of a former match, cruel as the viper’s are her tender mercies. A son, ’tis true, hath in his sire a tower of strength, ~~to whom he speaks and has his answer back~~;Paley encloses this line in brackets as suspicious. Nauck omits it in his text. but thou, my daughter, how shall thy maidenhood be passed in honour? What shall thy experience be of thy father’s wife? She may fasten on thee some foul report in thy youthful bloom, and frustrate thy marriage. Never shall thy mother lead thee to the bridal bed, nor by her presence in thy travail hearten thee, my child, when a mother’s kindness triumphs over all. No, for I must die; and lo! this evil cometh to me not to-morrow nor yet on the third day of the month, but in a moment shall I be counted among the souls that are no more. Fare ye well, be happy; and thou, husband, canst boast thou hadst a peerless wife, and you, children, that you had such an one for mother.ChorusTake heart; I do not hesitate to answer for him; he will perform all this, unless his mind should go astray.