Deer and Vila

A YOUNG deer tracked his way through the green forest, One lonely day—another came in sadness; And the third dawn’d, and brought him sighs and sorrow: Then he address’d him to the forest Vila: “Young deer!” she said, “thou wild one of the forest, Now tell me what great sorrow has oppress’d thee? Why wanderest thou thus in the forest lonely: Lonely one day,—another day in sadness,— And the third day with sighs and anguish groaning?”

And thus the young deer to the Vila answer’d: “O thou sweet sister! Vila of the forest! Me has indeed a heavy grief befallen; For I had once a fawn, mine own beloved, And one sad day she sought the running water: She enter’d it, but came not back to bless me: Then tell me, had she lost her way and wander’d? Was she pursued and captured by the huntsman? Or has she left me?—has she wholly left me?— Loving some other deer—and I forgotten. O! if she has but lost her way, and wanders, Teach her to find it—bring her back to love me. O! if she has been captured by the huntsman, Then may a fate as sad as mine await him. But if she has forsaken me—if, faithless, She loves another deer—and I forgotten— Then may the huntsman speedily o’ertake her.”