old kaspar"s work was done, and he before his cottage doorwas sitting in the sun;and by him sported on the green his little grandchild wilhelmine. she saw her brother peterkinroll something large and round which he beside the rivuletin playing there had found;he came to ask what he had foundthat was so large and smooth and round. old kaspar took it from the boywho stood expectant by;and then the old man shook his head, and with a natural sigh,""tis some poor fellow"s skull," said he,"old kaspar took it from the boy.""who fell in the great victory.
"i find them in the garden,
for there"s many here about; and often when i go to ploughthe ploughshare turns them out. for many thousand men," said he, "were slain in that great victory.""now tell us what "twas all about," young peterkin he cries;and little wilhelmine looks up with wonder-waiting eyes;"now tell us all about the war,and what they fought each other for.""it was the english," kaspar cried, "who put the, french to rout;but what they fought each other for i could not well make out.
but everybody said," quoth he, "that "twas a famous victory.
"my father lived at blenheim then, yon little stream hard by;they burnt his dwelling to the ground,and he was forced to fly:
so with his wife and child he fled,
nor had he where to rest his head.
"with fire and sword the country round
was wasted far and wide, and many a tender mother thenand newborn baby died;but things like that, you know, must be at every famous victory.
"they say it was a shocking sight after the field was won;
for many thousand bodies here lay rotting in the sun:but things like that, you know, must be after a famous victory.
"great praise the duke of marlbro"1 won and our good prince eugene2;""why, "twas a very wicked thing !" said little wilhelmine;"nay, nay, my little girl," quoth he, "it was a famous victory.
"and everybody praised the duke
who this great fight did win."
"but what good came of it at last?"
quoth little peterkin: -
"why that i cannot tell," said he, "but "twas a famous victory."-robert southey1duck of marlborough (1650-1722): famous english general; won the battles of blenheim, malplaquet, oudenarde, ramillies.
2prince eugene (1663-1736): famous general in the austrian service. marlborough"s companion in arms at blenheim (1704).