94 On the Poetry of Madagascar. [March, 



Link'd to some churl, I see in piteous plight 

 Thee pincli'd and waken'd at the morning light ; 

 Expelled the cheering hearth, thy wedded right, — 



" Ah, mother, life is misery; 



Would I had died in infancy !" 



5 I travelled eastward succour to obtain; 



My father's kindred live hard by. 

 Alas ! I'm chang'd ; they know me not again ; 



Ah mother ! like the dead am I. 

 I turn'd my steps into the northern way ; 



My mother's kindred live hard by. 

 Alas ! I'm chang'd ; thou'rt not the same, they say ; 



Ah mother ! like the dead am I. 

 I turn'd me back again, and southward ranged ; 



My father's sister lives hard by. 

 But she like all my relatives is changed. 



Ah mother ; worse than dead am I. 

 I turn'd again a westward course to tread ; 



Tis there my mother's sisters live. 

 Their dead relation's awful blame they dread, 



So careless pitch the boon they give ! 



IV. Paraphrase of an Eclogue in Poetical Prose. — Author unknown. 



On Courtship, 

 She. Pray tell me, since you oft profess 

 Your fervent love to me ; 

 To what, if we may give a guess, 

 Your love may liken'd be. 

 He. Rice which affords our daily food, 

 And constant life supplies, 

 Is the best emblem of my love, 

 Which never never dies. 

 She. Ah no ! not so thy love to me, 

 For that, thou deemest sweet, 

 Only when hunger presses thee 

 To take the proffer'd meat. 

 Then tell me, since you oft profess 

 Your, &c. (as in the first verse.) 



Ray bado, ray bado ; Nony nankao avaratr' aho ; 



Raha maty ro ray ny, Havan' dry neny no ao. 



Raha maty ro reny ; Nova'ny ny olon' kafa; 



Mandro rano maso Maty aho rey neny 



Mitafy lamba tseroka, Noney nankao atrimo aho ; 

 Mitoetra amy ny olona ny bado, Zanak' olomianadahy no ao. 



Mandry maraina, rongadrongati' ny, Novany fahatelo be ; 

 Mamindro, atositosi' ny ny sasany. Maty aho rey neny. 



Maty aho ry neny, Nony nankao andrefan' aho, 



Tsy maty fony kely. Zanak' olona mirahavavy no ao 



No ny nankaroa atrinanana aho ; Ny tao no manipy kely, 



Havau'dry kiaky no ao. Fa matahotra ny tsiny ny maty. 

 Nodi&ny ny olona tsy fantatra aho, 



Maly aho ry neny 



