Holding within her hand a cup Wherein some dreadful drink seethed up.

Then Goldilocks cried out and smote, And the sharp blade sheared the evil throat.

The head fell noseling to the floor; The liquor from the cup did pour,

And ran along a sparkling flame That nigh unto their footsoles came.

Then empty straightway was the hall, Save for those twain, and she withal.

So fled away the Maid and Man, And down the stony stairway ran.

Fast fled they o'er the sunny gra.s.s, Yet but a little way did pa.s.s

Ere cried the Maid: "Now cometh forth The snow-white ice-bear of the North;

Turn, Goldilocks, and heave up sword!"

Then fast he stood upon the sward,

And faced the beast, that whined and cried, And shook his head from side to side.

But round him the Swain danced and leaped, And soon the grisly head he reaped.

And then the ancient blade he sheathed, And ran unto his love sweet-breathed;

And caught her in his arms and ran Fast from that house, the bane of man.

Yet therewithal he spake her soft And kissed her over oft and oft,

Until from kissed and trembling mouth She cried: "The Dragon of the South!"

He set her down and turned about, And drew the eager edges out.

And therewith scaly coil on coil Reared 'gainst his face the mouth aboil:

The gaping jaw and teeth of dread Was dark 'twixt heaven and his head.

But with no fear, no thought, no word, He thrust the thin-edged ancient sword.

And the hot blood ran from the hairy throat, And set the summer gra.s.s afloat.

Then back he turned and caught her hand, And never a minute did they stand.

But as they ran on toward the wood, He deemed her swift feet fair and good.

She looked back o'er her shoulder fair: "The whelming poison-pool is here;

And now availeth nought the blade: O if my cherished trees might aid!

But now my feet fail. Leave me then!

And hold my memory dear of men."

He caught her in his arms again; Of her dear side was he full fain.

Her body in his arms was dear: "Sweet art thou, though we perish here!"

Like quicksilver came on the flood: But lo, the borders of the wood!

She slid from out his arms and stayed; Round a great oak her arms she laid.

"If e'er I saved thee, lovely tree, From axe and saw, now succour me:

Look how the venom creeps anigh, Help! lest thou see me writhe and die."

She crouched beside the upheaved root, The bubbling venom touched her foot;

Then with a sucking gasping sound It ebbed back o'er the blighted ground.

Up then she rose and took his hand And never a moment did they stand.

"Come, love," she cried, "the ways I know, How thick soe'er the thickets grow.

O love, I love thee! O thine heart!

How mighty and how kind thou art!"

Therewith they saw the tree-dusk lit, Bright grey the great boles gleamed on it.

"O flee," she said, "the sword is nought Against the flickering fire-flaught."

"But this availeth yet," said he, "That Hallows All our love may see."

He turned about and faced the glare: "O Mother, help us, kind and fair!

Now help me, true St. Nicholas, If ever truly thine I was!"

Therewith the wild-fire waned and paled, And in the wood the light nigh failed;

And all about 'twas as the night.

He said: "Now won is all our fight,

And now meseems all were but good If thou mightst bring us from the wood."