The Choice

He slept beneath a poplar tree: And three young maidens cross’d the way; I listened to the lovely three, And heard them to each other say:— “Now what is dearest, love! to thee?” The eldest said—‘Young Ranko’s ring Would be to me the dearest thing.’ “No! not for me,” the second cried; “I’d choose the girdle from his side.” ‘Not I,’ the youngest said—‘In truth, I’ll rather have the sleeping youth. The ring, O sister! will grow dim, The girdle will ere long be broken; But this is an eternal token,— His love for me, and mine for him.’