StoryTitle("caps", "The Well of St. Keyne") ?>
found the Well of St. Keyne in Cornwall, England—not the
poem, but the real well. The poem is of the great body of world-lore.
Southey (1774-1843).
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A well there is in the west country,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And a clearer one never was seen;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "There is not a wife in the west-country", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "But has heard of the Well of St. Keyne.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "An oak and an elm tree stand beside,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And behind does an ash tree grow,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And a willow from the bank above", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Droops to the water below.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A traveller came to the Well of St. Keyne:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Pleasant it was to his eye,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "For from cock-crow he had been travelling", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And there was not a cloud in the sky.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He drank of the water so cool and clear,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "For thirsty and hot was he,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And he sat down upon the bank,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Under the willow tree.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "There came a man from the neighbouring town", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "At the well to fill his pail;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "On the well-side he rested it,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And bade the stranger hail.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Now, art thou a bachelor, stranger?\" quoth he,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"For an if thou hast a wife,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The happiest draught thou hast drunk this day", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "That ever thou didst in thy life.", "") ?>
PagePoem(187, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Or has your good woman, if one you have,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "In Cornwall ever been?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "For an if she have, I'll venture my life", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "She has drunk of the Well of St. Keyne.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"I have left a good woman who never was here,\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The stranger he made reply;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"But that my draught should be better for that,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "I pray you answer me why.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"St. Keyne,\" quoth the countryman, \"many a time", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Drank of this crystal well,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And before the angel summoned her", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "She laid on the water a spell.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"If the husband of this gifted well", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Shall drink before his wife,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A happy man thenceforth is he,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "For he shall be master for life.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"But if the wife should drink of it first,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "God help the husband then!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The stranger stoop'd to the Well of St. Keyne,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And drank of the waters again.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"You drank of the well, I warrant, betimes?\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "He to the countryman said;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But the countryman smiled as the stranger spake,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And sheepishly shook his head.", "") ?>
PagePoem(188, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"I hastened as soon as the wedding was done,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And left my wife in the porch,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But i' faith she had been wiser than me,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "For she took a bottle to church,\"", "") ?>
PoemAttribution("100", SmallCapsText("Robert Southey.")) ?>
PoemEnd() ?>