For many years one of these men did come To our small cottage, that he might obtain The strength that lent unto his words their fire. Later he brought the other with him too; And so they two consumed the fruits, whose worth Was then unknown to me: but little good Did I receive from them as recompense. Their kind of knowledge to our son they gave, With good intent indeed, but yet the child Found nought therein but death unto his soul. He grew to manhood steeped in all the light, His father Felix, through the spirit-speech, Taught him from fountains and from rocks and hills: To this was joined all that had lived and grown In my own soul from my first childhood's years; And yet our son's clear spirit-sense was killed By the deep gloom of sombre sciences. Instead of some blithe happy child, there grew A man of desert soul and empty heart. And now forsooth thou dost demand of me That I should pay what they do owe to thee! SPIRIT: It must be so, for thou at first didst serve The earthly part in them; and so through me The spirit bids thee now complete the work. FELICIA: 'Tis not my wont to shrink from any debt; But tell me first what detriment will grow In mine own self from this love-service done? SPIRIT: What thou at first didst do for them on earth, Robbed of his spirit-powers thine only son; And what thou givest to their spirits now Is lost henceforth to thee from thine own self; Which lessening of the powers of life in thee Will show as ugliness in thine own flesh. FELICIA: They robbed my child of all his spirit-power, And in return I needs must wander forth A monster in the sight of men, that fruits May ripen for them, which work little good! SPIRIT: Yet thy work aids the welfare of mankind And leads as well to thine own happiness. Thy mother's beauty and thy child's own life Will blossom for thee in a loftier way, When one day in the souls and hearts of men, New spirit-powers shall seed and fructify. FELICIA: What must I do? SPIRIT: Mankind thou hast inspired Full often with thy words. Inspire then now The spirits of the rocks: in this same hour Thou must bring forth from out thy treasured store Of fairy pictures some one tale to give Those beings who do serve me in my work. FELICIA: