To the sun, as if up yonder were An ear to hear to my complaining—A heart, like mine, On the oppressed to feel compassion. Who helped me When I braved the Titans' insolence? Who rescued me from death, From slavery? Hast thou not all thyself accomplished, Holy-glowing heart? And, glowing, young, and good, Most ignorantly thanked The slumberer above there? I honor thee! For what? Hast thou the miseries lightened Of the down-trodden? [Pg 6443]Hast thou the tears ever banished From the afflicted? Have I not to manhood been molded By omnipotent Time, And by Fate everlasting, My lords and thine? Dreamedst thou ever I should grow weary of living, And fly to the desert, Since not all our Pretty dream buds ripen? Here sit I, fashion men In mine own image,— A race to be like me, To weep and to suffer, To be happy and enjoy themselves, To be careless of thee too, As I! Translation of John S. Dwight. WANDERER'S NIGHT SONGS Thou that from the heavens art, Every pain and sorrow stillest, And the doubly wretched heart Doubly with refreshment fillest, I am weary with contending! Why this rapture and unrest? Peace descending, Come, ah come into my breast! O'er all the hill-tops Is quiet now, In all the tree-tops Hearest thou Hardly a breath; The birds are asleep in the trees: Wait; soon like these Thou too shalt rest. Longfellow's Translation. Reprinted by permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co., publishers, Boston [Pg 6444] THE ELFIN-KING Who rides so late through the midnight blast? 'Tis a father spurs on with his child full fast; He gathers the boy well into his arm, He clasps him close and he keeps him warm. "My son, why thus to my arm dost cling?"— "Father, dost thou not see the elfin-king? The elfin-king with his crown and train!"— "My son, 'tis a streak of the misty rain!" "Come hither, thou darling, come, go with me! Fine games I know that I'll play with thee; Flowers many and bright do my kingdoms hold, My mother has many a robe of gold." "O father, dear father, and dost thou not hear What the elfin-king whispers so low in mine ear?"— "Calm, calm thee, my boy, it is only the breeze, As it rustles the withered leaves under the trees." "Wilt thou go, bonny boy, wilt thou go with me? My daughters shall wait on thee daintily; My daughters around thee in dance shall sweep, And rock thee and kiss thee and sing thee to sleep." "O father, dear father, and dost thou not mark The elf-king's daughters move by in the dark?"— "I see it, my child; but it is not they, 'Tis the old willow nodding its head so gray." "I love thee! thy beauty it charms me so; And I'll take thee by force, if thou wilt not go!" "O father, dear father, he's grasping me,— My heart is as cold as cold can be!" The father rides swiftly,—with terror he gasps,— The sobbing child in his arms he clasps; He reaches the castle with spurring and dread;