Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.
The Dumb ShepherdessEdward Sapir, trans.
H
Grown and little,
Of a dumb shepherdess
Who in her fields
Did guard her little sheep
Along the mead!
’Twas Jesus, out of goodness,
Made her speak.
To her appeared.
“Good day, sweet shepherdess,
Big Isabeau!
And would you give to me
One of the lambs?”
“They are not mine.
To father, to my mother,
I’ll speak of it;
To father, to my mother,
I’ll tell of it.”
Straightaway.
“My father, there’s a lady
In my flock.
O God! she asks of me
One of the lambs.”
They were amazed
To hear the speechless maiden
Speaking thus.
To God they made a prayer,
Giving thanks.
In thy flock,
That they are at her pleasure,
Big and little,
That all are for her pleasing,
Even the best.”
Before three days.
A letter she was holding
In her hand,
Writ by the sovereign master,
Mighty God.
They could not read.
It had to be the bishop
Came to them
To speak to the dumb maid,
Big Isabeau.
Open thy hand,
For the sake of the sovereign master,
Mighty God!”
And well he read the letter
And understood:
This complaint,
Is freed of sinful taint,
Gains Paradise.”