What do you guess was there inside That earth-bound cavern, high and wide? Oh, there were millions of chambers roomy, Oh, there were galleries long and gloomy, Oh, there were wondrous sights! Here the ceilings were golden-beamed, There the pavement with jewels gleamed, With marbles and malachites; Diamonds were set in the roof for stars, The rafters were made of silver bars, The columns of crystal clear. Oh, in that cavern, high and wide, Had ever a daring mortal tried To travel alone and without a guide, He had lost his way And gone astray And wandered many a year; And if he had met the giant, He surely had died of fear. But there was a fairy who knew the way: Often by night and often by day To a dense forest she would go, And there, in a cave all dark and low, A rock as heavy as iron, And as bright and as black as coal, Swift, when her wand she lifted, Away and away would roll; And down would she clamber, clamber, Through hundreds of miles of gloom, On the rounds of a golden ladder That led to a wonderful room— Oh, a wonderful, wonderful chamber, Flooded with amber light; For there, at the centre of the earth, A mighty fire on a mighty hearth Burned ruddy, and warm, and bright; Burned ruddy and bright forever, With billows of orange flame, And the giant’s occupation Was—never to let it wane. And there would the fairy find him Stirring the coals red hot: “Good-morrow to you, Jungenthor!” So would the fairy say; “And what and what does Winnikin want, And what does she want to-day?” So would the giant grumble; But Winnikin feared him not. And, now, “O Giant Jungenthor!” Did her tale of wrong begin, “There are two wicked cities— A trouble to Winnikin, The rich they are proud and cruel, The poor they will lie and steal, And trouble is always brewing That Winnikin cannot heal; And the friendly care and watching Of the fairies they are not worth; O Jungenthor, those cities Are blots on the face of the earth!”