77 



The elf awakens the love of the sylph queen and she begs him 

 to give up his quest and dwell forever with her; with her "to 

 hang upon the rainbow's brim." "to dance upon the orbed 

 moon," to " rest on Orion's starry belt." 



She was lovely and fair to see. 

 And the elfin's heart beat fitfully : 



but here the remembrance of his earthly love keeps him true. 



" Lady," he cried, " I have sworn to-night, 



On the word of a fairy knight. 



To do my sentence-task aright ; 



My honour scarce is free from stain, 



I may not soil its snows again ; 



Betide me weal, betide me wo. 



Its mandate must be answered now." 



Right generously then the sylph queen aids him in his 

 further quest. She gives a fiend-proof sable car, and he 

 speeds away till he finds the place of the falling star and at 

 last catches a glimmering spark with which he re-illumines 

 his fairy lamp. Then he turns abruptly to the long downward 

 gallop to earth and 



. . . wheeled around to the fairy ground, 

 And sped through the midnight dark. 



The poem closes with a roundelay chorus by all the fairies : 



Ouphe and goblin! imp and sprite! 



Elf of eve ! and starry Fay ! 

 Ye that love the moon's soft light, 



Hither, hither wend your way; 

 Twine ye in a jocund ring, 



Sing and trip it merrily, 

 Hand to hand, and wing to wing, 



Round the wild witch-hazel tree. 



Hail the wanderer again 



With dance and song, and lute and lyre. 

 Pure his wing and strong his chain, 



And doubly bright his fairy r fire. 

 Twine ye in an airy round, 



Brush the dew and print the lea ; 

 Skip and gambol, hop and bound, 



Round the wild witch-hazel tree. 



