Again to the Knight came the grizly wight, When the rounded dance was o’er; “Sir Knight, eschew this goblin crew, Or rue for evermore.” But forward pressed the dauntless guest To the tables of ezlar red, And there was seen the Knight in Green, To grace the fair board head. And before that Knight was a goblet bright Of emerald smooth and green, The fretted brim was studded full trim With mountain rubies’ sheen. Sir Geoffrey the Bold of the cup laid hold With health-ale mantling o’er; And he saw as he drank that the ale never shrank But mantled as before. Then Sir Geoffrey grew pale as he quaffed the ale, And cold as the corpse of clay; And with horny beak the ravens did shriek, And fluttered o’er their prey. But soon throughout the revel rout A strange commotion ran, For beyond the round they heard the sound Of the steps of an uncharmed man. And soon to St. Clair the grim wight did repair, From the midst of the wassel crew; “Sir Knight, beware of the revellers there, Nor do as they bid thee do.” “What woeful wight art thou?” said the Knight, “To haunt this wassel fray?” “I was once,” quoth he, “a mortal, like thee, Though now I’m an elfin grey. “And the Knight so bold as the corpse lies cold, Who trode the greensward ring; He must wander along with that restless throng, For aye, with the Elfin-King. “With the restless crew, in weeds so blue, The hapless Knight must wend; Nor ever be seen on haunted green Till the weary seven years’ end. “Fair is the mien of the Knight in Green, And bright his sparkling hair; ’Tis hard to believe how malice can live In the breast of aught so fair. “And light and fair are the fields of air, Where he wanders to and fro; Still doomed to fleet from the regions of heat To the realms of endless snow. “When high overhead fall the streamers[3] red, He views the blessed afar; And in stern despair darts through the air To earth, like a falling star. “With his shadowy crew, in weeds so blue, That Knight for aye must run; Except thou succeed in a perilous deed, Unseen by the holy sun. “Who ventures the deed, and fails to succeed, Perforce must join the crew.” “Then brief, declare,” said the brave St. Clair, “A deed that a Knight may do.” “’Mid the sleet and the rain thou must here remain By the haunted greensward ring, Till the dance wax slow, and the song faint and low, Which the crew unearthly sing. “Then right at the time of the matin chime, Thou must tread the unhallowed ground, And with mystic pace the circles trace That inclose it nine times round. “And next thou must pass the rank green grass To the tables of ezlar red; And the goblet clear away thou must bear, Nor behind thee turn thy head.