140 THE FIRE FLY, 



And when on the earth he sunk to sleep, 



If sleep his eyelids knew ; 

 He lay where the deadly vines do weep 

 Their venomous tears — and nightly steep 



The flesh with blistering dew. 



And near him the sea-wolf stirr'd the brake, 



And the rattle-snake breath'd in his ear ; 

 Till he starting cried — from his dream awake, 

 O when shall I see the dusky Lake, 

 And the white canoe of my dear? 



He saw the Lake ; and a meteor bright 



Quick o'er the surface play'd. 



' Welcome,' he said, * my dear one's light !' 



And the dim shore echoed for many a night, 



The name of the death-cold maid ! 



Till he form'd a boat of the birchen-bark, 



\Vhich carried him off from the shore ; 



Far he followed the meteor spark : 



The winds were high, and the clouds were dark, 

 And the boat returned no more I 



But oft from the Indian- hunter's camp 



This lover and maid so true ; 

 Are seen by the hour of midnight damp 

 To cross the Lake by a Fire-fly lamp, 

 And paddle their white canoe." ^ 



