THE DEAD MAN

ONE that had sinned against the light
Lay self-murdered under night.

There came three men and walked thereby,
And at the cross-roads saw him lie.

Said the first: "I say that this is sin,
And none may answer for him therein."

The second: "Nay, we should have seen to this;
His blood as the blood of Abel is."

The third: "It is but the common case,
The weak thing beaten in the race."

Said the second: "At length he has fall'n on sleep;"
"Now," said the first, "shall he learn to weep;"

But the third said: "If he should live again
'Twill be but as mist or a drop of the rain."

Said the third: "Well, well! let the body rest;
If soul there be, be it banned or blest."

But the second: "We'll call it 'mind unsound'
And let him be buried in holy ground."

The first said: "This is the best to do."
With his hand he hammered the ash-stake through.

Now, one was the devil, and one was good,
And One of the three had died on rood.