" THE MILLER OF THE DEE "

There dwell a miller hale and bold,
Beside the river Dee ;
He worked and sang from morn to night,
No lark more blithe than he ;
And this the burden of his songs
For ever used to be, ---
" I envy nobody : no. not I,
And nobody envies me ! "

"Thou'rt wrong, my friend !" said old King Hal,
"Thou'rt wrong as wrong can be;
For could me heart be light as thine,
I'd gladly change with thee.
And tell me now what makes thee sing
With voice so loud and free,
While I am sad, though I'm the King,
Beside the river Dee?"

The miller smiled and doff'd his cap :
"I earn my bread," quoth he ;
"I love my wife, I love my friend,
I love my children three ;
I owe no penny I cannot pay ;
I thank the river Dee,
That turns the mill that grinds the corn,
To feed my babes and me."

" Good friend ! " said Hal, and sighed the while,
" Farewell !" and happy be ;
But say no more envies thee.
Thy mealy cap is worth my crown, --
Thy mill, my kingdom's fee !
Such men as thou are England's boast,
O miller of the Dee ! "