If any acorn of last year be left
Within it; thy thin robe too ill protects
Thy dainty limbs against the harm one
small

Acorn may do. Here's none. Another day

Trust me; till then let me sit opposite. Hamad. I seat me; be thou seated, and content.

Rhaicos. O sight for gods! ye men below! adore

The Aphrodite. Is she there below?
Or sits she here before me? as she sate
Before the shepherd on those heights
that shade

The Hellespont, and brought his kindred

woe.

Hamad. Reverence the higher Powers; nor deem amiss

Of her who pleads to thee, and would repay

Ask not how much-but very much.
Rise not;
No, Rhaicos, no!

Without the nuptial

VOW

Love is unholy. Swear to me that none Of mortal maids shall ever taste thy kiss, Then take thou mine; then take it, not before.

Rhaicos. Hearken, all gods above! O Aphrodité !

O Here! Let my vow be ratified! But wilt thou come into my father's house?

Hamad. Nay and of mine I cannot
give thee part.
Rhaicos. Where is it?
Hamed.

In this oak.

Rhaicos.

Ay; now begins The tale of Hamadryad; tell it through. Hamad. Pray of thy father never to to cut down

My tree; and promise him, as well thou mayst,

That every year he shall receive from me More honey than will buy him nine fat

sheep,

More wax than he will burn to all the gods.

Why fallest thou upon thy face? Some thorn

May scratch it, rash young man! Rise up; for shame!

Rhaicos. For shame I can not rise. O pity me!

I dare not sue for love.. but do not hate! Let me once more behold thee..not once more, [loved! But many days: let me love oǹ., un

sun,

Boy Rhaicos!" said the father. "That oak's bark

Must have been tough, with little sap between;

It ought to run; but it and I are old." Rhaicos, although each morsel of the bread Increased by chewing, and the meat grew cold

And tasteless to his palate, took a draught Of gold-bright wine, which, thirsty as he was,

He thought not of until his father fill'd
The cup, averring water was amiss,
But wine had been at all times pour'd on
kid,
It was religion.

He thus fortified Said, not quite boldly, and not quite abashed, "Father, that oak is Zeus's own; that oak

The father said, "Echeion! thou must weigh, Carefully, and with steady hand, enough (Although no longer comes the store as once !) Of wax to burn all day and night upon That hollow stone where milk and honey lie :

So may the gods, so may the dead, be pleas'd!"

Thallinos bore it thither in the morn,
And lighted it and left it.

First of those Who visited upon this solemn day The Hamadryad's oak, were Rhodopé And Acon; of one age, one hope, one trust. Graceful was she as was the nymph whose fate

She sorrowed for: he slender, pale, and first Lapp'd by the flame of love: his father's lands [afar. Were fertile, herds lowed over them Now stood the two aside the hollow stone And look'd with steadfast eyes toward the oak

Shivered and black and bare.

"May never we Love as they loved!" said Acon. She at this

Opposite hers, when finger playfully Advanced and pushed back finger, on each side.

He did not think of this, as she would do

If she were there alone.

The day was hot; The moss invited him; it cool'd his cheek,

It cool'd his hands; he thrust them into it

And sank to slumber. Never was there dream

Divine as his. He saw the Hamadryad.
She took him by the arm and led him on
Along a valley, where profusely grew
The smaller lilies with their pendent
bells,

And, hiding under mint, chill drosera,
The violet shy of butting cyclamen,
The feathery fern, and, browser of moist
banks,

Her offspring round her, the soft strawberry;

The quivering spray of ruddy tamarisk,
The oleander's light-haired progeny
Breathing bright freshness in each
other's face,
And graceful rose, bending her brow,
with cup
Of fragrance and of beauty, boon for
Gods.

The fragrance fill'd his breast with such
delight
His senses were bewildered, and he
thought
He saw again the face he most had
loved.

He stopped: the Hamadryad at his side Now stood between: then drew him farther off:

He went, compliant as before but soon Verdure had ceased: altho' the ground was smooth.

Nothing was there delightful. At this change He would have spoken, but his guide repressed

All questioning, and said,

"Weak youth! what brought Thy footstep to this wood, my native haunt, this bank,

My life-long residence?

where first

...

I sate with him . . . the faithful (now I know, Too late!) the faithful Rhaicos. Haste thee home: [more Be happy, if thou canst; but come no