Again, take Strickland’s magnificent version of Halek’s versified form of the legend that the life of every human being is bound up with a star in heaven:—
There were two thoughts, two thoughts of God,Two thoughts in God, as stars were set
In heaven’s divine communion,
To shine of all the starry choir,
In fondest union.
Till one of them fell prone from heaven
And left its mate to languish,
Till God excused her, too, the skies
Pitying her anguish.
And many a night on earth they yearned—
Sad earth for their lost Eden,
Till once again they met as men,
As youth and maiden.
And looking in each others eyes
They recognized straightway,
And lived thrice blest till heaven to rest
Called one away.
Who dying out of earth recalled
Her love to heaven’s fair shore,
And God forbade it not, and now
They’re stars once more.
Stybr renders this beautiful poem after the manner of a catalogue recital, as follows:—
There were two thoughts, two thoughts of God,
Two stars beside each other,
And from all of the heaven’s stars
They most loved one another.
Once one of them fell to the earth—
The other pined in sorrow,
And God, touched by her grief and love,
Sent her down on the morrow.
They sought each other many nights
As lonely souls their Eden,
Until one day they chanced to meet
As a young man and maiden.
Their eyes met, and they recognized
Each other, tender-hearted,
And lived together in great bliss
Till one of them departed.
And when she died, she always called
And languished for the other,
Till God summoned the other one,
And they’re again together.
