"The Miller of the Dee"

Today a poem from long, long ago (and I mean l-o-n-g ago, like when I was in third grade), came to mind.  I don’t know what triggered this thought but I look back with fondness to this little poem.  At the time my teacher read it to us, it was a delight to my young girl’s heart.  But now, many years later it does more than that.  I thought I’d share it with you.

The Miller of The Dee 


There dwelt a miller, hale and bold,
Beside the river Dee ;
He worked and sang from morn till night-
No lark more blithe than 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 1 am sad, though 1 am 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 ;
1 owe no penny 1 cannot pay,
1 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 thoud’st 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.

UNKNOWN AUTHOR