The Three Lads - Elizabeth Chandler Forman

Down the road rides a German lad,
Into the distance gray;
Straight toward the north as a bullet flies,
The dusky north, with its cold, sad skies;
But the song that he sings is merry and glad,
For he's off to the war and away.
"Then hey! for our righteous king!" (he cries)
"And the good old God in his good old skies!
And ho! for love and a pair of blue eyes,--
For I'm off to the war and away!"

Down the road rides a Russian lad,
Into the distance gray,
Out toward the glare of the steppes he spurs,
And he hears the wolves in the southern firs;
But the song that he sings is blithe and glad,
For he's off to the war and away.
Then hey! for our noble tzar!" (he cries)
And liberty that never dies!
And ho! for love and a pair of blue eyes,--
For I'm off to the war and away!"

Down the road rides an English lad,
Into the distance gray.
Through the murk and fog of the river's breath,
Through the dank, dark night he rides to his death;
But the song that he sings is gay and glad,
For he's off to the war and away.
"Then hey! for our honest king!" (he cries)
"And hey! for truth, and down with lies!
And ho! for love and a pair of blue eyes,--
For I'm off to the war and away!"

Elizabeth Chandler Forman