“THE FAIRY RADE.”

Ai me! why stood I on the bent

When Summer wept o'er dying June!

I saw the Fairy Folk ride faint

Aneath the moon.

The haw-trees hedged the russet lea

Where cuckoo-buds waxed rich with gold;

The wealthy corn rose yellowly

Endlong the wold.

Betwixt the haw-trees and the mead

“The Fairy Rade” came glimmering on;

A creamy cavalcade did speed

O'er the green lawn.

The night was ringing with their reins;

Loud laughed they till the cricket hushed;

The whistles on their coursers’ manes

Shrill music gushed.

The whistles tagged their horses’ manes

All crystal clear; on these a wind

Forever played, and waked the plains

Before, behind.

These flute-notes and the Fairy song

Took the dim holts with many a qualm,

And eke their silver bridles rung

A far-off psalm.

All rid upon pale ouphen steeds

With flying tails, uncouthly seen;

Each wore a scarf athwart his weeds

Of freshest green.

And aye a beam of silver light

Fairer than moonshine danced aboon,

And shook their locks — a glimmering white

Not of the moon.

Small were they that the hare-bell's blue

Had helmeted each tiny head;

Save one damsel, who, tall as two,

The Faeries led.

Long tresses floated from a tire

Of diamond sparks, which cast a light,

And o'er her white sark shook, in fire

Rippling the night.

I would have thrown me‘ neath her feet,

And told her all my dole and pain,

There while her rein was jingling sweet

O'er all the plain.

Alas! a black and thwarting cock

Crew from the thatch with long-necked cry —

The Elfin queen and her wee flock

In the night did die.