The Blind Girl of Castel Cuille. Jacques Jasmin (1798-1864). Castel-Cuille. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. 1876-79. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes. France: Vols. IX-X

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.

Castèl-Cuillè

The Blind Girl of Castèl Cuillè

Jacques Jasmin (1798–1864)


(See full text.) Translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow AT the foot of the mountain height
Where is perched Castèl-Cuillè,
When the apple, the plum, and the almond tree
In the plain below were growing white,
This is the song one might perceive	5
On a Wednesday morn of Saint Joseph’s Eve:

“The roads should blossom, the roads should bloom,
So fair a bride shall leave her home!
Should blossom and bloom with garlands gay,
So fair a bride shall pass to-day!”	10

This old Te Deum, rustic rites attending,
Seemed from the clouds descending;
When lo! a merry company
Of rosy village girls, clean as the eye,
Each one with her attendant swain,	15
Came to the cliff, all singing the same strain;
Resembling there, so near unto the sky,
Rejoicing angels, that kind Heaven has sent
For their delight and our encouragement.
Together blending,	20
And soon descending
The narrow sweep
Of the hillside steep,
They wind aslant
Towards Saint Amant,	25
Through leafy alleys
Of verdurous valleys
With merry sallies
Singing their chant:

“The roads should blossom, the roads should bloom,	30
So fair a bride shall leave her home!
Should blossom and bloom with garlands gay,
So fair a bride shall pass to-day!”