New National Fourth Reader

There dwelt a miller, hale and bold,

Beside the river Dee;

He worked and sang from morn till night—

No lark so blithe as he;

And this the burden of his song

Forever used to be:

"I envy nobody—no, not I,

And nobody envies me!"

"Thou'rt wrong, my friend," said good King Hal;

"As wrong as wrong can be;

For could my heart be light as thine,

I'd gladly change with thee.

And tell me now, what makes thee sing,

With voice so loud and free.

While I am sad, though I'm a king,

Beside the river Dee?"

The miller smiled and doffed his cap:

"I earn my bread," quoth he;

"I love my wife, I love my friend,

I love my children three;

I owe no penny I can not pay;

I thank the river Dee,

That turns the mill that grinds the corn

That feeds my babes and me."

"Good friend," said Hal, and sighed the while,

"Farewell! and happy be!

But say no more, if thou'dst be true,

That no one envies thee.

Thy mealy cap is worth my crown;

Thy mill, my kingdom's fee;

Such men as thou are England's boast,

O miller of the Dee!"