Broke from their boughs and faulds the tame, And goved around, charmed and amazed; Even the dull cattle crooned and gazed, And murmured, and looked with anxious pain For something the mystery to explain. The buzzard came with the throstle-cock; The corby left her houf in the rock; The blackbird alang wi’ the eagle flew; The hind came tripping over the dew; The wolf and the kid their raike began, And the kid and the lamb and the leveret ran; The hawk and the hern attour them hung, And the merle and the mavis forhooyed their young; And all in a peaceful ring were hurled— It was like an eve in a sinless world! When a month and a day had come and gane, Kilmeny sought the greenwood wene; There laid her down on the leaves sae green, And Kilmeny on earth was never mair seen. But O, the words that fell frae her mouth Were words of wonder, and words of truth! But all the land were in fear and dread, For they kendna whether she was living or dead. It wasna her hame, and she couldna remain; She left this world of sorrow and pain, And returned to the land of thought again. JAMES HOGG. A FAIRY TALE. Once in days of yore a little Princess, who had summers seen Scarcely seven, and was christened by the holy name Christine, Found herself, at eve, disporting in a fairy ring of green. She had left the kingly castle; left her sire’s and mother’s side, Left the banquet, where her brother feasted with his royal bride; And had rambled to the forest valley, ’neath the summer moon, Where she crossed the charmèd circle, aught thereof unknowing. Soon Overwearied there she rested, wishing what might come to pass, When by chance her hand alighted on a tuft of clover-grass. This she grasped, a tiny handful:—Ah! Saint Mary! what she saw!— Mounted on their milk-white palfreys, issuing from the shady shawe, Came the fairies, caracolling gaily as they passed along; Then, dismounting, closed around her in a bright and joyous throng; Ladylings and lordlings dancing, piping, harping, full of song. Clad in robes of silken silver, golden gossamer a few, Decked with jewels bright as starlets, bright as berries, bright as dew; Some in kirtle, scarf, and doublet, all of verdant forest hue. Lovers there she saw, arm-twining, in the wild wood’s shadowy slade; There some woful knight was kneeling at the feet of haughty maid; Here was feasting, there was music; many a cunning prank was played. Suddenly, the stateliest of them, he that most a monarch seemed, (Cap of crimson his, and mantle like an emerald that beamed) When he spied the gentle maiden, smiling on the merry scene; “Ho! my lords and ladies!” cried he, “wist ye who with us hath been? Lo! a mortal stands among us; fairer than a fairy she; Let us speak with her a moment; questioning belongs to me.”