THE WELL OF ST. KEYNE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 279, 1 April 1848, Page 3

THE WELL OF ST. KEYNE.

BT 80UTHEY.

A well there is in the west country, And a clearer one never was seen ; There ia not a wife in the west country But has heard of the well of St. Keyne. An oak and an elm-tree stand beside, And behind does an ash-tree grow, And a willow from the bank above Droops in the water below. A traveller came to the well of St. Keyne, Joyfully he drew nigh, For from cock crow he had been travelling, And there was not a cloud in the sky. He drank of the water so cool and clear, For thirsty and hot was he ; And he sat down upon the bank, Under the willow-tree. There came a man from the neighbouring town, At the well to fill his pail ; On the well-side he rested it, And bade the stranger hail. " Now art thou a bachelor, stranger ?" quoth he, " For an if thou hast a wife, Th*e happiest draught thou hast drunk this day That thou ever didst in thy life. " Or has thy good woman, if one thou hast, Ever here in Cornwall been ? For an if she have, I'll venture my life She has drunk of the well of St. Keyne." "I have left a good woman who never was here," The stranger he made reply; "But that my draught should be better for that, I pray yon answer me why." "St. Keyne," quoth the Cornishman, "many a time Drank of this crystal well; And before the angel summoned her, She laid on the water a spell. "If the husband of this gifted well Shall drink before his wife, A happy man henceforth is he, For he shall be master for life. "But if the wife should drink first, God help the husband then !" The stranger stoop'd to the well of St. Keyne, And drank of the water again. " You drank of the water, I warrant, betimes !" He to the Cornishman said: But the Cornishman smiled as the stranger spake, And sheepishly shook his head : " I hasten' d as soon as the wedding was done, And I left my wife in the porch ; But, i' faith, she had been wiser than me, For she took a bottle to church."