Page:Francis Crawford - Mr Isaacs.djvu/37

 "Prati 'shya sunarī janī"—the exquisite lines of the old Vedic hymn to the dawn maiden, rose to my lips. I had never appreciated or felt their truth down in the dusty plains, but here, on the free hills, the glad welcoming of the morning light seemed to run through every fibre, as thousands of years ago the same joyful thrill of returning life inspired the pilgrim fathers of the Aryan race. Almost unconsciously, I softly intoned the hymn, as I had heard my old Brahmin teacher in Allahabad when he came and sat under the porch at daybreak, until I was ready for him—

The lissome heavenly maiden here, Forth flashing from her sister's arms, High heaven's daughter, now is come.

In rosy garments, shining like A swift bay mare; the twin knights' friend, Mother of all our herds of kine.

Yea, thou art she, the horseman's friend; Of grazing cattle mother thou, All wealth is thine, thou blushing dawn.

Thou who hast driven the foeman back, With praise we call on thee to wake In tender reverence, beauteous one.

The spreading beams of morning light Are countless as our hosts of kine, They fill the atmosphere of space. Filling the sky, thou openedst wide The gates of night, thou glorious dawn— Rejoicing ran thy daily race!