THE THREE SPELLS. 163 



" For I'll hide you in Lord Atholl's room, 

 And wrap your form in magic gloom, 

 Till near his bed you can softly creep, 

 When your dirk may stab him while buried in sleep. 



" And if any one hears and dares betray 

 My secret ere St. Andrew's Day, 

 I'll drink his blood and crack each bone, 

 And turn the strings of his heart to stone." 



Sighing with sorrow, and burning with rage, 



All this had heard Lord Atholl's page ; 



Who, curious, had follow'd the woful wight 



When he sought the mountain's snow-crowned height. 



Home he sped with heavy cheer, 

 " Oh how shall I save my master dear ? 

 Oh how shall I manage the truth to tell, 

 Yet avoid myself the beldame's spell ? " 



Thus mourned the page till broke the morn, 

 But he sprang from bed when he heard the horn, 

 The jolly horn which, loud and clear, 

 Summoned King Jamie to chase the deer. 



For now two days with Lord Atholl had been 

 King Jamie the Fifth, and his mother the Queen ; 

 With lords and with ladies, a goodly show, 

 And all were lodged on Ben-y-gloe. 



And there to welcome guests so great, 

 Lord Atholl had built a palace of state, 

 And all without 'twas covered with green, 

 And all within with silken sheen. 



And there were all fashions of exquisite fare, 

 And tanks full of delicate fish were there ; 

 And the King and his nobles had all as good 

 As had they been still at proud Holyrood. 



Each day that King Jamie had passed on his grounds 

 Had cost Lord Atholl a thousand pounds, 

 Yet ordered Lord Atholl (his splendour was such), 

 That the third should cost full thrice as much. 



The Earl he rose with the morning light, 

 And soon he met with the woful wight, 

 Who proffered a draught of cordial power, 

 To cheer his heart ere he left his bower. 



