When the summer night descended,
Sleepy on the White-witch water,
Came a lithe and lovely maiden,
Gazing on the silent water —
Gazing on the gleaming river —
With her azure eyes and tender, —
On the river glancing forward,
Till the am'rous wave sprang upward,
Upward from his reedy hollow,
With the lily in his bosom,
With his crown of water-lilies —
Curling ev'ry dimpled ripple
As he sprang into the starlight,
As he clasped her charmed reflection
Glowing to his crystal bosom —
As he whispered, " Fairest, fairest,
Rest upon this crystal bosom! "

And she straightway did according: —
Down into the water stept she,
Down into the wavering river,
Like a red deer in the sunset —
Like a ripe leaf in the Autumn:
From her lips, as rose-buds snow-filled,
Came a soft and dreamy murmur,
Softer than the breath of summer,
Softer than the murm'ring river,
Than the cooing of Cushawa, —
Sighs that melted as the snows melt,
Silently and sweetly melted;
Sounds that mingled with the crisping
Foam upon the billows resting:

Yet she spoke not, only murmured.

From the forest shade primeval,
Piggey-Wiggey looked out at her;
He, the very Youthful Porker —
He, the Everlasting Grunter —
Gazed upon her there, and wondered!
With his nose out, Rokey-pokey —
And his tail up, Curley-wurley,
Wondered what on earth the joke was,
Wondered what the girl was up to,
What the deuce her little game was,
Why she did n't squeak and grunt more!

And she floated down the river,
Like a water-proof Ophelia,
F OR HER C RINOLINE SUSTAINED HER .