44 The Rose Garden. 



BALLAD. 



I know the secret of the Rose. She blushes : 



I know the reason why 

 A hopeless passion in her heart she hushes 



For the bright beetle-fly. 



He was a bold and brilliant cavalier ; 



He wooed her in the sweet time of the year, 



A livelong summer day : 



He woo'd her, and he won her, then betray'd her, 



And breaking all the vows that he had made her, 



Upon a sky-built sunbeam sail'd away. 



Then the Rose wish't for wings to follow him, 

 But all her wishings were of no avail. 

 What she could do, she did. Thro' twilight pale, 

 She climb'd and climb'd, and peep'd into tlie dim 

 Nest of the Nightingale. 



4 



The Nightingale beheld her, and averr'd 

 That she was the fairest of the fair. He said, 

 ' ' Fair crimson-winged creature, be a bird, 

 And I with thee, and none but thee, will wed." 

 His amorous song the Rose resentful heard, 

 And shook her head. 



Into that amorous song there slid a tear 

 The Rose was weeping sad at heart was she. 

 But still the Nightingale, with song sincere, 

 Sang to her in the twilight from the tree 

 " O wert thou but a bird, thou art so dear, 

 Thee would I mate with, and wed none but thee ! " 

 " Nay," sigh'd the Rose, " I have a cavalier, 

 A noble lover, and of high degree ; 

 My heart is sad because he is not here 

 Sir Scarabseus he ! " 



The evening wind pass'd by and heard her boast : 



" Poor Rose," he laugh 'd, "thy lover thou hast lost ! 



For he is faithless, and forsaken thou. 



But for his treachery he pays the cost : 



Dying he is, I know. 



I met him, on my travels, at the court 



Of Queen Spiraea of Ulmaria 



The Meadow Queen is she. And, all amort, 



Sir Scarabseus, for her sake that day 



Had sworn to break a lance with Prince Carnation. 



