Magnus The Blind

'Oh, let me look once again and see Starlight the heavens o'ersweeping!' Begged young Magnus on bended knee, It was sore to see. All the women afar were weeping. 'Oh, till to-morrow! The mountains to see And ocean its blue displaying, Only once, and then let it be!' Thus he bent the knee, While his friends for mercy were praying. 'Oh, in the church let God's blood so bright Be the last blessing that greets me! It shall bathe with a flood of light Through eternal night My eyes, when the darkness meets me!' Deep sank the steel, and each seeing eye Lightning-like night had swallowed. 'Magnus, King Magnus, good-by, good-by!' -'Oh, good-by, good-by,- You who eighteen summers me followed!'