Only by sunlight

She went that way.

And on Eilanowen

They walked each night, Her footprints sowing With lilies white!

When the sun above her Was brightly blazing, She'd bare (God love her!) Each round white limb.

Unseen, unnoted,

Save fay-folk gazing, Dark hair'd, white throated,

She'd strip to swim!

Out yonder blushing
A space she'd stand,
Then falter flushing
Across the strand,—
Till the bright still water
Would sparkle sweet,
As it kissed and caught her
From neck to feet!

There, sparkling round her
With fond caresses,
It clasp'd her, crowned her,
My maiden fair:

Then, brighter glowing
From its crystal kisses,
The bright drops flowing

From her dripping hair, Outleaping, running Beneath the sky,

The bright light sunning Her limbs, she'd fly,And 'mid tinkling laughter Of elfin bowers,

The Fays ran after

With leaves and flowers!

Could the Fays behold her, Nor long to gain her ? From foot to shoulder

None pure as she!

They cried, "God keep her,

No sorrow stain her!

The Faëry Reaper

In troth she'll be !"..

With stalks of amber

And silvern ears,

From earth's dark chamber

The grain appears.

'Tis harvest weather!

The moon swims high!

And they flock together

With elfin cry!

Now, long and truly

I'd loved that maiden;

And served her duly

With kiss and sign;

And that same season

My soul love-laden Had found new reason

To wish her mine.

For her cheek grew paler,

Her laughter less,

594

They cling, they clamber,
Till day appears!

And here I'm waking

In bed, once more, My bones all aching, My heart full sore!"

I kissed her, crying

"God bless your reaping!

For sure no sighing

Can set you free.

They'll bless your wedding Who vex your sleeping; So do their bidding,

Ma cushla chree!

But oh, remember!

Your fate is cast, And ere December

Hath fairly past, The Faëry Reaper Must be a Bride, Or a sad cold sleeper

On the green hill-side!"

"Sure wedding's better Than dying sadly!" She smiled, and set her

Soft hand in mine. For three nights after She labour'd gladly,

'Mid fairy laughter,

And did not pine;

And when the seven

Long nights were run,

For days and nights he wandered on,

Upon an open plain,

And the days went by like blinding mist,
And the nights like rushing rain.

For days and nights he wandered on,
All thro' the Wood of Woe;

And the nights went by like moaning wind,
And the days like drifting snow.

'Twas the soul of Judas Iscariot
Came with a weary face-
Alone, alone, and all alone,
Alone in a lonely place!

He wandered east, he wandered west,
And heard no human sound;

For months and years, in grief and tears,
He wandered round and round.

For months and years, in grief and tears,

He walked the silent night; Then the soul of Judas Iscariot Perceived a far-off light.

A far-off light across the waste,

As dim as dim might be,

That came and went like the lighthouse gleam

On a black night at sea.

'Twas the soul of Judas Iscariot

Crawl'd to the distant gleam;

And the rain came down, and the rain was blown

Against him with a scream.