arnold de winkelried.
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Caught, and to his bosom gathered, the sharp lances of the foe!
Then, as roll the avalanches down from wild? of Alpine snow,
Through the breach, on rolled the Switzers, overthrew the mail-clad ranks,
Smote, as smote their shepherd fathers, on Algeri's marshy banks!
Everywhere the Austrian nobles, serfs, and hirelings turned in flight,—
Soon was seen the royal standard wavering, falling in the fight;
'T was the Duke himself upraised it, and its bloody folds outspread,
Waved it, till his guard of barons all went down among the dead;
Then, amid the battle plunging, bravely bore the warrior's part,
Till the long pike of a Switzer cleft in twain his tyrant heart!
Then, as roll the avalanches down from wild? of Alpine snow,
Through the breach, on rolled the Switzers, overthrew the mail-clad ranks,
Smote, as smote their shepherd fathers, on Algeri's marshy banks!
Everywhere the Austrian nobles, serfs, and hirelings turned in flight,—
Soon was seen the royal standard wavering, falling in the fight;
'T was the Duke himself upraised it, and its bloody folds outspread,
Waved it, till his guard of barons all went down among the dead;
Then, amid the battle plunging, bravely bore the warrior's part,
Till the long pike of a Switzer cleft in twain his tyrant heart!
With their souls athirst for vengeance, through dark gorge and rocky glen,
On the footsteps of the flying, hot pursued the mountain men,—
On the footsteps of the flying, hot pursued the mountain men,—
