THE WHITE MAID OF THE ROCK.
Loud 'gainst the rocks the wild spray is dashing,
Its snowy white foam o'er the waves rudely splashing;
The woods echo round to the bittern's shrill scream,
As he dips his black wing in the wave of the stream;
Now mournful and sad the low murmuring breeze
Sighs lonely and dismal through hollow oak trees.
The owl loudly hoots, while his lonely abode
Serves to shelter the snake and the poisonous toad;
Lo! the black thunder-cloud is spread over the skies,
And the swift-winged lightning at intervals flies.
The streamlet looks dark, and the spray wilder breaks;
And the alder-leaf dank with its silver drop, shakes;
This dell and these rocks, this lone alder and stream,
With the dew-drops which dance in the moon's silver beam,
Are sacred to beings ethereal and light,
Who hold their dark orgies alone and at night.
Wild, and more wild, dashed the waves of the stream,
The White Maid of the Rock gave a shrill, piercing scream;
Down headlong she plunged 'neath the dark rolling wave,
And, rising, thus chanted a dirge to the brave:—
"The raven croaks loud from her nest in the rock,
The night-owl's shrill hooting resounds from the oak;
Its snowy white foam o'er the waves rudely splashing;
The woods echo round to the bittern's shrill scream,
As he dips his black wing in the wave of the stream;
Now mournful and sad the low murmuring breeze
Sighs lonely and dismal through hollow oak trees.
The owl loudly hoots, while his lonely abode
Serves to shelter the snake and the poisonous toad;
Lo! the black thunder-cloud is spread over the skies,
And the swift-winged lightning at intervals flies.
The streamlet looks dark, and the spray wilder breaks;
And the alder-leaf dank with its silver drop, shakes;
This dell and these rocks, this lone alder and stream,
With the dew-drops which dance in the moon's silver beam,
Are sacred to beings ethereal and light,
Who hold their dark orgies alone and at night.
Wild, and more wild, dashed the waves of the stream,
The White Maid of the Rock gave a shrill, piercing scream;
Down headlong she plunged 'neath the dark rolling wave,
And, rising, thus chanted a dirge to the brave:—
"The raven croaks loud from her nest in the rock,
The night-owl's shrill hooting resounds from the oak;
