Page 103 - English Expedition Class 6

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Th e miller smiled and doff ed his cap,
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‘I earn my bread,’ quoth he;
‘I love my wife, I love my friend,
I love my children three;
• What was the king willing to
I owe no penny I cannot pay,
exchange with the miller?
I thank the river Dee,
• How did the river Dee contribute to
Th at turns the mill that grinds the corn
the miller’s happiness?
Th at feeds my babes and me.’
• What is the main diff erence in the
‘Good friend,’ said Hal, and sighed the while, characters of the miller and the king?
‘Farewell, and happy be;
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But say no more, if thou’dst be true,
Th at no one envies thee;
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Th y mealy cap is worth my crown,
Th y mill my kingdom’s fee ;
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Such men as thou are England’s boast ,
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O miller of the Dee!’

Charles Mackay (1814–89) was a Scottish poet and songwriter. After
spending his early years in Brussels and Paris, he shifted to London and
started working as a journalist. Some of the songs written by him remain
popular to this day. The present poem is Mackay’s version of ‘There Was a
Jolly Miller Once’, a traditional folk song from north-west England.

Comprehension

A. Tick the option that best explains the main idea of the following lines.

1. 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;
a. The miller was as happy as a lark.

b. The miller was tired of working from morning till night.
c. The miller was a happy man who was satisfi ed with his life.
d. The miller was bold and healthy.

2. ‘And tell me now, what makes thee sing,/With voice so loud and free,/While I am sad, though I
am king,/Beside the river Dee?’

7 doff ed: took off or raised his cap, to show respect 10 mealy: covered with meal (powdered grain)
8 quoth: said 11 fee: (here) price
9 thou’dst: thou wouldst, meaning you would 12 boast: (here) pride
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