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THE GIANT'S HEART. |
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' Shine on me, my lord ; I only am come, Of all your servants, to welcome you home. I have flown a whole hour, right up, I swear. To catch the first shine of your golden hair !'
' Must I thank you, then,' said the king, ' Sir Lark,
For flying so high, and hating the dark?
You ask a full cup for half a thirst:
Half is love of me, and half love to be first.
There's many a bird that makes no haste,
But waits till I come. That's as much to my taste.
And the king hid his head in a turban of cloud ; And the lark stopped singing, quite vexed and cowed But he flew up higher, and thought, ' Anon, The wrath of the king will be over and gone ; And his crown, shining out of its cloudy fold, Will change my brown feathers to a glory of gold.*
So he flew, with the strength of a lark he flew, But as he rose the cloud rose too ; And not a gleam of the golden hair Came through the depth of the misty air ; Till, weary with flying, with sighing sore, The strong sun-seeker could do no more.
His wings had had no chrism of gold,
And his feathers felt withered and worn and old * |
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