COXIFKIt.E. 215 



For well may maids of lliillo iloein 



That this cuu be uo caitlily flower, 



ArVhieh mocks the tempest's withering hour, 



Ami buds uiislieltered by a bower; 



Nor droops, though .S])riiig refuse lier shower, 



Nor woos the Summer beam: 



To it, the livelong night there sings 



A bird unseen — but not remote : 



Invisible his airy wings, 



But soft as harp that Houri strings 



His long entrancing note ! 



It were the bulbul ; but his throat. 



Though mournful, pours not such a strain ; 



For they who listen cannot leave 



The spot, but linger there and grieve 



As if they loved in vain ! 



And yet so sweet the tears they shed, 



'Tis sorrow so unmixed with dread. 



They scarce can bear the morn to break 



That melancholy spell, 



And longer yet would weep and wake, 



He sings so wild and well ! 



But when the day-blush bursts from high 



Expires that magic melod}-. 



And some have been who would believe 



(So fondly youthful dreams deceive, 



Yet harsh bo they who blame) 



That note so piercing and profound, 



"Will shape and syllable its sound 



Into Zuleika's name. 



'Tis from her cyiiress' summit heard. 



That melts in air the liijuid word ; 



'Tis firom her lowly virgin earth 



That white rose takes its tender birth." 



Bride of Ahi/dos. 



One curious legend may be here quoted, if only as a lesson to Christian mission- 

 aries when t('mi)ted to enlarge with unction on the folly of pagan legends, forgetting 

 all the while, as they are too apt to do, the puerile legends which once tlouiished 

 (and in some countries do so still) in connexion with the faith they themselves 

 profess. " M. I'itre ' nous a communique cotte legende : 'II pino si ticne in molta 

 stima porche forniscc I'incense per le funzioni religiose e richiama a (iesu Bambino. 

 Kaccogli una pina, sgusciano il frutto c tugliane vcrticalmente il gheriglio. So tu 

 vi guardi bene dentro, vcdrai qualche cosa cho soniiglia a una niano ; e quella del 

 Bambino in atto di benedire. K da saperc cho, uella Fuga in Egitto, la Sacro 

 Famiglia non avendo ovc adagi arsi, incontrato per via nn Lupiuo (un lupin), vi si 

 accosto. A quci tempo il Lu[)ino, come il Tameriggio {famarix), era nn bell' albero 

 e il frutto siiuisito assai. II Lupino egoista si n-fiuto ud accoglioro sotto di se i 

 poveri fuggitivi, c striuse c raccolse c suoi larghi rami, sicche cssi riniasero alio 

 scoperto e dovettero ])roseguirc tra la staiichczza e il panico il doloroso viaggio ; ma 

 visto indi a non molto, nn pino e sotto di esso ricoveratisi, il pino allargo e suoi bci 

 rami ed amorosamente nascoso nel suo frutto il Band)ino. Da quel giorno in poi, 

 ebbe il favore della mano del Bamliinello e jirospero senipre, e il Lupiuo maladetto 

 pe condannato a non soUevarsi una spanna sulla terra e il suo frutto ad cssere amaro 

 quale oggi si trova." 



' Mvtliologiu (lei riaiitt.-;, vul. ii. p. 291. 



