XIII STORY POEMS: ROMANCE AND REALITY 66 The Singing Leaves I WHAT fairings will ye that I bring?" Said the King to his daughters three; "For I to Vanity Fair am boun', Now say what shall they be?” Then up and spake the eldest daughter, "Oh, bring me pearls and diamonds great, Thereafter spake the second daughter, That was both white and red: "For me bring silks that will stand alone, Then came the turn of the least daughter, And among the gold of her blithesome hair 66 Romance There came a bird this morning, and Reality And sang 'neath my bower eaves, Then the brow of the King swelled crimson "Well have ye spoken, my two eldest, "But she, like a thing of peasant race, II He mounted and rode three days and nights And 't was easy to buy the gems and the silk, Then deep in the greenwood rode he, 66 Oh, if you have ever a Singing Leaf, But the trees all kept their counsel, And never a word said they, Only there sighed from the pine-tops Only the pattering aspen Made a sound of growing rain, That fell ever faster and faster, Then faltered to silence again. "Oh, where shall I find a little foot-page Then lightly turned him Walter the page, "Now pledge you me the truesome word "That you will give me the first, first thing And the Princess shall get the Singing Leaves, The King's head dropt upon his breast 'T will be my dog, he thought, and said, Then Walter took from next his heart "Now give you this to the Princess Anne, Romance and Reality Reality As the King rode in at his castle-gate, And "Welcome, father!" she laughed and cried "Lo, here the Singing Leaves," quoth he, It deepened down till it reached her heart, And lighted her tears as the sudden sun And the first Leaf, when it was opened, And the songs I sing 'neath thy window And the second Leaf sang: "But in the land That is neither on earth nor sea, My lute and I are lords of more And the third Leaf sang, " Be mine! Be mine!" Then sweeter it sang and ever sweeter, At the first Leaf she grew pale enough, "Good counsel gave the bird,” said she, "I have my hope thrice o'er, For they sing to my very heart," she said, She brought to him her beauty and truth, And he made her queen of the broader lands JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. Romance and Reality Seven Times Two You bells in the steeple, ring, ring out your changes, How many soever they be, And let the brown meadow-lark's note as he ranges Come over, come over to me! Yet birds' clearest carol by fall or by swelling And bells have forgotten their old art of telling |