From the Spanish - Ancient Spanish Ballads - II. Don Nuno, Count of Lara

II. Don Nuno, Count of Lara

"King Alfonso the Eighth, having exhausted his treasury in war,
wishes to lay a tax of five farthings upon each of the Castillan
hidalgos, in order to defray the expenses of a journey from
Burgos to Cuenca. This proposition of the king was met with
disdain by
the noblemen who had been assembled on the occasion."

Don Nuno, Count of Lara,
In anger and in pride,
Forgot all reverence for the king,
And thus in wrath replied:

"Our noble ancestors," quoth he,
"Ne'er such a tribute paid;
Nor shall the king receive of us
What they have once gainsaid.

"The base-born soul who deems it just
May here with thee remain;
But follow me, ye cavaliers,
Ye noblemen of Spain."

Forth followed they the noble Count,
They marched to Glera's plain;
Out of three thousand gallant knights
Did only three remain.

They tied the tribute to their spears,
They raised it in the air,
And they sent to tell their lord the king
That his tax was ready there.

"He may send and take by force," said they,
"This paltry sum of gold;
But the goodly gift of liberty
Cannot be bought and sold."

Content of II. Don Nuno, Count of Lara [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem Translations]

Read next: From the Spanish#Ancient Spanish Ballads# III. The peasant leaves his plough afield

Read previous: From the Spanish#Ancient Spanish Ballads#I. Rio Verde, Rio Verde

Table of content of Translations



GO TO TOP OF SCREEN

Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book