He com into a fair countray, As bright soonne somers day, Smothe and plain and al grene, Hill no dale was none ysene. Amiddle the lond a castel he seighe, Rich and reale and wonder heighe; Al the utmust wal Was cler and schine of cristal; An hundred tours ther were about, Degiselich and bataild stout; The butrass come out of the diche Of rede gold y arched riche; The housour was anowed al, Of ich maner divers animal; Within there wer wide wones Al of precious stones, The worss piles on to biholde, Was al of burnist gold: Al that lond was ever light, For when it schuld be therk and night, The riche stonnes light gonne, Bright as doth at none the sonne: No man may tel no thenke in thought The riche werk that ther was wrought. This description corresponds on the whole with the general drift of legend, which represents the Land of Faërie to be situated beneath the ground, so that the true elfin court is a subterranean pageantry—a point which is commonly ignored by modern fanciful writers. The castle which Orfeo entered appears to have been a general receptacle for things and persons who had been spirited away from earth, or had in any way suddenly disappeared. Ther he seize his owhen wiif, Dame Heurodis, his liif liif, Slepe under an ympe-tree; Bi her clothes he knewe that it was sche. He did not, however, at once claim his bride, but repaired to the royal hall where the king and queen of fairyland were seated in a bright and blissful tabernacle, their crowns and vestures almost blinding him by their splendour. Orfeo performs in their presence on his harp, and wins such admiration from the king, that, with Herodian prodigality, he is promised whatever he may demand. The restitution of Heurodis is, of course, the favour in question, and the musician-monarch returns out of Fairyland with a wife beautified more than ever by the gramary of the elfin atmosphere, and, unlike the classical hero, successfully closes his quest by resuming his royal authority. * * * * *