140 On the Ballads and Legends of the Punjab. [No. 2. 



And tho' one giant hand alone imping'd the hero's crest, 

 He sank, by that dire blow struck down, it seem'd to final rest. 

 Pale o'er her virgin breast of snow, as lull'd by love's warm kiss, 

 Droop' d the cold cheek, the marble brow, unconscious of their bliss. 

 That arm of might late rais'd to guard the cowering form beneath 

 Enclasps her, yet, with sleepless ward, caressing e'en in death. 

 Stunn'd by the crash, the maiden lay in brief oblivion drown' d, 

 But when with reason's rallying ray, she gaz'd bewilder' d round, 

 And mark'd that glorious form laid low, his life the price of hers, 

 She bow'd her o'er the pale, cold brow and bath'd it in her tears, 

 And with her fairy hand carest that forehead stern and high, 

 Where clusters clung, like Bacchus best, of hyacynthine dye, 

 And self-accusing, beat her breast, her golden tresses tore, 

 Her malison of woe exprest upon her natal hour. 



Thrill' d by that soft caress to life, Eussaloo's pausing heart 

 Throbbing renew' d his being's strife : he rose with sudden start, 

 And gaz'd with unbelieving eye on vision all too fair, 

 And mar veil' d at the frantic cry, the maiden's wild despair. 

 Then, changeful as the heaven of spring, which, while the tear showers 



start 

 Will from its bow of promise fling, dire fire-bolts of the heart ; 

 So, when the hero rose in life, whose death her soul subdued, 

 Shame, self-reproach and wrath held strife, loud shriek' d her bro- 

 ther's blood. 

 And with a majesty, that well beseem' d her matchless grace, 

 And with a fierceness naught could quell, the dower of her wild race. 

 Like the bereaved tigress young, she glar'd upon her foe, 

 Her flashing eyes their lightnings flung surcharged with fate and 



woe; 

 More beautiful, more bright she seem'd, thus rous'd to strife and 



war 

 As, launch' d from sphere, where calm it beam'd, floods heaven the 



shooting star. 

 A dagger in her grasp she prest, with more than woman's might 

 She smote the hero's mail-arm'd breast : forth gush'd the lifestream 

 bright. 



