University of Virginia Library

Fair Lilith, listen, while I sing
The legend of this diamond ring;
And in its moral, maiden, heed
A quiet “hint, your heart may need.”
In fairy archives, where 'tis told,
I found the story quaint and old,
Writ on a richly-blazon'd page
Of parchment, by some elfin sage.

Long was the night to Lulin!—Discontent
With dew and flowers,—with fairy dance and song,—
Her pearl-shell boat upon the little stream,
Lit by a firefly, which her spells transfix'd,
And lined with a warm blush some flower had given,
Where she was wont to lie and furl at will
The lily-leaf, and ply her elfin oar,—
Her white moth-courser, harness'd with gold hair,—
Her tiny, silver-chorded lute, on which
She play'd the violet's lullaby, until
It bent in balmy slumber,—all were vain,
All wearied her. Vague yearnings for a sphere
More high and vast had fill'd her ardent soul.
And once, at dawn, when soft the signal rang
That every morning warn'd the dainty troop
On pain of death to fly the approach of Day,
Our wilful Lulin lingered!—but an instant—
Yet in that instant she was seen and loved,
And loved again. Alas! The first, rich ray,
The glorious herald of the coming morn,
Lit on the greensward at her very feet!
She fled in fear, yet with a rapturous thrill
At heart that haunted her. And now she lay
Upon her rose-leaf couch, half wild with doubt
And hope, when lo! just ere the dawn,
A bubble, blown by some blithe cottage imp,
Floated above her! Like a gleam of light,
Up glided Lulin from her fragrant bed,
And clapp'd her delicate hands and cried, “For me!
For me—the strange balloon! 'Tis bound to heaven!
Thus then I leave the cares of life for ever,
And meet my love!” She plumed her luminous wings,
She flew to mount the slowly soaring orb,
And, poised upon it, proudly looked below!
Ah, heaven! what warm embrace enfolds her form?
Her sunlit god alights beside her there!
And the car, suddenly illumined, glows
Beneath the glory of his smile; and up
They sail exulting in their joy;—but hark!
The signal sounds! the musical fairy gong!
Once—twice—ah, fate! ere thrice its tones resound,
The fragile bubble breaks! Alas for Lulin!
Down from her dizzy height, in sight of all,
Of all the troop dismay'd, she gleaming fell!
Still radiant in the sunbeam's bright embrace:
And crush'd—a little heart's-ease in her fall.