You, Hartzel, have lived longer than we have And you have seen more seasons, and you know In father Woden's forests how the trees Grow as they will, acknowledging no lord But him who made them to be lordless, and Obeying no law save that law that bids Each be itself and bring forth its own fruit. In all the populous forests of this world There is no tyrant tree that lifts its head Above the rest and says, "Obey my law." For each tree hath its own law in itself, And no tree hears another, but each hears The voice of father Woden in the loam Laying the law of selfhood on each seed. The seed bursts and the law starts toward the sky. The acorn lays it softly on the oak, The chestnut on the chestnut, and the pine Upon the loftiest mountain hears its cone Whispering with father Woden in the air, Learning the law it taketh to the ground. Thus by that law that each tree be itself, This forest hath become a stalwart state, A nation governed by one law, a vast Green kingdom of ten thousand happy trees With father Woden monarch in the boughs. The law of selfhood is the law of trees; Who says the law of sameness governs man? Because the South has not the girth of trunk To bear Val-father's weight upon its boughs, Must he climb down from ours and let the South Climb up and with its law bind leaf and limb? Did he, who made these oaks to grow and spread Their branches, make our branching minds to be Pinched to a point and put inside a ring? HARTZEL--But they say that they got that ring from some God that once came down-- CANZLER-- From their southern skies? Who gave the southern cypress mouth to speak Val-father's law unto the northern pine? God, do you say, come down to bind men? _God?_ A _God_ that _binds?_ (_Looking up at the trees._) I see no ring on these. FRITZ--Loki is a smith. He made their ring. CANZLER--Where in our northern sagas will you find A track of any shackle-bearing god? In all the past has any such a god Come down the northern sky? All round the walls Of Midgard stand the Asas guarding man Against whatever brings bonds. (_Selma comes from the cottage with a bucket._) FRITZ-- Sons of Lok. CANZLER--The southern gods may bring down shackles, but The northern hammer breaks the shackles off. SELMA-- (_From back among the trees._) I'm going after water, Father. CANZLER--And one shall come to take that hammer up. MAX--The Asas walk the walls of Midgard still. (_Selma goes out left._) RUDOLPH --Val-father made the mountain rocks to be The bastions of the oppressed. FRITZ-- He made the grave.