Troll's Gold

O I stood by the waterside And heard the stream run by. I saw the gnarled trees stand dark Against the pale gold sky. And I saw at the grey twilight In the dusk o' the lone glen The Trolls, with their earthy faces, That buy the souls of men. They have not known man's laughter, They have not seen sunshine, They have not heard through the spring wood The blackbird whistle fine. They have not heard the sea's song Nor the wind through the young corn; They have not looked on the good day Since the hour that they were born. All in the dun dusk o' the night The stream ran noisily; A weary wind came moaning up Beside the grey thorn tree. With their strong kists upon their backs And faces grey wi' mould, The Trolls came up out o' the earth That buy men's souls for gold.