 | The End of Elfintown |  |
I.—THE BUILDING
Now would that he who knew so well
Of fierce Pigwiggin's armour fell,
And angered Oberon's wrath, to tell,
And how their feud was ended,
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.
Of fierce Pigwiggin's armour fell,
And angered Oberon's wrath, to tell,
And how their feud was ended,
2
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 Witch's will
Such perilous mischief wrought him.
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 Witch's 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
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.
In mirroring crystal of her mere,
A wondrous Town; 'twas many a year
3
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.
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,
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 city's vision, like a spell,
O'er all his thoughts he carried.
4
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 city's vision, like a spell,
O'er 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.
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 harebell's tent to bindweed's 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-bud's rim;
The kingcup's gold looked dull to him,
And cowslip's gawds of amber.
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-bud's rim;
The kingcup's gold looked dull to him,
And cowslip's 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
Shall build as fair a city.”
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
And eagerly at morrow's 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 elm's droop; six yards square;
No sod, no moss, no weed, throve there,
Which pleased King Oberon greatly.
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 elm's 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:
“From thence,” he said, “we may supply
Our waterworks; and soothly I
Grow weary of dew-drop sipping.”
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
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.
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,
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.
Be risen upon the land of Fays,
Where every liege his Lord obeys,
8
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 campion's cell,
Or slumbered soft in lily-bell;
Prone on the ground they flung pell-mell,
Brief rest from task-work taking.
In mazy measures ere they slept;
But, silent, to his lair each crept,
Limb wearied, sinews aching.
No more they couched in campion's 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,
With shells' jagged splints some sawed at sticks,
Some delved the soil with brier-thorn picks
To helves of flax-haulm fitted;
On business more than one can name
From dawn to dusk they went and came;
None durst his share refuse for shame,
Nor would with sloth be twitted.
11
Some delved the soil with brier-thorn picks
To helves of flax-haulm fitted;
On business more than one can name
From dawn to dusk they went and came;
None durst his share refuse for shame,
Nor would with sloth be twitted.
And brutish things, that creep and crawl
Stingless and strong, they did enthrall
To burdens bear, and pull and haul,
Along the highways goaded;
There might ye see the Beetle black
Come lumbering down the dusty track,
With pebble-blocks piled on his back,
Or mossy twig-beams loaded.
Stingless and strong, they did enthrall
To burdens bear, and pull and haul,
Along the highways goaded;
There might ye see the Beetle black
Come lumbering down the dusty track,
With pebble-blocks piled on his back,
Or mossy twig-beams loaded.
12
And oft they ponderous weights would heap
On slow-paced Slugs, who, half-asleep,
For many a tedious yard must creep,
Their drivers by them trudging;
Even nimbler Ants they made submit
To bridle and curb of cobweb knit,
Unruly teams, that plunged and bit,
Against the yoke sore grudging.
On slow-paced Slugs, who, half-asleep,
For many a tedious yard must creep,
Their drivers by them trudging;
Even nimbler Ants they made submit
To bridle and curb of cobweb knit,
Unruly teams, that plunged and bit,
Against the yoke sore grudging.
Thus, sped by toil of serf and Fay,
The work lagged nowise; day by day
New mansions rose in rich array
Beside the paven causey;
Their like was ne'er in Elfland known,
Some built of brick, and some of stone,
And roofed with mica slabs that shone,
And glazed with gnat-wings gauzy.
The work lagged nowise; day by day
New mansions rose in rich array
Beside the paven causey;
Their like was ne'er in Elfland known,
Some built of brick, and some of stone,
And roofed with mica slabs that shone,
13
But, fairest amongst all these descried,
Stood in the middle edified
The Palace where the King should bide,
Well worthy a royal master;
Of whitest graile its walls, or stained
With delicate streaks like marble veined,
From brook-bank quarries drawn, fine-grained,
And pure as alabaster.
Stood in the middle edified
The Palace where the King should bide,
Well worthy a royal master;
Of whitest graile its walls, or stained
With delicate streaks like marble veined,
From brook-bank quarries drawn, fine-grained,
And pure as alabaster.
I dare not say how many a line
It towered aloft, nor words are mine
To tell what fancies Faery-fine
Did hall and chamber garnish,
All carpeted with hand-spun moss,
Or laurel-leaf tight strained across,
That flooring made of smoother gloss
Than e'er had wax or varnish.
It towered aloft, nor words are mine
To tell what fancies Faery-fine
Did hall and chamber garnish,
All carpeted with hand-spun moss,
Or laurel-leaf tight strained across,
14
Than e'er had wax or varnish.
With couch, and stool, and cushion strown
Of ash-bud's silk or thistle's down;
Their rugs, fluffed fells of field-mice brown,
For tiger's skin and panther's.
Their curtains came from spider-looms,
Their walls were hung with moths' soft plumes;
Much gold-dust glittered thro' the rooms,
From stamens brushed and anthers.
Of ash-bud's silk or thistle's down;
Their rugs, fluffed fells of field-mice brown,
For tiger's skin and panther's.
Their curtains came from spider-looms,
Their walls were hung with moths' soft plumes;
Much gold-dust glittered thro' the rooms,
From stamens brushed and anthers.
A midge-flight from the Palace gate,
(Scroll-work of skeleton beech-leaf) straight
A Fane they reared that matched in state
Famed Athens or Eleusis;
Such beauty frieze and cornice lent,
Entablature and pediment;
In double row tall columns went
Around it, as their use is.
(Scroll-work of skeleton beech-leaf) straight
A Fane they reared that matched in state
17
Such beauty frieze and cornice lent,
Entablature and pediment;
In double row tall columns went
Around it, as their use is.
Each from one slab of rush's pith
Hewn, like majestic monolith,
The architrave to prop, therewith
The massy roof upholding.
Indoors 'twas all adusk and chill;
No Fay but felt a solemn thrill
To pace its cloistered twilight still
Mysterious glooms enfolding.
Hewn, like majestic monolith,
The architrave to prop, therewith
The massy roof upholding.
Indoors 'twas all adusk and chill;
No Fay but felt a solemn thrill
To pace its cloistered twilight still
Mysterious glooms enfolding.
Then from the brook with trenching spade
Smooth dandelion tubes they laid,
And hemlock pipes that bitter made
The water thro' them tasted;
Hence, some fastidious Fays would go
With acorn barrels to and fro,
Till this the King forbade, lest so
Their labour seem but wasted.
18
And hemlock pipes that bitter made
The water thro' them tasted;
Hence, some fastidious Fays would go
With acorn barrels to and fro,
Till this the King forbade, lest so
Their labour seem but wasted.
Herein alone his fortune frowned:
That in all Fayland was not found
The fire-snake, lured from underground
As even-dusk grows dimmer;
This lacked, they did for lamp-posts choose
Stout daisy-stems, and glowworms use,
Chained there all night with knot and noose,
To make a goodly glimmer.
That in all Fayland was not found
The fire-snake, lured from underground
As even-dusk grows dimmer;
This lacked, they did for lamp-posts choose
Stout daisy-stems, and glowworms use,
Chained there all night with knot and noose,
To make a goodly glimmer.
21
But who so fain as Oberon,
That watched as every morn outshone
His peerless city waxing on,
While in its growth he gloried?
Triumphant joy it gave the King
To see each straw-plank scaffolding
Pulled down piecemeal, as walls upspring,
Wide-windowed, many-storied.
That watched as every morn outshone
His peerless city waxing on,
While in its growth he gloried?
Triumphant joy it gave the King
To see each straw-plank scaffolding
Pulled down piecemeal, as walls upspring,
Wide-windowed, many-storied.
And ever his stirring Elves amid
He walked, and spied on all they did,
And toilers praised, and idlers chid,
With earnest speech and eager;
Till, swift as blades in April-time
Thro' clod-cracks pricked, did skyward climb
Roof crowding roof; whereof my rime
Keeps but a record meagre.
He walked, and spied on all they did,
And toilers praised, and idlers chid,
With earnest speech and eager;
Till, swift as blades in April-time
Thro' clod-cracks pricked, did skyward climb
Roof crowding roof; whereof my rime
Keeps but a record meagre.
22
And now ye might, in sooth, have thought,
Seeing all to such perfection wrought,
That Fays might well repose have sought,
From toil returned to pleasure.
Howbeit, not so their King inclined,
For fast as sped the works designed,
Fresh plans were shapen in his mind,
That wist not bound or measure.
Seeing all to such perfection wrought,
That Fays might well repose have sought,
From toil returned to pleasure.
Howbeit, not so their King inclined,
For fast as sped the works designed,
Fresh plans were shapen in his mind,
That wist not bound or measure.
Oft as from Palace towers he eyed
That spacious plain, as oft he sighed
To see it planted far and wide
With street-rows thick as stubble.
Nor seldom flaws of wind and rain,
Uplifting roof, and shattering pane,
That needs must be restored again,
Did Elfin labours double.
That spacious plain, as oft he sighed
To see it planted far and wide
With street-rows thick as stubble.
Nor seldom flaws of wind and rain,
Uplifting roof, and shattering pane,
That needs must be restored again,
23
Thus, by the malice of the skies,
And tasks their King would still devise,
The Fays beheld new toils arise
To bar their hope of resting;
As he who from the strand hath swum,
While in his ear the surges hum,
Sees evermore to meet him come
White flocks of billows cresting.
And tasks their King would still devise,
The Fays beheld new toils arise
To bar their hope of resting;
As he who from the strand hath swum,
While in his ear the surges hum,
Sees evermore to meet him come
White flocks of billows cresting.
Which when at last they clearly knew,
Deep discontent upon them grew,
Till scarce a Fay did timber hew,
Or piled up clay or pebble,
Or hoisted load with strain and heft,
Or grained a door with fingers deft
And listless thoughts, but, hope-bereft,
At heart was half a rebel.
Deep discontent upon them grew,
Till scarce a Fay did timber hew,
Or piled up clay or pebble,
Or hoisted load with strain and heft,
Or grained a door with fingers deft
24
At heart was half a rebel.
| The End of Elfintown | |