Long, long ago in the mist of years, Near the shores of a sunlit sea, Hid in a nook of a forest old, Rippled a burn in joyous glee, Filling with crystal a basin clear, Scooped from a bed of sparkling sand; And there, on a moss-clad bank, there lay The fairest maid of Fairyland. Shading the water a birken tree Arched its hoary branches above, And the sun peep'd thro' the trembling leaves,[5] Smiling upon their silent love. The well ne'er heeded the prying eye, Brighter it beamed upon the tree; And glance for glance, as in years gone by, Back it shadowed in love and lee. The maid gazed long on that water clear, Mirroring back the bending tree, And longed for one in whose spirit-deeps, Imaged as fondly she should be. And, though she sighed, she tremblingly hoped, For, looking still on that mirror fair, Her blue eyes flashed with a brighter glance At the figure reflected there. As on the grass lay the fair, fair May, Dreaming away the fleeting hours, Her curls seemed rillets of burnished gold, Stealing among the springing flowers. For seldom yet has the summer's sun, Smiling o'er earth's bright drapery green, Lit lovelier locks or form more fair Than this child of the Fairy Queen. "Oh, sad is the fate," sighed Claribel, "Of the maidens of Fairyland, Who pine for the wedding-robes of love, With the grasp of a wedding hand. Oh, were I loved by some gentle knight, Little I'd reck of royal birth; Station and rank I would freely change For that holiest joy of earth. "No noble or knight of Elfinland My dreaming fancy e'er shall move; I'll seem a maiden of earth to be, And light my life with stars of love. I'll win me a lord of fame and worth, Who'll love me fondly more and more; While I learn him lear of Gramarye He'll teach me all his earthly lore."[6] The maiden rose from her couch of moss, Circled around with a mystic sheen; Such beauty, I trow, earth never saw, Such grace no living man hath seen. Enswathed in the light of endless bloom, Her brow outpaling falling snow, Her cheeks like the blushing damask rose, Her lips with budding love aglow. Round her she wrapped a cramosie cloak, To hide her robes of sun-wove air; A veil of the moonlit mist she donned, To shade her face so passing fair. Gliding along through the forest green, Brushing the dew with hasty feet, Smiling a hope on her parted lips, Thinking of him she longed to meet. II. Proudly there stood by the rock-bound shore A lordly home, with turrets gray; But the knight afar in Paynim land Had been many a year away. Merrily dashed the sea-driven foam High on the lofty castle wall; But the henchmen moved them drowsily, For lone, alas! were bower and hall.