THE MILLER OF THE DEE

By Charles Mackay



There dwelt a miller hale and bold

Beside the river Dee;

He worked and sang from morn till night,

No lark more blithe than he;

And this the burden of his song

Forever used to be,--

"I envy nobody; no, not I,

And nobody envies me!"



"Thou'rt wrong, my friend!" said good King Hal;

"Thou'rt wrong as wrong can be;

For could my 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 doffed 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, if thou'dst be true,

That no one envies thee.

Thy mealy cap is worth my crown,

Thy mill my kingdom's fee;

Such men as thou are England's boast,

Oh miller of the Dee!"





DEFINITIONS:

Hale, hearty, strong.

Blithe, happy.

Quoth, said.

Fee, wealth, possession.

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