No More Learning

The Enchanted Gipsy.


"Gilda, Gilda, my ragged child,
Where have you been,
In the lane, the green lane, or the heather,
My little queen? "

"Honey mother, sweet little mother,
Oh! my old grey mummy,
It's the blood of berries on my skirt
Makes me look rummy. "

"There is no juice on your coral lips,
Your amber eyes are wild,
And why do you dance like an angry jay,
My fairy child? "

"I can tell, I can tell,
Oh! my delicate mam,
I dance to the tune of a blue-bell,
Which told me what I am. "

"Gilda, Gilda, my lovely child,
Say how it spoke,
There is nothing well in a flower's spell
On one of our folk. "

"Oh! my pet, my beautiful heart,
Oh! my cunning mummy,
My cousin the sun and the wind have begun,
That's why I look rummy. "

"I have known one since I have begun,
I have known a dozen,
But never I knew a girl was true
Who called _them_ cousin. "

"Oh! my mam, my delicate mam,
Do not scold your daughter,
I only went to the Witch's pool
And looked in the water. "

"Oh!
my dove, my beautiful elf,
Was the water clear as heaven,
Did you weave a crown of flowers for yourself,
In the magic of even? "

"Oh! my mother, my honey mother,
The water was heaven-clear,
I wove a crown of marigolds. . . .
But why do you look so queer? "

"Oh! my girl, my pitiful girl,
Good-bye to your happy hours,
The Curse of the Pool is on you. . . .
Your ways are not ours. "




The Roof of the World.


"Ere the first blush of morning's rose
Had reddened the eternal snows,
I plunged the pines among,
And came down thro' the forest sons
In their deep-ranked battalions
With practised steps and strong.

"Then heard I from the plateau rock
A lowing cow and a crowing cock--
Thin sounds in upper air.