The splendor sparkling from aloft, and thought,

"An I could climb and lay my hand upon it,

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Then were I wealthier than a leash of kings."

But ever when he reach'd a hand to climb, One that had loved him from his childhood caught

And stay'd him, "Climb not lest thou break thy neck,

I charge thee by my love," and so the boy, Sweet mother, neither clomb nor brake his neck,

But brake his very heart in pining for it,
And past away.'

To whom the mother said, 'True love, sweet son, had risk'd himself and climb'd,

And handed down the golden treasure to him.'

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And saying: Son, I have seen the good ship sail

Keel upward, and mast downward, in the heavens,

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And solid turrets topsy-turvy in air;
And here is truth, but an it please thee
not,

Take thou the truth as thou hast told it me.
For truly, as thou sayest, a fairy king
And fairy queens have built the city, son;
They came from out a sacred mountain-
cleft

Toward the sunrise, each with harp in hand,

And built it to the music of their harps.
And, as thou sayest, it is enchanted, son,
For there is nothing in it as it seems
Saving the King; tho' some there be that
hold

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Clear honor shining like the dewy star
Of dawn, and faith in their great King,
with pure

Affection, and the light of victory,
And glory gain'd, and evermore to gain.

Then came a widow crying to the King: 'A boon, Sir King! Thy father, Uther, reft

From my dead lord a field with violence; For howsoe'er at first he proffer'd gold, 329 Yet, for the field was pleasant in our eyes, We yielded not; and then he reft us of it Perforce and left us neither gold nor field!

Said Arthur, Whether would ye? gold or field ?'

To whom the woman weeping, 'Nay, my lord,

The field was pleasant in my husband's eye.'