THE TOY OF THE GIANT'S CHILD.
Written in German, by H. E. H. Pbincb Albert, and translated by the late G. F. EicKardson, Esq., Geologist of the British Museum. It is the lofty Inselberg — a mountain high and strong — Where once a noble castle stood— the giants held it long ; Its very rains now are lost, its sight is waste and lone, And if ye look for giants there, they all are dead and gone ! The giant'sdaughteroncecameforth, the castle-gate before, And played with all a child's delight before her father's door; Then.eaunteringdown the precipice the girlwouldgladlygo, Tosee,perchance,howmatterswentinthelittleworldbelow. Withfewand easy steps shepassedthemountaiu&the wood, Atlengthapproachingnear the place where dwelt mankind she stood; And many a town and village fair, and many a field so green, Before her wond' ring eyes appeared, a strange and curious scene. And. as she gazed, in wonder lost, on all the scene around She saw ft peasant at her feet a tilling of the ground ; The little creature crawled about so slowly here and there, And,lightedby the morning sun,hisplough shone out so fair. 'Oh pretty plaything!* cried the child, 'I'll take you home with me!" Then with her infant hands 'she spreads her 'kerchief on her knee. [*nn, And cradling man, and horse, and plough, so gently on her Shebore themhomequite cautiously,afraid to dothemharm. She hastes with joyous steps and glad (we know what children are), And spying soon her father out, she shouted from afar — ' Oh, father, dearest father, such a play thing I have found, I never saw so fair a one on our own mountain ground!' Her father sat at table then, and drank his wine so mild, And smiling vri.h ft parent's smile, he asks the happy child — ' What struggling creature hast thou brought so carefully to me? « Thou leap'st for very joy,j oy, my girl — come, open, let us see 1' She opes her 'kerchief cautiously and gladly, you may deem, And shows her eager sire the plough, the peasant,&histeam; And when she'd placed before his sight the new-found pretty toy, [v^ryjoy: She clasped her hands and screamed aloud, and cried for But her father looked quite seriously, and shaking slow his head — [he said; ' "What has thou brought me here, my girl ? — this is no toy,' ' Go, take it quickly back again, and put it down below ; The peasant is no plaything, child— how could'stthou think | him so. ' So go, without a sigh or sob, and do my will.' he said; ' For know.without the peasant, girl, we none of ushadbread! 'Tis from the peasant's hardy stock the race of giants are — The peasant is no plaything, child — no, God forbid he were !'
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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 380, 24 March 1849, Page 3
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441THE TOY OF THE GIANT'S CHILD. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 380, 24 March 1849, Page 3
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