“Fear nothing,” said the smiling Fate, “when human help is vain,
Spirits shall by thy stirrups fly, and fairies guide the rein;
Just glance at yonder animal, her perfect shape remark,
And in thy breast at once shall glow the oriental spark!
As for thy spouse and tender babes, no Arab roams the wild
But for a mare of such descent, would barter wife and child.”
“Nay then,” cried I—(heav’n
shrive the lie!) “to tell the secret truth,
’Twas my unhappy fortune once to over-ride a
youth!
A playful child,—so full of life!—a
little fair-haired boy,
His sister’s pet, his father’s hope, his
mother’s darling joy!
Ah me! the frantic shriek she gave! I hear it
ringing now!
That hour, upon the bloody spot, I made a holy vow;
A solemn compact, deeply sworn, to witness my remorse,
That never more these limbs of mine should mount on
living horse!”
Good Heav’n! to see the angry glance that flashed
upon me now!
A chill ran all my marrow through—the drops
were on my brow!
I knew my doom, and stole a glance at that accursed
Mare,
And there she stood, with nostrils wide, that snuff’d
the sultry air.
How lion-like she lash’d her flanks with her
abundant tail;
While on her neck the stormy mane kept tossing to
the gale!
How fearfully she roll’d her eyes between the
earth and sky,
As if in wild uncertainty to gallop or to fly!
While with her hoof she scoop’d the sand as
if before she gave
My plunge into eternity she meant to dig my grave!
And I, that ne’er could calmly hear a horse’s
ears at play—
Or hear without a yard of jump his shrill and sudden
neigh—
Whose foot within a stable-door had never stood an
inch—
Whose hand to pat a living steed would feel an awful
flinch,—
I that had never thrown a leg across a pony small,
To scour the pathless desert on the tallest of the
tall!
For oh! it is no fable, but at ev’ry look I
cast,
Her restless legs seem’d twice as long as when
I saw them last!
In agony I shook,—and yet, although congealed
by fears,
My blood was boiling fast, to judge from noises in
my ears;
I gasp’d as if in vacuo, and thrilling with
despair,
Some secret Demon seem’d to pass his fingers
through my hair.
I could not stir—I could not speak—I
could not even see—
A sudden mist rose up between that awful Mare and
me,
I tried to pray, but found no words—tho’
ready ripe to weep,
No tear would flow,—o’er ev’ry
sense a swoon began to creep,—
When lo! to bring my horrid fate at once unto the
brunt,
Two Arabs seized me from behind, two others in the
front,
And ere a muscle could be strung to try the strife
forlorn,
I found myself, Mazeppa-like, upon the Desert-Born!
Terrific was the neigh she gave, the moment that my
weight
Was felt upon my back, as if exulting in her freight;
Whilst dolefully I heard a voice that set each nerve
ajar,—
“Off with the bridle—quick!—and
leave his guidance to his star!”