The+Murdered+Traveller

** William Cullen Bryant ** ** HEN spring, to woods and wastes around, ** ** Brought bloom and joy again, ** ** The murdered traveller's bones were found, ** ** Far down a narrow glen. **
 * THE MURDERED TRAVELLER **

** The fragrant birch, above him, hung ** ** Her tassels in the sky; ** ** And many a vernal blossom sprung, ** ** And nodded careless by. **

** The red-bird warbled, as he wrought ** ** His hanging nest o'erhead, ** ** And fearless, near the fatal spot, ** ** Her young the partridge led. **

** But there was weeping far away, ** ** And gentle eyes, for him, ** ** With watching many an anxious day, ** ** Were sorrowful and dim. **

** They little knew, who loved him so, ** ** The fearful death he met, ** ** When shouting o'er the desert snow, ** ** Unarmed, and hard beset;-- **

** Nor how, when round the frosty pole ** ** The northern dawn was red, ** ** The mountain wolf and wild-cat stole ** ** To banquet on the dead; **

** Nor how, when strangers found his bones, ** ** They dressed the hasty bier, ** ** And marked his grave with nameless stones, ** ** Unmoistened by a tear. **

** But long they looked, and feared, and wept, ** ** Within his distant home; ** ** And dreamed, and started as they slept, ** ** For joy that he was come. **

** So long they looked--but never spied ** ** His welcome step again, ** ** Nor knew the fearful death he died ** ** Far down that narrow glen. **