The Wonder of the World 19 



"And when five hundred years were gone 

 I came the same road as anon; 

 Then not a mark of town I met. 

 A shepherd on the flute did play, 

 The cattle leaf and foliage ate. 

 I asked how long is the town away? 

 He spake, and piped on as before, 

 'One plant is green when the other's o'er, 

 This is my pasture forevermore.' 



"And when five hundred years were gone 

 I came the same road as anon, 

 Then did I find with waves a lake, 

 A man the net cast in the bay, 

 And when he paused from his heavy take, 

 I asked since when the lake here lay? 

 He spake, and laughed my question o'er, 

 'As long as the waves break as of yore, 

 One fishes and fishes on this shore.' 



"And when five hundred years were gone 

 I came the same way as anon. 

 A wooded place I then did see, 

 And a hermit in a cell did stay; 

 He felled with an axe a mighty tree. 

 I asked since when the wood here lay? 

 He spake: 'The wood's a shelter forevermore 

 I ever lived upon this floor, 

 And the trees will grow on as before.' 



"And when five hundred years were gone 

 I came the same way as anon, 

 But then I found a city filled 

 With market's clamour shrill and gay. 

 I asked how long is the city built, 



