"Fair man, few people have I seen Amidst this world of woodland green:

But I would have thee tell me now If there be many such as thou."

"Betwixt the mountains and the sea, O Sweet, be many such," said he.

Athwart the glimmering air and dim With wistful eyes she looked on him.

"But ne'er an one so shapely made Mine eyes have looked upon," she said.

He kissed her face, and cried in mirth: "Where hast thou dwelt then on the earth?"

"Ever," she said, "I dwell alone With a hard-handed cruel crone.

And of this crone am I the thrall To serve her still in bower and hall;

And fetch and carry in the wood, And do whate'er she deemeth good.

But whiles a sort of folk there come And seek my mistress at her home;

But such-like are they to behold As make my very blood run cold.

Oft have I thought, if there be none On earth save these, would all were done!

Forsooth, I knew it was not so, But that fairer folk on earth did grow.

But fain and full is the heart in me To know that folk are like to thee."

Then hand in hand they stood awhile Till her tears rose up beneath his smile.

And he must fold her to his breast To give her heart a while of rest.

Till sundered she and gazed about, And bent her brows as one in doubt.

She spake: "The wood is growing thin, Into the full light soon shall we win.

Now crouch we that we be not seen, Under yon bramble-bushes green."

Under the bramble-bush they lay Betwixt the dusk and the open day.

"O Goldilocks my love, look forth And let me know what thou seest of worth."

He said: "I see a house of stone, A castle excellently done."

"Yea," quoth she, "There doth the mistress dwell.

What next thou seest shalt thou tell."

"What lookest thou to see come forth?"

"Maybe a white bear of the North."

"Then shall my sharp sword lock his mouth."

"Nay," she said, "or a worm of the South."

"Then shall my sword his hot blood cool."

"Nay, or a whelming poison-pool."

"The trees its swelling flood shall stay, And thrust its venomed lip away."

"Nay, it may be a wild-fire flash To burn thy lovely limbs to ash."

"On mine own hallows shall I call, And dead its flickering flame shall fall."

"O Goldilocks my love, I fear That ugly death shall seek us here.

Look forth, O Goldilocks my love.

That I thine hardy heart may prove.

What cometh down the stone-wrought stair That leadeth up to the castle fair?"

"Adown the doorward stair of stone There cometh a woman all alone."

"Yea, that forsooth shall my mistress be: O Goldilocks, what like is she?"

"O fair she is of her array, As. .h.i.therward she wends her way."

"Unlike her wont is that indeed: Is she not foul beneath her weed?"

"O nay, nay! But most wondrous fair Of all the women earth doth bear."

"O Goldilocks, my heart, my heart!

Woe, woe! for now we drift apart."

But up he sprang from the bramble-side, And "O thou fairest one!" he cried:

And forth he ran that Queen to meet, And fell before her gold-clad feet.

About his neck her arms she cast, And into the fair-built house they pa.s.sed.

And under the bramble-bushes lay Unholpen, Goldilocks the may.

Thenceforth a while of time there wore, And Goldilocks came forth no more.

Throughout that house he wandered wide, Both up and down, from side to side.

But never he saw an evil crone, But a full fair Queen on a golden throne.