They fight with Bruce, or hide with him in cave
Where spider's gossamer draperies cling;
Tell's arrow thrills them in its dizzy flight,
With captive Richard they hear Blondel sing.
Where spider's gossamer draperies cling;
Tell's arrow thrills them in its dizzy flight,
With captive Richard they hear Blondel sing.
They learn the story of the Pleiades
And shining constellations as they pass,
With fairies that hold tryst, or dance with her
Who wore the magic slippers made of glass.
And shining constellations as they pass,
With fairies that hold tryst, or dance with her
Who wore the magic slippers made of glass.
From history's page or legendary lore
The story-teller draws her varied theme,
And straight there springs to vivid life once more
Some long dead fact, some poet's golden dream;
The story-teller draws her varied theme,
And straight there springs to vivid life once more
Some long dead fact, some poet's golden dream;
For Old and New and Past and Present lend
A silver thread, a glowing jeweled bead
To weave into the fabric of a tale
That laughs with joy or teaches some high creed.
A silver thread, a glowing jeweled bead
To weave into the fabric of a tale
That laughs with joy or teaches some high creed.
CONFUCIUS TO CHRIST
(China asks the prayers of the Christian world for success in her new political life.)
OUT of the Orient echoes a call,
Out of the distance there reaches a hand,
And the keen cry bridges the chasm deep
'Twixt the creeds of our own and that far-off land.
Out of the distance there reaches a hand,
And the keen cry bridges the chasm deep
'Twixt the creeds of our own and that far-off land.
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