then no more they dance, till her sad song is done, but, silent as the night, to her mourning attend;and often as her dying notes their pity have won, they vow all her sacred haunts from mortals to defend.
when, down among the mountains, sinks the ev'ning star, and the changing moon forsakes this shadowy sphere, how cheerless would they be, tho' they fairies are, if i, with my pale light, came not near!
yet cheerless tho' they'd be, they're ungrateful to my love!
for, often when the traveller's benighted on his way, and i glimmer in his path, and would guide him thro' the grove, they bind me in their magic spells to lead him far astray;and in the mire to leave him, till the stars are all burnt out, while, in strange-looking shapes, they frisk about the ground, and, afar in the woods, they raise a dismal shout, till i shrink into my cell again for terror of the sound!
but, see where all the tiny elves come dancing in a ring, with the merry, merry pipe, and the tabor, and the horn, and the timbrel so clear, and the lute with dulcet string;then round about the oak they go till peeping of the morn.
down yonder glade two lovers steal, to shun the fairy-queen, who frowns upon their plighted vows, and jealous is of me, that yester-eve i lighted them, along the dewy green, to seek the purple flow'r, whose juice from all her spells can free.
and now, to punish me, she keeps afar her jocund band, with the merry, merry pipe, and the tabor, and the lute;if i creep near yonder oak she will wave her fairy wand, and to me the dance will cease, and the music all be mute.
o! had i but that purple flow'r whose leaves her charms can foil, and knew like fays to draw the juice, and throw it on the wind, i'd be her slave no longer, nor the traveller beguile, and help all faithful lovers, nor fear the fairy kind!