"A pleasant and a winsome tale,"
The Student said, "though somewhat pale
And quiet in its coloring,
As if it caught its tone and air
From the gray suits that Quakers wear;
Yet worthy of some German bard,
Hebel, or Voss, or Eberhard,
Who love of humble themes to sing,
In humble verse; but no more true
Than was the tale I told to you."
The Theologian made reply,
And with some warmth, "That I deny;
'T is no invention of my own,
But something well and widely known
To readers of a riper age,
Writ by the skilful hand that wrote
The Indian tale of Hobomok,
And Philothea's classic page.
I found it like a waif afloat
Or dulse uprooted from its rock,
On the swift tides that ebb and flow
In daily papers, and at flood
Bear freighted vessels to and fro,
But later, when the ebb is low,
Leave a long waste of sand and mud."
"It matters little," quoth the Jew;
"The cloak of truth is lined with lies,
Sayeth some proverb old and wise;
And Love is master of all arts,
And puts it into human hearts
The strangest things to say and do."
And here the controversy closed
Abruptly, ere 't was well begun;
For the Sicilian interposed
With, "Lordlings, listen, every one
That listen may, unto a tale
That 's merrier than the nightingale;
A tale that cannot boast, forsooth,
A single rag or shred of truth;
That does not leave the mind in doubt
As to the with it or without;
A naked falsehood and absurd
As mortal ever told or heard.
Therefore I tell it; or, maybe,
Simply because it pleases me."
Tales of a Wayside Inn 1863
- Prelude; The Wayside Inn
- The Landlord's Tale; Paul Revere's Ride
- Interlude
- The Student's Tale; The Falcon of Ser Federigo
- Interlude
- The Spanish Jew's Tale; The Legend of Rabbi Ben Levi
- Interlude
- The Sicilian's Tale; King Robert of Sicily
- Interlude
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - I. The Challenge of Thor
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - II. King Olaf's Return
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - III. Thora of Rimol
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - IV. Queen Sigrid the Haughty
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - V. The Skerry of Shrieks
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - VI. The Wraith of Odin
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - VII. Iron-Beard
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - VIII. Gudrun
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - IX. Thangbrand the Priest
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - X. Raud the Strong
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XI. Bishop Sigurd at Salten Fiord
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XII. King Olaf's Christmas
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XIII. The Building of the Long Serpent
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XIV. The Crew of the Long Serpent
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XV. A Little Bird in the Air
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XVI. Queen Thyri and the Angelica Stalks
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XVII. King Svend of the Forked Beard
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XVIII. King Olaf and Earl Sigvald
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XIX. King Olaf's War-Horns
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XX. Einar Tamberskelver
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XXI. King Olaf's Death-Drink
- The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf - XXII. The Nun of Nidaros
- Interlude
- The Theologian's Tale; Torquemada
- Interlude
- The Poet's Tale; The Birds of Killingworth
- Finale
- Prelude
- The Sicilian's Tale; The Bell of Atri
- Interlude
- The Spanish Jew's Tale; Kambalu
- Interlude
- The Student's Tale; The Cobbler of Hagenau
- Interlude
- The Musician's Tale; The Ballad of Carmilhan - I.
- The Musician's Tale; The Ballad of Carmilhan - II.
- The Musician's Tale; The Ballad of Carmilhan - III.
- The Musician's Tale; The Ballad of Carmilhan - IV.
- Interlude
- The Poet's Tale; Lady Wentworth
- Interlude
- The Theologian's Tale; The Legend Beautiful
- Interlude
- The Student's Second Tale; The Baron of St. Castine
- Finale
- Prelude
- The Spanish Jew's Tale; Azrael
- Interlude
- The Poet's Tale; Charlemagne
- Interlude
- The Student's Tale; Emma and Eginhard
- Interlude
- The Theologian's Tale; Elizabeth
- Interlude
- The Sicilian's Tale; The Monk of Casal-Maggiore
- Interlude
- The Spanish Jew's Second Tale; Scanderbeg
- Interlude
- The Musician's Tale; The Mother's Ghost
- Interlude
- The Landlord's Tale; The Rhyme of Sir Christopher
- Finale