Mete
THE BOY and the SHADOW.
A fable
Translated frem the Swedish. )
IL
Wild!y ia his morning joy
Eprang the pleasd and merry Bey;
Bat his Shadow (O hew vexing!)
Leaps yet faster, leaps perplexing,
Till, oenrsgd, he swears at last —
Mocker! soon Iil have thee fast?
But, how quick soeer he springeth
And his tiny foot bewisgeth,
Still before the Shadew flies
And his utmost force defies.
nn.
Oa the rich-strewa flowry billow
Where mi:d fumrmers Zephyrs pil:ow,
Sports the grove-bid Lad once more,
Evnings breeze his bot eheek fanning.
Shadow Bone mew taumts him sore,
Though renemberd as before. 4
But, by chance behind him scanning,
Heavns! — he sees his Shadowy foe
Kiss his steps whereer he go. —
Now the Stripling eries right gladly,
Foremost, once, Miss Shadow went;
Now her Ladyship!s quite spent.
Thouagh she hurried then so madly
She must new behind me tread.
Nor scarce lift her fearful head.
TIL
All the sweets that Mortals fiatter,
All the biiss that false fates seatter,
But a Shadow is it all,
Though that one wa deubly call.
When in Youths glad day we greet her,
Springs bride like, all flowrs, we meet her,
How the fairy Shadow cbarms!
O that Hope would bless our arms!
But lan! still forward speeding,
Mans poor prayrs she hears unheeding. —
When our playfal Youth is gone,
When weak carking Age cresps on,
Then how modest, Shadow stealeth!
Memry hight, how mild she seems
Veild in past joys borrowd beams!
Many a lime-worn heart sbe bealetb,
Many a grief she soothes away,
Yet — a Shadows all her sway!
Stockholm, June, 1841. G. 8
AN Inserted in the vAftomblad., for May 4, 1842,