The bridgekeeper’s house that stands in the north—­
All windows to the south look forth,
And the inmates there without peace or rest
Are gazing southward with anxious zest;
They gaze and wait a light to spy
That over the water “I’m coming!” should cry,
“I’m coming—­night and storm are vain—­
I from Edinburg the train!”

   And the bridgekeeper says:  “I see a gleam
   On the other shore.  That’s it, I deem. 
   Now mother, away with bad dreams, for see,
   Our Johnnie is coming—­he’ll want his tree,
   And what is left of candles, light
   As if it were on Christmas night. 
   Twice we shall have our Christmas cheer—­
   In eleven minutes he must be here.”

   It is the train, with the gale it vies
   And panting by the south tower flies. 
   “There’s the bridge still,” says Johnnie.  “But that’s all right,
   We’ll make it surely out of spite! 
   A solid boiler and double steam
   Should win in such a fight, ’twould seem,
   Let it rave and rage and run at its bent,
   We’ll put it down:  this element!

   And our bridge is our pride.  I must laugh always
   When I think back of the olden days,
   And all the trouble and misery
   That with the wretched boat would be;
   And many cheerful Christmas nights
   I spent at the ferryman’s house—­the lights
   From our windows I’d watch and count them o’er,
   And could not reach the other shore.”

   The bridgekeeper’s house that stands in the north—­
   All windows to the south look forth,
   And the inmates there without peace or rest
   Are gazing southward with anxious zest: 
   More furious grew the winds’ wild games,
   And now, as if the sky poured flames,
   Comes shooting down a radiance bright
   O’er the water below.—­Now again all is night.

“When shall we three meet again?”
“At midnight the top of the mountain attain!”
“By the alder-stem on the high moorland plain!”
“I’ll come.” 
“And I too.” 
“And the number I’ll tell.” 
“And I the names.” 
“I the torture right well.” 
“Whoo! 
Like splinters the woodwork crashed in two.” 
“A bawble,—­a naught,
What the hand of man hath wrought!”

[Footnote 4:  Translator:  Margarete Muensterberg.]

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