! On the mountain dawns the day; All the jolly chase is here, With hawk, and horse, and hunting spear! Hounds are in their couples yelling, Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling; Merrily, merrily, mingle they, ‘Waken, lords and ladies gay.’ _ Waken, lords and ladies gay! The mist has left the mountain grey, Springlets in the dawn are steaming, Diamonds on the brake are gleaming; And foresters have busy been, To track the buck in thicket green; Now we come to chant our lay, ‘Waken, lords and ladies gay.’ Waken, lords and ladies gay! To the greenwood haste away; We can show you where he lies, Fleet of foot, and tall of size; We can show the marks he made, When ’gainst the oak his antlers fray’d; You shall see him brought to bay— ‘Waken, lords and ladies gay.’ Louder, louder chant the lay, Waken, lords and ladies gay! Tell them youth, and mirth, and glee, Run a course as well as we; Time, stern huntsman! who can baulk, Stanch as hound, and fleet as hawk? Think of this, and rise with day, Gentle lords and ladies gay! Sir W. Scott. |
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