Oft she chuckles and oft nods she
To her son, but he continues
Earnestly his occupation,
And as silently as Death.
Swelt’ring ’neath my awe-struck feelings,
To the window went I, seeking
For fresh air, and then look’d downward
O’er the valley far below me.
What I saw on that occasion
’Tween the hours of twelve and one,
I will faithfully and neatly
Tell you in the following chapters.
CAPUT XVIII.
And it was the time of full moon
On St. John the Baptist’s evening,
When the wild hunt’s apparition
Rush’d along the Spirit-Hollow.
From the window of Uraca’s
Witchlike hut I excellently
Could observe the spirit-army
As it sped along the valley.
Capital the place I stood in
For observing what was passing;
I enjoy’d a full sight of the
Grave-arisen dead men’s pastime.
Cracking whips, and shouts and halloing,
Yelping dogs and neighing horses,
Notes of hunting-horns and laughter,
How they joyously re-echoed!
On in front by way of vanguard
Ran the wondrous game they hunted,
Stag and sow, in herds enormous,
With the pack of hounds behind them.
Huntsmen out of every region
And of every age were gather’d;
Hard by Nimrod of Assyria,
For example, rode Charles X—.