BSTHONIAiST POETRY. 3 J 



His little help-mates on the lharp thorns.-—* 



Our lord walks upon a white floor ! 



Our lady wears a golden crown ! 



Our young matters wear lilver rings ! 



They lit down in eafy chairs, 



Or walk up and down the halL 



Let them but look on us poor boors. 



How we are tormented and plagued — 



How the little-ones are tortured 



If they run but a finger's length from their work ; 



And we rnufi all be kept difperfed* 



A great broad piece of meadow is let them as a talk 

 * — they mult divide it in breadth, and thus are kept 

 mowing at a diftance from each other. Accordingly, 

 the comforts of fociety and converfe are denied them 

 at this feafon ; and to this it is that the laffc line alludes. 



VII. A counterpart to the former. In the fpring 

 feafon there is frequently fuch a dearth, that the pea- 

 fants are obliged to fodder their cattle with the half- 

 rotten ftraw of their thatched roofs. This it is necef- 

 fary for me to premife, for rendering intelligible the 

 fecond line. 



For the elucidation of the fourth line it murl be re- 

 marked, that the boor has no chimney in his thatch, 

 but the fmoke, after curling round his room, at length 

 finds its way out at the door. Only the german 

 houfes have the luxury of chimnies. " Ever linee the 

 cc chimnies came into the village is the fame as to 

 fay, Ever fince the Germans fettled themfelves in the 

 country. 



D 2 The 



