By a lake once in forest darkness
A monk his soul was saving
Ever in stern occupation
Of prayer fast and labor.
Already with slackened shovel
The aged man his grave was digging
And only for death in peace and quiet
To his saintly patrons prayed he.
Once in summer at the threshold
Of his drooping little hut
To God was praying the hermit.
Darker grew the forest.
Over the lake was rising fog.
And in the clouds the reddish moon
Was gently rolling along the sky.
Upon the waters the hermit gazed.
He looks and fears and knows not why
Himself he cannot understand …
Now he sees: the waves are seething
And suddenly again are quiet …
Suddenly … as light as shade of night
As white as early snow of hills
Out cometh a woman naked
And on the shore herself she seats.
Upon the aged monk she gazes
And she combs her moistened tresses—
The holy monk with terror trembles
Upon her charms still he gazes;
With her hand to him she beckons
And her head she’s quickly nodding …
And suddenly like a falling star
The dreamy wave she vanished under.
The sober monk all night he slept not
And all day he prayed not
The shadow unwittingly before him
Of the wondrous maid he ever sees.
Again the forest is clad in darkness
Along the clouds the moon is sailing.
Again the maid above the water
Pale and splendent there she sits.
Gaze her eyes nods her head
Throws kisses and she’s sporting
The wave she sprinkles and she frolics;
Child-like weeping now and laughing;
Sobbing tender—the monk she calls:
Monk O monk to me to me!
Into the waves transparent she dashes;
And again is all in silence deep.
But on the third day the roused hermit
The enchanted shores nigh sitting was
And the beautiful maid he awaited.
Upon the trees were falling shades …
Night at last by dawn was chased—
And nowhere monk could be found
His beard alone the gray one
In the water the boys could see.