`~A ballad by Ruth Asch, based on Breton folklore.
(Advisory: violence/death)
Marie had worked the day away,
upon the harvest field,
to earn the bread for that new child
her body would soon yield.
And still her husband’s shirts were brown
with streaks of sweat and mud.
The moon was high – she thought to go
and wash them in the flood
where falls the water down the rocks
into a shallow pool.
The next day would be bright and clean;
this night she feared no ghoul.
But as she drew towards the bank
aghast she stopped to stare:
a gentleman was struggling
with some poor maiden there!
Marie pressed on. She’d warn that man
to set the woman free…
Then came a cry, wild from his lungs:
“Come quickly, please – help me!”
The two of them each grasped one sheet.
The girl was white, her hair
dishevelled, and as crazed she dragged
him down to water there.
Marie soon took hold of the sheet
and pulled along with him.
“Oh, what is wrong? Calm down, poor girl –
to kill is not to win!”
At this, the woman, pale, distraught,
let go the tangled cloth,
and disappeared into the night
as though she were a moth.
Marie questioned the gentleman –
“What strange event was here?
Which caused a maid to feel such wrath
– and you to show such fear?”
Groaning, he turned, near pale as she
who had just sought his harm.
“I’ll tell you all I know” he said,
“That foul fiend lures with charm…”
“As I was making my way home
in moonshine full and bright
I saw a maid, most beautiful,
washing alone, by night.”
“I spoke with her in kindness:
‘You should not work so late!
Come home with me, my darling –
I’ll give you a rich plate’”
“‘Food, and wine to strengthen you.
Perhaps a tender kiss.
Trust me my dear, no ill will come
if you agree to this.’”
“‘Oh, kiss me in the silvery air,
and not laid on your bed!
Love is our sweet and mortal toil…
I wash a shroud,’ she said.”
“‘And it is dreadful heavy, wet;
Dear Sir, pray help me wring
the sodden sheet, for see, I faint!’
and her white arms did cling…”
“to my own strength. I took the sheet
and so, began to twist
the water out, but as it poured,
the woman seized my wrist.”
“She grappled me with mighty power
and pulled me down the bank
all tangled in the winding sheet –
’tis you that I must thank…”
“that I am now alive at all!
No mortal strength had she,
yet on your intervention,
at last she set me free.”
“Do come now, to my mansion home
nearby, and take a cup
of wine to raise your spirits –
we’ll celebrate and sup.”
“Good Sir, I do not trust your kind.
My husband would not joy
to find that I had visited
the richest local boy.”
“And I would rather speak with her
who tried to bring your death,
than parley with a man who gives
others unwanted breath.”
The young lord fled with quickened pace;
Marie stayed on a while…
And soon a figure, slim and white,
stood by her with a smile.
“You spoke to him with wisdom.
Your courage did not fail.
You scorned his cruel temptation…
For that I’ll tell my tale:”
“Once I was like you, my dear,
a woman young and chaste.
But life was hard. Joys rare and sweet,
I felt, must be embraced.”
“He led me from this very brink
into his chambers fine,
with promises of marriage,
and wholesome food, and wine.”
“And there he gave to me a child,
though I had not his ring.
For shame I hid myself away
to bear the hapless thing.”
“I sprinkled river on his brow
baptized him in God’s name,
before I held him deep, to drown…
and damned myself for shame.”
“My murdered babe is heaven’s ward,
a mother I am not –
but I cannot kill yours, unborn,
and make him share my lot:”
“To be cut off from all delight,
the happiness of love,
a chance to leave this blighted earth
and dwell with those above.”
“And so, when you had grasped this sheet
with which I lure to death
the wanderer – I must let go
to spare the unborn breath.”
“Now get you home! Never return,
for I am not a friend,
and if we meet again my dear,
this stream will be your end.”
“So, though you wake in moonlight clear
and feel so strong, and proud –
do not go forth to scrub by night…
I wash a lonely shroud.”
“If I had only run for home,
and not lain on his bed…
I would not still be cleaning blood –
I wash a shroud,” she said.
