The story and song of Black Roderick (1906) (14592855520)

Identifier: storysongofblack00sho (find matches)
Title: The story and song of Black Roderick
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Shorter, Dora Sigerson, 1866-1918
Subjects:
Publisher: New York and London, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
^ fcS the east, it went to the windows ofthe west, and there it tapped softlywith fingers of the wind and calledthree times: Roderick! Roderick! Roderick! And at the first call Black Roderickturned in his bed and groaned. Andat the second call he rose from hiscouch and said, in his anger: Who calleth, and will not let merest? But at the third call he rose andwent to the window in wonder, andseeing nothing he crept cold andtrembling to his bed, muttering thealf-forgotten prayers of his child-hood; so long he lay in fear andamazement that he did not sleep tillthe lark hung singing in the heavens,and then he knew the night was goneand with it the ghosts that hide inthe darkness. So he turned his faceto the wall and slept. But the spiritof the little bride was speeding onher swift and terrible race to Para-60 dise, and round her whirled threesgreat black birds seeking for her de-struction. And as she flew, one,caught her by the long hair thatjfswept behind her indrew her backward.
Text Appearing After Image:
Now, quoth she with a cry, I^h^Jcan fly upward no longer; some evilH^thing draws me back from heaven. And as she spoke a voice came out;;of the dark skies, and said: Who holdeth back the passingwv/soul? And the voice of the dark bird re-plied: Her anger, for she hath not sub-mitted to her trials, but held herselfrebellious; therefore do I draw herdown. And the voice from high paradise 0 called out, saying: £h 1 Is there none to come to her suc-cor, lest she be brought to her de-struction? ^ And a bee humming on the hill- tfe61