The Quest

The Knight came home from the quest
Muddied and sore he came
Battered of shield and crest
Bannerless, bruised and lame
In fighting we take no shame
Wiser is man for a fall
Merrily borne, the bugle-horn
Answered the warder's call:—

"Here is my lance to mend
And here is my horse to be shot!
Ay, they were strong, the fight was long;
But I paid as good as I got!
Yeah, I paid as good as I got!"

"Oh, dark and deep their van
That mocked my battle-cry
I could not miss my man
But I could not carry by:
Utterly whelmed was I
Flung under, horse and all."
Merrily borne, the bugle-horn
Answered the warder's call!

"Here is my lance to mend
Here is my horse to be shot!
Ay, yes, they were strong, the fight was long;
But I paid as good as I got!
Yeah, I paid as good as I got!"

"My wounds are noised abroad;
But theirs my foemen cloaked
You see my broken sword—
But never the blades she broke;
Paying them stroke for stroke
Good bargaining over all."
Merrily borne, the bugle-horn
Answered the warder's call!

"Here is my lance to mend
And here is my horse to be shot!
Ay, yes, they were strong, and the fight was long;
But I gave as good as I got!
Yeah I gave as good as I got!"

"My shame you count and know
You say the quest is vain
But you have not seen my foe
You have not counted his slain
Surely he fights again, again;
But when you prove his line
There will come to your aid my broken blade
In the last, lost fight of mine!

So here is my lance to mend
And here is my horse to be shot!
Ay, yes, they were strong, and the fight was long;
But I paid as good as I got!
Yeah I gave 'em as good as I got!"