Gaily through the mountain glen The hunter’s horn did ring, As the milk-white doe Escaped his bow, Down by the haunted spring. In vain his silver horn he wound,— ’Twas echo answered back; For neither groom nor baying hound Were on the hunter’s track In vain he sought the milk-white doe That made him stray, and ’scaped his bow; For, save himself, no living thing Was by the silent haunted spring. The purple heath-bells, blooming fair, Their fragrance round did fling, As the hunter lay At close of day, Down by the haunted spring. A lady fair, in robe of white, To greet the hunter came; She kissed a cup with jewels bright, And pledged him by his name; “Oh, lady fair,” the hunter cried, “Be thou my love, my blooming bride, A bride that well may grace a king! Fair lady of the haunted spring.” In the fountain clear she stoop’d, And forth she drew a ring; And that loved Knight His faith did plight Down by the haunted spring. But since that day his chase did stray, The hunter ne’er was seen, And legends tell, he now doth dwell Within the hills so green;[4] But still the milk-white doe appears, And wakes the peasants’ evening fears, While distant bugles faintly ring Around the lonely haunted spring. SAMUEL LOVER. [4] Fays and fairies are supposed to have their dwelling-places within old green hills. THE ROMANCE OF THE FAIRY CURE. I. Nelly Phelan’s child is ailing; Hour by hour, the babe is failing; Squeeling, kicking, biting, whining, To an atomy he’s pining. II. Once he was a fine, wee fellow; Now he’s wrinkled, thin, and yellow. Playful then he was, and civil; Now he’s cross-grained, as the devil. III. To a wise woman Nell’s walking; Long time they’re in secret talking; First she heard all Nell’s description; Then she wrote out a prescription. IV. “Take this cure, although a strange one; It is needed when they change one; By it you’ll the fairies bother, Get your child, and choke the other. V. “You must make the fairy speak out, Ere your child, from them, you take out. If you follow what’s here written, You shall find the biter bitten.” VI. Cried Nell, “Be sure that I’ll observe it; If I fail I’ll not deserve it: I would walk the wide world over, If my child I could recover.” VII. Five hundred egg-shells Nelly chooses In a pot, the shells she bruises; In spring water now they’re boiling, Stirring round the pot she’s toiling. VIII. Red-hot now the poker’s ready; While Nell stirs the pot, so steady: From the child, in cradle lying, Nell now hears a strange voice crying— IX. “Mammy! Mammy! what’s that boiling? Why with potstick are you toiling?” Nell, with fright, to drop was ready, Yet she answered, cool, and steady— X.