THE VAMPYRE by James Clerk Maxwell (1845)
The original language of the 1845 vampire poem by James Clerk Maxwell.
“To say the language is a difficult read is simplistic; it’s a bear. The Scot’s burr of the high-land comes through even given the non-standard spelling. This is why I have provided a modernized version below.”
1845 James Maxwell’s “The Vampire” Modernized Language A knight rides through the woods, And he is a strong and courageous knight. He has been sent on an errand, So he rides with haste. He rides past the oak tree and the birch tree, He passes many trees, It was pleasant to see the sight of slim* trees, For under it he saw The most beautiful lady he ever did see, For she was shining and fair. She sat beneath the branches Combing her golden hair. And then the knight said, “Oh bright lady, What chance has brought you here? If you but say the word, you shall go Back to your dear kindred.” The fair lady answered, “I have no friends or kin, I live in a little loat Amid the load waves din.” Then the brave knight said, “I’ll follow you to wherever you go, For even if you are on a little boat, The world to the boat seems small.” Together they traveled through the woods Until they arrived at its end. And when they got to the end of the woods They saw the salt sea’s foam. Then they saw the small boat That danced on the tops of the waves, And the fair lady got into it first Then the brave knight followed her onto it. They rowed with all their might; Then the brave knight turned in the boat And looked at the shining lady: He looked at her beautiful cheek, And he looked at her bright eyes, But suddenly her rosy cheek went ghastly pale, As though she were dead.
Then the false, false knight grew pale with fright, And his hair stood on end, For past days came to his mind, And he remembered and thought about his former love. Then the lady spoke, “You false knight, You have done much ill to me, You forsook me long ago But I am still constant (faithful) to you; For although I lie in the cold woods I cannot be at rest Until I suck the good life-blood Of the man that caused my death.” He saw her lips were red with blood, And he saw her lifeless eyes, And loudly he cried, “Get from my side, You unclean vampire corpse!” But no, he is in the magic boat, And on the wide, wide sea; And the vampire sucks his good life’s blood, She sucks him until he dies. So now beware, whoever you are, That walks in this lone wood: Beware of that deceitful spirit, That ghost that sucks the blood.
“The Vampyre” by James Maxwell (1845) (Original Language) Thair is a knichte rydis through the wood, And a doughty knichte is hee. And sure hee is on a message sent, He rydis sae hastily. Hee passit the aik, and he passit the birk, And he passit many a tre, Bot pleasant to him was the saugh sae slim, For beneath it hee sis see The boniest ladye that ever hee saw, Scho was sae schyn and fair. And their scho sat, beneath the saugh, Kaiming hir gowden hair. And then the knichte – “Oh ladye brichte, What chance has brought you here? But saw the word, and ye schall gang Back to your kndred dear.” Then up and spok the ladye fair – “I have nae friends or kin, Bot in alittle boat I live, Amidst the waves’ loud din.” Then answered thus the douchty knichte— “I’ll follow you through all, For gin ye bee in a little boat, The world to it seemis small.” They goed through the wood, and through the wood, To the end of the wood they came: And when they came to the end of the wood They saw the salt sea faem. And then they saw the wee, wee boat, That daunced on the top of the wave, And first got in the ladye fair, And then the knichte sae brave. They got into the wee wee boat, And rowed wi’ a’ their micht; When the knichte dae brave, he turnit about, And lookit at the ladye bricht: He lookit at her bonnie cheik, And hee lookit at hir twa bricht eyne, Bot hir rosie cheik growe ghaistly pale, And shoe seymit as scho deid had been. The fause, fause, knichte growe pale wi’ frichte. And his hair rose up on end, For gane-by days cam to his mynde, And his former luve he kenned, Then spake the layde – “Thou fause knichte, Hast done to me much ill, Thou didst forsake me long ago, Bot I am constant still; For though I ligg in the woods sae cald, At rest I canna bee Until I sucks the gude lyfe blude Of the man that gart me dee.” Hee saw hir lipps were wet we’ blude, And hee saw hir lufelesse eyne, And loud hee cry’d, “Get frae my side, Thou vampyr corps encleane!” Bot no, hee is in hir magic boat, And on the wyde, wyde sea; And the vampyr suckis his gude lyfe blude, Sho suckis hym till hee dee. So now beware, whoe’er you are, That walkis in this lone wood: Beware of that deceitful spright, That ghaist that suckis the blude.
