The End of Elfintown

The End of Elfintown

Title: The End of Elfintown Author: Jane Barlow Release Date: April 20, 2022 [EBook #67883] Language: English Original Publication: GB: , United Kingdom: The MacMillan & Co.,1894. Credits: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Now would that he who knew so well Of fierce Pigwiggins armour fell, And angered Oberons wrath, to tell, And how their feud was ended,{2} Yea, would that he, ere hence he sped, Had writ in gold, as I in lead, For men to learn why Fays be fled, And whitherward they wended. It hapt in ages far agone A harmful spell was cast upon That Elfin King, great Oberon, And teen and trouble brought him; And albeit none can track the skill That wove the charm full-fraught with ill, We wot the Bad Brown Witchs will Such perilous mischief wrought him. For she by magic showed him clear, In mirroring crystal of her mere, A wondrous Town; twas many a year{3} Ere yet its like were builded; But thro her might of gramarie She made the Elfin Prince to see The grandest that on earth should be, And most by wealth-wand gilded. Twas shrunk, I trow, to seemly size For straiter range of Elfin eyes, But else it had its mortal guise, No sight, no stir omitted, With tower and temple, and mart and street, And prison and palace, all complete, And whirr of wheels, and hurry of feet That hither thither flitted. Whereon the King much-marvelling gazed,{4} Admiring more, and more amazed, Till, when the Witch its image razed, Still in his heart it tarried, (A secret that he might not tell), And home unto his woodland dell That citys vision, like a spell, Oer all his thoughts he carried. And since that day he dwelled no more In joyance blithe as theretofore, But sadly aye himself he bore Amid the sunniest shining; Nor quivering beam, nor fluttering breeze, Nor flickering shade, his sense could please; He dreamed of rarer things than these, And for their lack was pining.{5} From harebells tent to bindweeds hall, From cup-moss low to foxglove tall, He shifted oft his couch withal, Yet still would chide his chamber, And said the glowworm-lamps burned dim, And slurred the dew at rose-buds rim; The kingcups gold looked dull to him, And cowslips gawds of amber. Hence, on his discontents to brood, He sat one eve in sorry mood, While whispering Elves around him stood, And said twas strange, twas pity; When, sudden, light as leaf on spray, He leaped and laughed: By Flowers o May, Mine Elves, quoth he, our own essay{6} Shall build as fair a city. And eagerly at morrows light He hasted forth to choose a site, Whereon should now be reared aright Strong walls and storeys stately. He found it soon: an earth-plot bare Beyond an elms droop; six yards square; No sod, no moss, no weed, throve there, Which pleased King Oberon greatly. For thro those streets, said he, was seen No blade of grass, or glint of green, But pavements ferly smooth and clean; Small fear of footsteps tripping. Not far away a brook bobbed by:{7} From thence, he said, we may supply Our waterworks; and soothly I Grow weary of dew-drop sipping. Then hied him home amain, and shook His drowsy Fays from every nook, And bade them follow with him, and look Where splendour should be springing; And ere the earliest star blinked down Upon that earth-patch bare and brown, The first white pebble of Elfintown He laid mid cheers loud-ringing. And now, indeed, industrious days Be risen upon the land of Fays, Where every liege his Lord obeys,{8} And toils beside his neighbour. They plied them late, they plied them soon, In dew of dawn, thro drowth of noon, Nay, oft the wan light of a moon Swam in to lamp their labour. No more round Faery-ring they swept In mazy measures ere they slept; But, silent, to his lair each crept, Limb wearied, sinews aching. No more they couched in campions cell, Or slumbered soft in lily-bell; Prone on the ground they flung pell-mell, Brief rest from task-work taking. Some kneaded stubborn clay for bricks, {9} ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 67883
Author: Barlow, Jane
Release Date: Apr 20, 2022
Format: eBook
Language: English
Publication Date: 1894
Publisher Country: United Kingdom

Contributors

Illustrator: Housman, Laurence, 1865-1959