The Elfin Bride
Gaily the sun ascends his throne,
And gilds the dewy sod below;
" O youth! what chains thee to that stone,
Where cooling breezes blow?
" O Mourner! — from the new-lit skies
The darksome gloom hath ta'en its flight?
Methinks no sleep has blest thine eyes
Through all this weary night!
" And tears, thou valiant youth and true,
Have fallen upon this humid stone;
Or is it but the nightly dew
That down from Heaven hath flown? "
" The dew would show its wonted care,
And weep on my beloved stone;
But ah! the pearls that glisten there
Are but my tears alone! "
" A noble hero! — and in tears?
A brave young man — and weakly pine?
Oh, come where gleams the sheen of spears,
And Love's warm glance divine! "
" Let others kneel at Beauty's throne,
Or up the gleaming falchion take;
For me — I tarry by this stone
Until my heart will break! "
" Oh! tell me, then, thy heart's deep woe —
What sorrow chains thee to the stone? "
" Ah! yes, from lips the tale will flow,
That speak of this alone! —
" Last night I crossed the mountain near,
And sought this verdant vale of rest,
A sweet voice whispered in mine ear,
A sweeter lip to mine was prest! —
" It was a beauteous Fairy form,
That thus about the wanderer played,
And twined a garland bright and warm
Around us twain, that ne'er can fade.
" She called me her beloved Lord —
She called herself a wife's dear name;
And gave to me, with glad accord,
Her wondrous sweet and tender frame
" That moment did the Night withdraw
Her vaporous veil so dark and damp;
As through the roof of leaves we saw
The Moon suspend our nuptial lamp.
" And as it paled before the day,
And sank amid the silent sea,
She reached her hand and cried — " Away!
Beloved, hence! from me!
" " Hence! — hence! — for ere the sun has smiled,
I took must far from this have flown:
One beam on me, the Fairy Child,
Would turn me into stone.
" " For this, through Time's unnumber'd years,
Has been the Sun's unquestioned right;
But till the Morning-red appears,
The Fairy People rule the night!"
" Audacious boy! Oh! sad event!
I prayed, and kissed her thousand charms,
Until she, weeping, gave consent
To linger still within my arms:
" But through her tears she sang this strain: —
" Ah! many and many a happy night
Might I within thy arms have lain!
If thou didst not that promise blight.
" " I cannot bring my lips to speak
Denial to that prayer of thine,
And see! upon the purple peak
The day begins so shine!
" " Farewell, beloved murderer mine,
Farewell! thy clasping arms unbind!" —
Scarce shrieked I " Fly! " when came the Shine,
When came the cooling morning wind.
" There in my very hands she grew
A lifeless stone, so hard and cold;
There from my heart the life-blood flew,
And strength grew weak, and youth grew old.
" A lifeless stone! — O bitter woe!
My joy! my grief! my Elfin Bride!
On it, through life, my tears shall flow —
In death I'll sleep beside! "
And gilds the dewy sod below;
" O youth! what chains thee to that stone,
Where cooling breezes blow?
" O Mourner! — from the new-lit skies
The darksome gloom hath ta'en its flight?
Methinks no sleep has blest thine eyes
Through all this weary night!
" And tears, thou valiant youth and true,
Have fallen upon this humid stone;
Or is it but the nightly dew
That down from Heaven hath flown? "
" The dew would show its wonted care,
And weep on my beloved stone;
But ah! the pearls that glisten there
Are but my tears alone! "
" A noble hero! — and in tears?
A brave young man — and weakly pine?
Oh, come where gleams the sheen of spears,
And Love's warm glance divine! "
" Let others kneel at Beauty's throne,
Or up the gleaming falchion take;
For me — I tarry by this stone
Until my heart will break! "
" Oh! tell me, then, thy heart's deep woe —
What sorrow chains thee to the stone? "
" Ah! yes, from lips the tale will flow,
That speak of this alone! —
" Last night I crossed the mountain near,
And sought this verdant vale of rest,
A sweet voice whispered in mine ear,
A sweeter lip to mine was prest! —
" It was a beauteous Fairy form,
That thus about the wanderer played,
And twined a garland bright and warm
Around us twain, that ne'er can fade.
" She called me her beloved Lord —
She called herself a wife's dear name;
And gave to me, with glad accord,
Her wondrous sweet and tender frame
" That moment did the Night withdraw
Her vaporous veil so dark and damp;
As through the roof of leaves we saw
The Moon suspend our nuptial lamp.
" And as it paled before the day,
And sank amid the silent sea,
She reached her hand and cried — " Away!
Beloved, hence! from me!
" " Hence! — hence! — for ere the sun has smiled,
I took must far from this have flown:
One beam on me, the Fairy Child,
Would turn me into stone.
" " For this, through Time's unnumber'd years,
Has been the Sun's unquestioned right;
But till the Morning-red appears,
The Fairy People rule the night!"
" Audacious boy! Oh! sad event!
I prayed, and kissed her thousand charms,
Until she, weeping, gave consent
To linger still within my arms:
" But through her tears she sang this strain: —
" Ah! many and many a happy night
Might I within thy arms have lain!
If thou didst not that promise blight.
" " I cannot bring my lips to speak
Denial to that prayer of thine,
And see! upon the purple peak
The day begins so shine!
" " Farewell, beloved murderer mine,
Farewell! thy clasping arms unbind!" —
Scarce shrieked I " Fly! " when came the Shine,
When came the cooling morning wind.
" There in my very hands she grew
A lifeless stone, so hard and cold;
There from my heart the life-blood flew,
And strength grew weak, and youth grew old.
" A lifeless stone! — O bitter woe!
My joy! my grief! my Elfin Bride!
On it, through life, my tears shall flow —
In death I'll sleep beside! "
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