| |
| WE were twin brothers, tall and hale, | |
| Glad wanderers over hill and dale. | |
| |
| We stood within the twilight shade | |
| Of pines that rimmed a Southern glade. | |
| |
| He said: “Let ’s settle, if we can, | 5 |
| Which of us is the stronger man. | |
| |
| “We ’ll try a flight shot, high and good, | |
| Across the green glade toward the wood.” | |
| |
| And so we bent in sheer delight | |
| Our old yew bows with all our might. | 10 |
| |
| Our long keen shafts, drawn to the head, | |
| Were poised a moment ere they sped. | |
| |
| As we leaned back a breath of air | |
| Mingled the brown locks of our hair. | |
| |
| We loosed. As one our bow-cords rang, | 15 |
| As one away our arrows sprang. | |
| |
| Away they sprang; the wind of June | |
| Thrilled to their softly whistled tune. | |
| |
| We watched their flight, and saw them strike | |
| Deep in the ground slantwise alike, | 20 |
| |
| So far away that they might pass | |
| For two thin straws of broom-sedge grass! | |
| |
| Then arm in arm we doubting went | |
| To find whose shaft was farthest sent, | |
| |
| Each fearing in his loving heart | 25 |
| That brother’s shaft had fallen short. | |
| |
| But who could tell by such a plan | |
| Which of us was the stronger man? | |
| |
| There at the margin of the wood, | |
| Side by side our arrows stood, | 30 |
| |
| Their red cock-feathers wing and wing, | |
| Their amber nocks still quivering, | |
| |
| Their points deep-planted where they fell | |
| An inch apart and parallel! | |
| |
| We clasped each other’s hands; said he, | 35 |
| “Twin champions of the world are we!” | |
| |
