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II.

'Mid mountains white by rainbows spanned.
Upon his knees he sank,
And melted in his hollow'd hand
The stainless snows, and drank.
And far beneath in mists of heat
Great purple valleys slept,
And flashing bright beneath his feet
The loosen'd cataracts leapt.
Down to those happy vales he drew
Where men and women dwell,
And white snow melted, green grass grew,
Where'er his footprints fell.
Then night by night and day by day
His deepest joy was found
In watching happy things of clay
And hearing human sound.
All human eyes to him were sweet,
He loved the touch of hands,
He kissed the print of human feet
Upon the soft sea-sands.
Most silently he went and came,
With mild and blissful mien,
Bright as a beam his face would flame
Amid the forests green.
To timid mortals passing by
He seemed a vision fair,
But little children oft drew night,
And let him smooth their hair;
And witless men would come to him
With wild and eldritch cries,
And lying in the moonbeams dim
Would gaze into his eyes!
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His voice was in the lonely wood,
And by the nameless stream,—
He shed in silent solitude
The peaceful rays of dream.
From vale to vale he went, and blest
The wild beast and the bird,—
While deep within the glad Earth's breast
The founts of being stirred. . . .
He sat down in a lonely land
Of mountain, moor, and mere,
And watch'd, with chin upon his hand,
Dark maids that milk'd the deer.
And while the sun set in the skies,
And stars shone in the blue,
They sang sweet songs, till Balder's eyes
Were sad with kindred dew.
He passed along the hamlets dim
With twilight's breath of balm,
And whatsoe'er was touch'd by him
Grew beautiful and calm.
The old man sitting on the grass
Look'd up 'neath hoary hair,
And felt some heavenly presence pass
And gladden'd unaware!
He came unto a hut forlorn
As evening shadows fell,
And saw the man among the corn,
The woman at the well.
And entering the darken'd place,
He found the cradled child;
Stooping he lookt into its face,
Until it woke and smiled!
Then Balder passed into the night
With soft and shining tread,
The cataract called upon the height,
The stars gleam'd overhead.
He raised his eyes to those cold skies
Which he had left behind,—
And saw the banners of the gods
Blown back upon the wind.
He watch'd them as they came and fled,
Then his divine eyes fell.
‘I love the green Earth best,’ he said,
‘And I on Earth will dwell!’
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