An ancient Mari- IT is an ancient Mariner,

ner meeteth three And he stoppeth one of three.

gallants bidden

to a wedding

feast, and detain-"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,

eth one.

Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?

"The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin ;

The guests are met, the feast is set:
May'st hear the merry din."

He holds him with his skinny hand, "There was a ship," quoth he.

"Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!" Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

The WeddingGuest is spellbound by the eye of the old seafaring man, and constrained to hear his tale.

The Mariner tells

how the ship sailed southward

with a good wind

and fair weather

till it reached the

Line.

The Wedding-
Guest heareth

the bridal music;

He holds him with his glittering eye—
The Wedding-Guest stood still,

And listens like a three years' child:
The Mariner hath his will.

The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone:

He cannot choose but hear;

And thus spake on that ancient man,

The bright-eyed Mariner.

"The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,

Merrily did we drop

Below the kirk, below the hill,

Below the lighthouse top.

"The sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!

And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.

Higher and higher every day,

Till over the mast at noon

The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast,

For he heard the loud bassoon.

The Bride hath paced into the hall,
Red

as a rose is she;

but the Mariner Nodding their heads before her goes

continueth his

tale.

The merry minstrelsy.

The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast,
Yet he cannot choose but hear;