Page:The Story and Song of Black Roderick.djvu/48

40 Deep in the wood's recesses cool I see the fairy dancers glide, In cloth of gold, in gown of green, My lord and lady side by side.

But who has hung from leaf to leaf, From flower to flower, a silken twine, A cloud of gray that holds the dew In globes of clear enchanted wine,

Or stretches far from branch to branch, From thorn to thorn, in diamond rain? Who caught the cup of crystal wine And hung so fair the shining chain?

’Tis death the spider, in his net, Who lures the dancers as they glide, In cloth of gold, in gown of green, My lord and lady side by side.

But a dragon-fly rattling his armor said, without heed of the singer, ‘She is dead,’ for when she came among the heather the joyous spirit of the mountain met her and blew upon her hair and eyes. He kissed her worn cheek that he had known so fair,