LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI 

Ah, what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, 
 Alone and palely loitering? 
The sedge is wither'd from the lake, 
 And no birds sing. 

Ah, what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, 
 So haggard and so woe-begone? 
The squirrel's granary is full, 
 And the harvest's done. 

I see a lily on thy brow, 
 With anguish moist and fever dew; 
And on thy cheek a fading rose 
 Fast withereth too. 

I met a lady in the meads 
 Full beautiful, a faery's child; 
Her hair was long, her foot was light, 
 And her eyes were wild. 

 I set her on my pacing steed, 
 And nothing else saw all day long; 
For sideways would she lean, and sing 
 A faery's song. 

I made a garland for her head, 
 And bracelets too, and fragrant zone; 
She look'd at me as she did love, 
 And made sweet moan. 

She found me roots of relish sweet, 
 And honey wild, and manna dew; 
And sure in language strange she said, 
 I love thee true. 

She took me to her elfin grot, 
 And there she gaz'd and sighed deep, 
And there I shut her wild sad eyes-- 
 So kiss'd to sleep. 

And there we slumber'd on the moss, 
 And there I dream'd, ah woe betide, 
The latest dream I ever dream'd 
 On the cold hill side. 

I saw pale kings, and princes too, 
 Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; 
Who cry'd--”La belle Dame sans merci 
 Hath thee in thrall!” 

I saw their starv'd lips in the gloam 
 With horrid warning gaped wide, 
And I awoke, and found me here 
 On the cold hill side. 

And this is why I sojourn here 
 Alone and palely loitering, 
Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake, 
 And no birds sing.

“Oi, zer duzu miña, zaldun, 
 Ibilki bakar ta zurbil? 
Txoririk ez da, t´ibiña 
 Igar-urbil. 

Oi, zer duzu miña, zaldun, 
 Ain sorgor ta lorrez yota? 
Urtxintxak kutxa bete du. 
 Ein da uzta. 

Lili bat duzu kopetan, 
 Antsiz ta sukar-intzez blai; 
Matelan arrosa, iltzer 
 Ura´re bai” 

“Andre bat landan batu dut 
 Txit eder, lamin-aur bat letz; 
Adatsa luz, oiñak arin, 
 Begiak beltz. 

Ene zaldun yarri nun, 
 Gero deusi ez oartu; 
Ezen kantuz ziardutan 
 Lamin-kantu. 

Lorez ein nion buruztai, 
 Gerriko ta beso-estun, 
So zidan iduri maitez, 
 Baiñan itun. 

Yaki gozo arki zidan 
 Basezti, ta zitu onik; 
Baitin arrotz-itzez zion: 
 “Maite aut nik”. 

Lamin-leizean sar giñan, 
 An negar egin zun miñez, 
An aren begiok itxi 
 Nik-lau muiñez. 

An lo-azi nindun kantuz, 
 Et´an nik, ene gaitzetan! 
Amestu azken ametsa 
 Muño otz artan. 

Printze et´errege ikusi nun 
 Il-margul; oiuz zioten au: 
“La belle Dame sans merci 
 Menpean au!” 

Aien ezpaiñ legorren dei 
 Lazgarri au aditzean, 
Esnatu nintzan, t´arkitu 
 Muño otzean. 

Orregatik nago emen 
 Ibilki bakar ta zurbil, 
Naiz txoririk ez, t´ibiña 
 Igar-urbil”.

Itzuli