"Listen!" she said, and wave and land Sigh'd back her murmur, murmurously-- "A love more true than minstrel sings, A wealth that mocks the pomp of kings, To him who wins the Fairy's hand A Fairy's dower shall be. "But not to those can we belong Whose sense the charms of earth allure? If human love hath yet been thine, Farewell,--our laws forbid thee mine. The Children of the Star and Song, We may but bless the Pure!" "Dream--lovelier far than e'er, I ween, Entranced the glorious Merlin's eyes-- Through childhood, to this happiest hour, All free from human Beauty's power, My heart unresting still hath been A prophet in its sighs. "Though never living shape hath brought Sweet love, that second life, to me, Yet over earth, and through the heaven, The thoughts that pined for love were driven:-- I see thee--and I feel I sought Through Earth and Heaven for thee!" PART II. Ask not the Bard to lift the veil That hides the Fairy's bridal bower; If thou art young, go seek the glade, And win thyself some fairy maid; And rosy lips shall tell the tale In some enchanted hour. "Farewell!" as by the greenwood tree, The Fairy clasp'd the Mortal's hand-- "Our laws forbid thee to delay-- Not ours the life of every day!-- And Man, alas! may rarely be The Guest of Fairy-land. "Back to thy Prince's halls depart, The stateliest of his stately train: Henceforth thy wish shall be thy mine-- Each toy that gold can purchase, thine-- A fairy's coffers are the heart A mortal cannot drain." "Talk not of wealth--that dream is o'er!-- These sunny looks be all my gold!" "Nay! if in courts thy thoughts can stray Along the fairy-forest way, Wish but to see thy bride once more-- Thy bride thou shalt behold. "Yet hear the law on which must rest Thy union with thine elfin bride; If ever by a word--a tone-- Thou mak'st our tender secret known, The spell will vanish from thy breast-- The Fairy from thy side. "If thou but boast to mortal ear The meanest charm thou find'st in me, If"--here his lips the sweet lips seal, Low-murmuring, "Love can ne'er reveal-- It cannot breathe to mortal ear The charms it finds in thee!" PART III. High joust, by Carduel's ancient town, The Kingly Arthur holds to-day; Around their Queen; in glittering row, The Starry Hosts of Beauty glow. Smile down, ye stars, on his renown Who bears the wreath away! O chiefs who gird the Table Round-- O war-gems of that wondrous ring!-- Where lives the man to match the might That lifts to song your meanest knight, Who sees, preside on Glory's ground, His Lady and his King? What prince as from some throne afar, Shines onward--shining up the throng? Broider'd with pearls, his mantle's fold Flows o'er the mail emboss'd with gold; As rides, from cloud to cloud, a star, The Bright One rode along!