Thereafter spake the second daughter, "For me bring silks that will stand alone, Then came the turn of the least daughter, "There came a bird this morning, Then the brow of the King swelled crimson "Well have ye spoken, my two eldest, "But she, like a thing of peasant race, II He mounted and rode three days and nights And 't was easy to buy the gems and the silk, Then deep in the greenwood rode he, "Oh, if you have ever a Singing Leaf, But the trees all kept their counsel, And never a word said they, Only the pattering aspen Made a sound of growing rain, "Oh, where shall I find a little foot-page Then lightly turned him Walter the page, "Now pledge you me the truesome word "That you will give me the first, first thing You meet at your castle-gate, And the Princess shall get the Singing Leaves, Or mine be a traitor's fate." The King's head dropt upon his breast "'T will be my dog," he thought, and said, Then Walter took from next his heart "Now give you this to the Princess Anne; 3. Shoon. Shoes. III As the King rode in at his castle-gate, A maiden to meet him ran, And "Welcome, father!" she laughed and cried Together, the Princess Anne. "Lo, here the Singing Leaves,” quoth he, It deepened down till it reached her heart, And lighted her tears as the sudden sun And the first Leaf, when it was opened, And the songs I sing 'neath thy window And the second Leaf sang: "But in the land That is neither on earth nor sea, My lute and I are lords of more Than thrice this kingdom's fee." + And the third Leaf sang, “Be mine! Be mine!” Then sweeter it sang and ever sweeter, At the first Leaf she grew pale enough, 4. Fee. Wealth. "Good counsel gave the bird," said she, "I have my hope thrice o'er, For they sing to my very heart," she said, She brought to him her beauty and truth, And he made her queen of the broader lands 19 IN SCHOOL-DAYS1 JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER Still sits the schoolhouse by the road, And blackberry vines are running. Within, the master's desk is seen, 5. But and. But also. 1. "Holmes calls this 'the most beautiful school-boy poem in the English language.'"-Pickard, Life and Letters of Whittier. "Many years ago the little schoolhouse commemorated in School Days' was sold, and it was to be removed by its purchaser. It had hardly started on its journey when one of the wheels on which it was placed broke down and the building was left standing in the middle of the road, where it was burned by the boys. Mr. Whittier never himself indicated that the poem was other than imaginative except by including it in his collected works under the head of 'subjective and reminiscent.'"-Pickard, ibid. 2. Beggar. The schoolhouse is no longer in use; hence the poet calls it a beggar. The charcoal frescos on its wall; The feet that, creeping slow to school, Long years ago a winter sun It touched the tangled golden curls, For near her stood the little boy His cap pulled low upon a face Where pride and shame were mingled.⠀ / Pushing with restless feet the snow As restlessly her tiny hands The blue-checked apron fingered. He saw her lift her eyes; he felt "I'm sorry that I spelt the word: I hate to go above you, Because," the brown eyes lower fell,"Because, you see, I love you!" |