The Ballad of the Swan-foot

The Swan-foot sang to the stars above, “I shall never wed--
I shall never be a wife, nor warm another’s bed,
For I have seen a lordly prince, his brow is crowned with light,
His dwelling far from mortal lands, beyond the swan-wing's flight.”

“Tell me Swan-foot, will you wed,” her mother sang at eve,
“Will you marry a chieftain bold and bring great joy to me?”
“I will not marry a son of man, no, not for all your love.
I will not be a chieftainess while the moon shines high above.”

“Tell me Swan-foot, will you wed,” her father sang at morn,
“Will you marry who I choose, a tall and handsome lord?”
“I will not be a prince’s wife, no, not for all your gold.
I will not wed a son of man while the moon is shining cold.”

“Tell us Swan-foot, will you wed,” her brothers sang at noon,
“Will you marry a lordling proud and get for us this boon?”
“I will not marry lord or prince, or serf, or slave, or free.
I will not sell my maidenhead while the moon is glistening.”

“Tell us Swan-foot, will you wed,” her sisters sang at night,
“Or take a lover secretly, for pleasure and delight?”
“I would not take a lover, no, although he were a king.
I will not sell my maidenhead while the moon is wandering.”

“Tell us Swan-foot, would you wed,” the hillside sang in spring.
“Would you wed me under moon, under the rowan’s leaf?”
“I would not wed you, lovely hill, for when the winter comes
Your grass will wither, and I would fade, under the winter’s sun.”

“Tell us, Swan-foot, would you wed?” the summer rowan sang.
“Would you marry a rowan tree under the summer rains?”
“I would not marry rowan tree, lest your branches tear
The skin of Swan-foot when your leaves are tangled in my hair.”

“Tell me, Swan-foot, won’t you wed?” the moon sang out at night.
“For now the earth has beckoned me to never shine my light
Unless the Swan-foot, fairest maid, will take a husband now--
Unless she will to some lord as wife now make her vows.”

The Swan-foot sang to the moon above, “I shall never wed--
I shall never be a wife, nor warm another’s bed,
For I have seen a lordly prince, his brow is crowned with light,
His dwelling far from mortal lands, beyond the swan-wing's flight.”

Then the Prince of Starland saw her dancing on the hill--
His heart was beating quick and wild, his feet were planted still.
He watched her through the summer eve, and through the coming dawn,
And when the sun began to rise he sang a mournful song:

“O Swan-foot, Swan-foot, fairest maid, is this a dream I see?
Or will this maiden cease her dance and plight her troth with me?”
“I will wed you, Prince of Stars, and give you all my love.”
His light was shining on her hair while the pale moon shone above.