Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-09-24

,
sort of invisible state II the ring could oe ahn'n
4 he could come back, after he tracked the trsc
circle-a thing rather hard to dol
To near old stories told, ween,
Will not my listners please
To YOU the woods look only green,
The wlnd but shakes the trees!
know ye will all deaf be found,
Yet will persevere-
The prattling world cares not 'or Sounu'
The woods but pasture--deer!
To the greenwood rode Sir Edelfried,
All iul OF fun and jest;
Under his saddle pranced his steed,
Within him throbbed his breast.
Sir Edelfried, ken thee well,
And what doth make thee rove;
Thy heart Of nineteen years doth swell
And beat with laughing love-
"The summer night is all so still,
The moon shines silver bright,
Whose heart with love now tails TO thrill
Can be no worthy knight"
The youth into the wood did spring,
His noble steed he tied,
Then rushed into the iairy-ring,
Anu nOrh W up aPPAieu'
The night-wind waved his heron-plumc,
His hand on sword he stayed
cannot tell-not from whom
He learned that blast he played.
Be who it may that taught the blast,
1t did not long rcsound--
A long lank arm soon gripped him fast,
And dragged him to the ground.
"Thou snow white fay! Thou cunning fay
How dread thine embrace"
His sword fell down, in the grass II lay,
Their locks fell o'er each face.
A long, long kiss-thc knight fell dead
In thee, OH woodland shade
Ye oaks fall on the guilty head
Which him aud you betrayed.
At Roth -nburg in aching pride
IN" nobl, lady weeps,
Trcads dusky hall with lonely stride
The youth the forest sweeps.
"Now help me God upon his throne!
know II but too well,
For have seen my boy, my own,
Embrace fend from he'll!
eyes, have seen his fairy bride,
She hath two saucer eyne,
And through her giittering, snaky hide
saw the blue veins shine,
"Shc claspcd hun, aud with both arms prest,
NV son she did cntold;
Mcthought he slept in a serpents nest
With adders round him rolled.
"The bells they rank so mcrrily,
That sound asleep he iell-
He hath forgotten God and me,
Yet will | break the spell"
Quick to the wood the lady hied,
Her yassalS did the same;
Then round and round the ring they ride
And wrap the grass in tiame
In silent haste they ploughed the ground,
Aud then the salt they strewed,
With earth aud stones they made mound
And fixed q holy rood.
She threw a stone the frst-and now
She felt her heart beat free
"rwo hundred lights, she cried, | vow
Virgin, 10 Durn 10 thee.
"Two hundred candles lily-white
Each ycar to thee III pay
have destroyed the ring outright
Aud driven Out the fay %
III.
Dark forest In thy Silly bounds
Why dost thou rock and wave'
Ii seems as il 4 kneli resouuds
Through thee, Us from the grave!
In the greenwood rides Sir Edelfried,
His lips with pain compressed,
Under his saddle groans MS stced,
Within MIN groans his breast
His plume was torn by many thorn,
Ills spurs they dripped with gore,
Still searching ouwards AS he borne,
But found his ring no more.
Two days he sought it and night.
Then fell no more TO ride;
To long grass grew his locks so bright,
His heart burst where he died.
Though in the grave, yet death doth bring
No rest to his poor ghost,
He seeks still for his elm ring,
To find it, ah, now lost !
When in the wood I've chanced 10 be,
I'ye met him mauy Il day;
So CHASTITY pale, so young is he,
God rest him soon, pray.
I'ye ended-lf in wayward mood
Ye may not like my lay,
Go not into the shady wood
When midnight fairies play.
All youthful love! Thou fairy ring,
search for thee with pain;
Long since destroyed, thoul't never spring
In circle green again