THE WOOING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 82

THE WOOING.

A lover's words are on the wind! None fonder this side heaven. A path more green you shall not find; A may more fair, a fate more blind :

Two hearts more sadly riven. Green go the -ways by which he came, Heart -whole, from merry hawking; High rose the tower, his hawk flew tame To perch upon her window frame, Drawn by her bower maids talking.

Up to that bower the bravest hied

(The hawk hath snared, his master?) A matchless maiden deftly drew The broidery threads her canvas thro', 'Mid maids who chattered faster.

He brought the errant hawk away; But left his heart unwitting — And moody went adown the day Distraught, till Alswid dared to say, Half friendly -and half twitting: " O Sigurd ! Why so bare of bliss, Thy friends by sadness grieving ; Wot well thy glee3ome ways we miss. Lo! Gra-ni droops, thy hawks, I wis, No morning clouds are cleaving." " But yester-eve, far up the tower, My hawk went boldly flying. I climbad the stair, and found a bower, Where sat of womankind the flower, Her broidery needle plying." " She wrought that I have done

In colours of the morning: With victories that are not won, So that my heart to her did run, All other service scorning-. " She'll give back love for mme — my gold King twixt us shall be token." CiiPd Aiswid, "Be not over bold, O fair the shield may, fair, and cold, And deaf to love wcrds spoken. "Ay! will she bid thee to her side, Or fill for thee the beaker? Or, laying low her unbent pride, Yield Ihee the charms Her trasses hide, As maul less fair and meeker?" "We do not know," the Tira?.3=rc saia, " If she will grant us hearing-."' And yet next morn, by Alswid led, The stairway knew a lov.t'o treaJ—

A lover hoping, fearing. Outside the bowor ycu^s; A'svnd ftayed. While shaft and bow he fingered. But Sigurd durst approach the maid, Whose glance was like an acolade As on the man it lingered.

His he 1 !!! was bright, his Lyrny white, His eyes as full of glamour As fiords ti£,on a summer night, As tender as the dawn of light, Revealing all his amour. He greeted her, she greeted him : He sat by her securely. Then golden beakers all abrim "With wine that made the fine gold dim Foxir damsels brought demurely, To serve them in that bower room, Its floor cloth covered over. While on the arras spear, and plume, And flowers that only lacked perfume Eight richly greet the rover. " O be thou welcome here," said she, lake maid leas fair and meeker. Then laying by her majesty She rose, and served him fair and free:' He took both hand and baaker.

(A lover's words are on the wind.) Quoth he, " Thou art tlie fairest Of woman born" ; in fond arms twined, And kissed Brynliild, for love designed A may of niays the rarest. -^Rgslyij. Axickland, March, 1905.