Author: Eugene Field

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    Where wail the waters in their flaw
    A spectre wanders to and fro,
    And evermore that ghostly shore
    Bemoans the heir of Yvytot.

    Sometimes, when, like a fleecy pall,
    The mists upon the waters fall,
    Across the main float shadows twain
    That do not heed the spectre's call.

    The king his son of Yvytot
    Stood once and saw the waters go
    Boiling around with hissing sound
    The sullen phantom rocks below.

    And suddenly he saw a face
    Lift from that black and seething place--
    Lift up and gaze in mute amaze
    And tenderly a little space,

    A mighty cry of love made he--
    No answering word to him gave she,
    But looked, and then sunk back again
    Into the dark and depthless sea.

    And ever afterward that face,
    That he beheld such little space,
    Like wraith would rise within his eyes
    And in his heart find biding place.

    So oft from castle hall he crept
    Where mid the rocks grim shadows slept,
    And where the mist reached down and kissed
    The waters as they wailed and wept.

    The king it was of Yvytot
    That vaunted, many years ago,
    There was no coast his valiant host
    Had not subdued with spear and bow.

    For once to him the sea-king cried:
    "In safety all thy ships shall ride
    An thou but swear thy princely heir
    Shall take my daughter to his bride.

    "And lo, these winds that rove the sea
    Unto our pact shall witness be,
    And of the oath which binds us both
    Shall be the judge 'twixt me and thee!"

    Then swore the king of Yvytot
    Unto the sea-king years ago,
    And with great cheer for many a year
    His ships went harrying to and fro.

    Unto this mighty king his throne
    Was born a prince, and one alone--
    Fairer than he in form and blee
    And knightly grace was never known.

    But once he saw a maiden face
    Lift from a haunted ocean place--
    Lift up and gaze in mute amaze
    And tenderly a little space.

    Wroth was the king of Yvytot,
    For that his son would never go
    Sailing the sea, but liefer be
    Where wailed the waters in their flow,

    Where winds in clamorous anger swept,
    Where to and fro grim shadows crept,
    And where the mist reached down and kissed
    The waters as they wailed and wept.

    So sped the years, till came a day
    The haughty king was old and gray,
    And in his hold were spoils untold
    That he had wrenched from Norroway.

    Then once again the sea-king cried:
    "Thy ships have harried far and wide;
    My part is done--now let thy son
    Require my daughter to his bride!"

    Loud laughed the king of Yvytot,
    And by his soul he bade him no--
    "I heed no more what oath I swore,
    For I was mad to bargain so!"

    Then spake the sea-king in his wrath:
    "Thy ships lie broken in my path!
    Go now and wring thy hands, false king!
    Nor ship nor heir thy kingdom hath!

    "And thou shalt wander evermore
    All up and down this ghostly shore,
    And call in vain upon the twain
    That keep what oath a dastard swore!"

    The king his son of Yvytot
    Stood even then where to and fro
    The breakers swelled--and there beheld
    A maiden face lift from below.

    "Be thou or truth or dream," he cried,
    "Or spirit of the restless tide,
    It booteth not to me, God wot!
    But I would have thee to my bride."

    Then spake the maiden: "Come with me
    Unto a palace in the sea,
    For there my sire in kingly ire
    Requires thy king his oath of thee!"

    Gayly he fared him down the sands
    And took the maiden's outstretched hands;
    And so went they upon their way
    To do the sea-king his commands.

    The winds went riding to and fro
    And scourged the waves that crouched below,
    And bade them sing to a childless king
    The bridal song of Yvytot.

    So fell the curse upon that shore,
    And hopeless wailing evermore
    Was the righteous dole of the craven soul
    That heeded not what oath he swore.

    An hundred ships went down that day
    All off the coast of Norroway,
    And the ruthless sea made mighty glee
    Over the spoil that drifting lay.

    The winds went calling far and wide
    To the dead that tossed in the mocking tide:
    "Come forth, ye slaves! from your fleeting graves
    And drink a health to your prince his bride!"

    Where wail the waters in their flow
    A spectre wanders to and fro,
    But nevermore that ghostly shore
    Shall claim the heir of Yvytot.

    Sometimes, when, like a fleecy pall,
    The mists upon the waters fall,
    Across the main flit shadows twain
    That do not heed the spectre's call.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: The poem explores several interwoven themes, including:

Broken Oaths and Consequences: The king of Yvytot's failure to uphold his pact with the sea-king results in a devastating curse, emphasizing the moral weight of promises and the repercussions of betrayal.
Love and Sacrifice: The prince's love for the sea-king’s daughter leads him to embrace his fate, contrasting his loyalty with his father’s treachery.
Fate and Supernatural Justice: The sea-king acts as an agent of retribution, wielding the ocean's power to punish the king's hubris and greed.
The Power of Nature: The sea becomes a character in its own right—both a setting and a force of unrelenting destruction and mystery.
Structure and Form:
The poem’s narrative unfolds in a linear fashion, detailing the curse, the prince's love for the maiden, and the ultimate fulfillment of the sea-king’s vengeance. Its structure reflects a traditional ballad form, with repetition and refrain-like elements enhancing its oral quality. For instance, the recurring image of "where wail the waters in their flow" bookends the poem, creating a cyclical and haunting effect.

Analysis of Key Elements:
Imagery and Symbolism:
The Sea: The sea is a dominant symbol, representing both the inescapable force of fate and the boundary between the mortal and supernatural worlds.
The Specter: The ghostly figure wandering the shore embodies guilt and eternal punishment, a vivid warning about the consequences of moral failure.
The Maiden’s Face: Her appearance from the depths symbolizes both love and doom, her otherworldly allure marking the prince’s destiny.
Shadows and Mists: These recurring motifs evoke mystery, obscurity, and the eerie, liminal space between life and death.
Tone and Mood:
The tone is melancholic, dark, and ominous, steeped in the supernatural. Field's descriptions of the ocean—"boiling around with hissing sound," "grim shadows slept," "the dark and depthless sea"—heighten the atmosphere of foreboding. The mood shifts from romantic longing to tragedy as the prince embraces his fate, contrasted with the king's despair.

Characterization:
The King of Yvytot: His hubris and greed make him a tragic figure, doomed by his inability to honor his oath.
The Prince: In contrast, the prince's devotion and acceptance of the maiden's love make him a figure of tragic heroism.
The Sea-King: As a figure of supernatural justice, he metes out punishment with impartiality and power.
The Maiden: She serves as both a temptress and a harbinger of destiny, her mysterious allure driving the prince’s choice.
Sound Devices:
Field uses alliteration ("winds went riding," "wailed the waters"), assonance, and consonance to create a musical quality. The steady rhythm mirrors the motion of waves, enhancing the auditory experience of the poem.

Interpretation:
"The Ballad of Yvytot" operates as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and betrayal, weaving together elements of romance, tragedy, and supernatural folklore. Field's use of vivid imagery and rhythmic language transports the reader into a mythical world where the sea reigns supreme, and the weight of promises carries eternal consequences. At its heart, the poem questions the morality of power and the redemptive potential of love, juxtaposing the prince's selflessness with the king's treachery.