Prince Ananias

Under an oak one fine June morn,
Unostentatiously was born
A babe ordained for fickle fate
To play with far from lightly.
Now thrived and grew this babe apace
In stature high with added grace
The forest broad for his estate
At manhood bound him tightly.
By law an outlaw termed
The epithet I’ve earned,
For all who stray
Through paths my way
Must pay the toll I claim
Who dares my might and power disdain?
A noble lord was asked for toll,
Who in my equipage did roll,
With daughter fair as summer skies,
I kissed her hand, I kissed her hand politely.
O tiny hand, O cruel theft!
Of much this outlaw she bereft, of much this outlaw she bereft,
Though untold wealth lay in her eyes,
She stole my heart, she stole my heart completely.
Ah!
Into a palmer turned, for love this outlaw yearned,
Her heart I’ll win and count no sin to worship at her shrine,
Her heart I’ll win and count no sin to worship at her shrine
And dare to call her mine!

Come, Venus and Hebe, adorn my bark and float with me;
Euterpe, thy lute bring, and bid the sirens to me sing,
And bid the sirens to me sing.
With Bacchus for good cheer and Momus gay the craft to steer,
Take Cupid? Nay, nay, boy, a shaft of thine would wreck my joy,
A shaft of thine, fair boy, would wreck my joy,
My pleasure love shall not destroy.

Ah! Cupid, meddlesome boy, good bye!
My heart you’ll never annoy, don’t try!
I sail with pleasures throng,
Hail, mirth and beauty, wine and song.

Far from the mountains that cleave the blue skies
Lies the fair hamlet of Fancy:
There dwell the maidens with flashing black eyes,
Charming with grace and piquancy.
Long are their joys.
For time never cloys
In the fair hamlet of Fancy,
In the fair hamlet of Fancy.

Hark! The music from the zithers falling!
Hark!
List the lovers for the dance are calling!
Hark!
Soft melodious rhythms sweet,
See, bewitching flashing feet;
In delicious caprice hearts enthralling.
Ah! Hark!
List the lovers for the dance are calling!
Ah!
The perfume laden zephyrs blow
O’er verdant vales when purple glow
Of languid twilight falling.
There life is rich with music bright,
And love is one supreme delight;
And love is one supreme delight
Of golden echoes, golden echoes calling.

Hark! The swains’ seductive pipes are blowing!
Hark!
Great the frolic, brisk the cadence flowing!
Hark!
Oh, the laughter ripples bright;
Hearts and voices ever light;
Look! the face of every maid is glowing!
Ah! Hark!
Ah! Come all ye weary who sigh for bright skies
Over the mountains to Fancy;
There dwell the maidens with flashing black eyes,
Charming with grace and piquancy.
Joys are sublime and life is divine,
Joys are sublime and life is divine
In the fair hamlet of Fancy, of Fancy,
In the fair hamlet of Fancy.
Ah!

A bandit bold lived like a king
’Way in a forest deep,
Of pining love none dared to sing
From care his heart to keep.
Through busy day or peaceful night
His cup of joy ran o’er;
“From maiden’s eyes and fancies light
My heart’s my own,” he swore.
“My heart’s my own,” he swore.

  Love ne’er came nigh,
  So the thought left his mind;
  The tears flow by,
  And his heart never pined.
  Love ne’er came nigh,
  So the thought left his mind;
  The years flew by, the years flew by
  And his heart never pined.

Ah! None can tell when love is nigh,
Some watch and wait in tears;
The outlaw fell beneath the spell—
One moment undid years.
A maiden fair as June’s best day,
Like bloom of eglantine;
“Alas,” quoth he, “love’s passed my way;
My heart’s no longer mine,
My heart’s no longer mine.”

  Ah, love’s bright star,
  Lead me on, ever shine;
  I’ll journey far
  For thy heart, love of mine.
  Ah! Love’s bright star,
  Lead me on, ever shine;
  I’ll journey far, I’ll journey far
  For thy heart, love of mine.

A ray of golden sunlight fell
Across my life, when you passed by,
I felt my heart with rapture swell—
A glance, ’twas all, and love came nigh;
And love came nigh and fluttered round,
All thro’ the hours till spring made bright
The earth with myriad flowers was crowned,
For thee, my love, for thee, my heart’s delight.

In beauteous garb was nature clad,
When heart to heart we pledged our troth;
The birds with joyous song made glad,
And clearest heaven smiled on both.
For love is spring, and ne’er grows old,
When once the light shines clear and bright;
What though the earth is crowned with gold?
Love flowers for thee, my heart’s delight!
What though the earth is crowned with gold?
Love flowers for thee, my heart’s delight.

Who rides abroad so fierce and fast
Through the storm and the blinding rain,
And laughs aloud at the thunder’s blast
As he crosses the open plain?
’Tis the outlaw bold, so fierce and strong;
Like a hunted dog he flies,
But he laughs as he rides
With an oath and a song
To the goal that before him lies.
Who stays the fair maid’s trembling fear,
As she stands by her lone threshold,
And passes a cup of water clear
To the rider, grim and bold?

’Tis the outlaw he whose name none call
But whisper, and with fear,
But he harms no woman or child,
They all to him are ever dear;
But he harms no woman or child,
They all to him are ever dear.

Who is it sits ’neath the red hot sun,
And pulls at the heavy oar,
With a whip for his back
And a sentry’s gun,
While the sweat from his brow doth pour?
’Tis the outlaw, poor wretch,
They have got him fast,
But they won’t hold him there for long,
Though they think that his soul is crushed at last,
And their bars are safe and strong.

For the time will come when the outlaw he
Will escape to a land afar;
And he’ll rattle his chains
As he shouts with glee:
Ho! Ho! The outlaw’s free!