ON Saturday at eve, the long week done | |
| Gaiete and Oriour, blood-sisters, come | |
| Small hand in hand, to bathe where waters run. | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 5 |
| |
| Young Gerairt wending from the tilting ring, | |
| Spied Gaiete stood beside the fountain spring, | |
| Took her between his arms, softly they cling. | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 10 |
| |
| “When you have drawn the water, Oriour, | |
| Turn back again, you know the town, for sure: | |
| With Gerairt I remain, none loves me more.” | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 15 |
| |
| Now Oriour is pale, and sad her eyes, | |
| From them she goes a-weeping, and she sighs | |
| When sister Gaie with her no longer hies. | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 20 |
| |
| Why was I born, weeps Oriour, woe’s me! | |
| I left my sister in the deep valley. | |
| Young Gerairt takes her to his own country. | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 25 |
| |
| Gerairt and Gaiete turned themselves away, | |
| Right straight toward his city took their way: | |
| No sooner come than there he married Gaie. | |
| |
| Whispering wind and branches meet, | |
| Whoso love limb to limb sleep sweet. | 30 |
| |
| “Sweet lover mine, I cannot make believe. | |
| With all my heart I love you, nor deceive | |
| And you may kiss me over when you please, | |
| Within your arms fain would I find mine ease. | |
| |
| God, how the name of love is sweet, | 35 |
| Ne’er thought I to have dole of it.” | |
| |
| Her lover takes her in his arms’ reach, | |
| In a fine bed they lay them, each to each: | |
| Bele Yoland kisses him as clings a leech, | |
| And they lie bedded as their bodies teach. | 40 |
| |
| God, how the name of love is sweet: | |
| Ne’er thought I to have dole of it. | |
| |
