TUBAL CAIN

Old Tubal Cain was a man of might,
In the days when the earth was young;
By the fierce red light of his furnace bright,
The strokes of his hammer rung;

And he lifted high his brawny hand

On the iron glowing clear,

Till the sparks rushed out in scarlet showers,
As he fashioned the sword and spear.
And he sang, "Hurrah for my handiwork!
Hurrah for the spear and the sword!
Hurrah for the hand that shall wield them well,
For he shall be king and lord!"

To Tubal Cain came many a one,

As he wrought by his roaring fire,

And each one prayed for a strong steel blade
As the crown of his desire;

And he made them weapons sharp and strong,
Till they shouted loud for glee,

And gave him gifts of pearl and gold,

And spoils of the forest free.

And they said, "Hurrah for Tubal Cain,
Who hath given us strength anew!

Hurrah for the smith, hurrah for the fire,
And hurrah for the metal true!"

But a sudden change came o'er his heart
Ere the setting of the sun,

And Tubal Cain was filled with pain
For the evil he had done:

He saw that men with rage and hate
Made war upon their kind,

That the land was red with the blood they shed

In their lust for carnage blind.

And he said, "Alas that ever I made,

Or that skill of mine should plan,

The spear and the sword for men whose joy
Is to slay their fellow-man!"

TUBAL CAIN

235

And for many a day old Tubal Cain
Sat brooding o'er his woe;

And his hand forbore to smite the ore,
And his furnace smoldered low.

But he rose at last with a cheerful face,
And a bright courageous eye,

And bared his strong right arm for work,
While the quick flames mounted high;

And he sang, "Hurrah for my handiwork!"

And the red sparks lit the air:

"Not alone for the blade was the bright steel made,"And he fashioned the first plowshare.

And men, taught wisdom from the past,

In friendship joined their hands,

Hung the sword in the hall, the spear on the wall,

And plowed the willing lands;

And sung, "Hurrah for Tubal Cain!

Our stanch good friend is he;

And for the plowshare and the plow
To him our praise shall be.
But while oppression lifts its head,
Or a tyrant would be lord,

Though we may thank him for the plow,
We'll not forget the sword!"

SUGGESTIVE EXERCISES

1. Who was Tubal Cain?

2. What does the poet represent him as doing at first? 3. What was then the condition of the times when "each one prayed for a strong steel blade as the crown of his desire"?

4. In what sense had Tubal Cain given them "strength anew”? 5. What do you think caused the "sudden change" to come o'er his heart?

6. What did he next resolve to do?

7. What change came over the sons of men as a result?

8. Does the poet think war is ever justifiable?

9. Explain "Might, till right is ready."

10. In what sense does Tubal Cain personify the human race in its progressive onward march?

REFERENCES

Song of the Forge Clang, Clang, the Massive Anvils Ring.

GEORGE W. CUTTER: The Song of Steam.

ROBERT SOUTHEY: The Battle of Blenheim.

EDWIN ARNOLD: Armagedden.

LONGFELLOW: Keramos. The Village Blacksmith. The Builders. CHESTER: The Tapestry Weavers.

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

HE beginning, the working, and the finishing of a piece of work, cannot frequently be seen at a sitting. Such a sight when presented is always fascinating. The blacksmith's shop usually abounds in opportunities for observing this. A poet or a lecturer, working in a serious attempt at fashioning the lives of men, has a natural interest in such moulding of material things. As Longfellow watched the mechanical success of his friend, the village smith, recalled his sturdy independence, noted his cheerful philosophy as exhibited in his daily walk of life, his poet's heart wrought out the things set down for us in the following simple poem of which he wrote in his diary October 5, 1839: "Wrote a new Psalm of Life. It is The Village Blacksmith." It is a matter of keen interest to all, that the school children of Boston presented Longfellow with a beautiful carved chair made from the "spreading chestnuttree" which stood over the old blacksmith shop in Brattle Street, Cambridge. The chair is still preserved and proudly shown to thousands of visitors who visit the Longfellow home annually.