126 FOREST FANCIES 



ing to the rivers of the valley, and floods over- 

 spread the land. 



The water-nymphs lifted their eyes to the 

 hills; but the roots that bound the earth, the 

 boughs that shaded the moist earth, were gone. 

 There was no forest well to hold the rain. 



Then the wood-nymph of the oak tree, hear- 

 ing their plaint, strapped on her sandals of 

 bark. 



'*I will go forth and seek one who will save 

 the forest." 



With her green mantle on her arm, she 

 paused under the shadow of the oak : the bite 

 of the axe — ^how near ! 



That same night, in the City of the World, 

 three hundred sat at long tables in a banquet 

 hall, but no one noticed the window where two 

 bright eyes kept watch. There were spark- 

 ling glasses and sparkling speeches; someone 

 arose amid applause. The little figure at the 

 window tiptoed to see, but only the voice of 

 one grown old, yet still very much alive, 

 reached her straining ear. 



