Sigurd Our Golden Collie, and Other Comrades of the Road. Katharine Lee Bates

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       Katharine Lee Bates

      Sigurd Our Golden Collie, and Other Comrades of the Road

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4064066222222

Table of Contents

       I SIGURD OUR GOLDEN COLLIE

       PUPPYHOOD

       THE DOGS OF BETHLEHEM

       GROWING UP

       LADDIE

       THE CALL OF THE BLOOD

       SIGURD'S MEDITATIONS IN THE CHURCH-PORCH

       ADVENTURES

       THE HEART OF A DOG

       HOME STUDIES

       THE PLEADERS

       COLLEGE CAREER

       TO SIGURD

       FAREWELLS

       TO JOY-OF-LIFE

       II OTHER COMRADES OF THE ROAD

       ROBIN HOOD

       WHY THE SPIRE FELL

       AN EASTER CHICK

       HOW BIRDS WERE MADE

       TAKA AND KOMA

       WARBLER WEATHER

       SUMMER RESIDENTS AT A WISCONSIN LAKE

       THE JESTER

       EMILIUS

       HUDSON'S CAT

       CATASTROPHES

       TO HAMLET, A COLLIE

       HAMLET AND POLONIUS

I

       SIGURD OUR GOLDEN COLLIE

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      VIGI

      Wisest of dogs was Vigi, a tawny-coated hound

      That King Olaf, warring over green hills of Ireland, found;

      His merry Norse were driving away a mighty herd

      For feasts upon the dragonships, when an isleman dared a word:

      "From all those stolen hundreds, well might ye spare my score."

      "Ay, take them," quoth the gamesome king, "but not a heifer more.

      Choose out thine own, nor hinder us; yet choose without a slip."

      The isleman laughed and whistled, his finger at his lip.

      Oh, swift the bright-eyed Vigi went darting through the herd

      And singled out his master's neat with a nose that never erred,

      And drave the star-marked twenty forth, to the wonder of the king,

      Who bought the hound right honestly, at the price of a broad gold ring.

      If the herddog dreamed of an Irish voice and of cattle on the hill,

      He told it not to Olaf the King, whose will was Vigi's will,

      But followed him far in faithful love and bravely helped him win

      His famous fight with Thorir Hart and Raud, the wizard Finn.

      Above the clamor and the clang shrill sounded Vigi's bark,

      And when the groaning ship of Raud drew seaward to the dark,

      And Thorir Hart leapt to the land, bidding his rowers live

      Who could, Olaf and Vigi strained hard on the fugitive.

      'Twas Vigi caught the runner's heel and stayed the windswift flight

      Till Olaf's well-hurled spear had changed the day to endless night

      For Thorir Hart, but not before his sword had stung the hound,

      Whom the heroes bore on shield to ship, all grieving for his wound.

      Now proud of heart was Vigi to be borne to ship on shield,

      And many a day thereafter, when the bitter thrust was healed,

      Would the dog leap up on the Vikings and coax with his Irish wit

      Till 'mid laughter a shield was leveled, and Vigi rode on it.

PUPPYHOOD

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      "Only the envy was, that it lasted not still, or, now it is past, cannot by imagination, much less description, be recovered to a part of that spirit it had in the gliding by."

      —Jonson's Masque of Hymen.

      Sigurd was related to Vigi only by the line of Scandinavian literature. The Lady of Cedar Hill was enjoying the