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At times he seemed； and sad with him was I；
Stern too at times； and then I loved him not；
But sweet again； and then I loved him well。
And now of late I see him less and less；
But those first days had golden hours for me；
For then I surely thought he would be king。
'But let me tell thee now another tale：
For Bleys； our Merlin's master； as they say；
Died but of late； and sent his cry to me；
To hear him speak before he left his life。
Shrunk like a fairy changeling lay the mage；
And when I entered told me that himself
And Merlin ever served about the King；
Uther； before he died； and on the night
When Uther in Tintagil past away
Moaning and wailing for an heir； the two
Left the still King； and passing forth to breathe；
Then from the castle gateway by the chasm
Descending through the dismal nighta night
In which the bounds of heaven and earth were lost
Beheld； so high upon the dreary deeps
It seemed in heaven； a ship； the shape thereof
A dragon winged； and all from stern to stern
Bright with a shining people on the decks；
And gone as soon as seen。 And then the two
Dropt to the cove； and watched the great sea fall；
Wave after wave； each mightier than the last；
Till last； a ninth one； gathering half the deep
And full of voices； slowly rose and plunged
Roaring； and all the wave was in a flame：
And down the wave and in the flame was borne
A naked babe； and rode to Merlin's feet；
Who stoopt and caught the babe； and cried 〃The King！
Here is an heir for Uther！〃 And the fringe
Of that great breaker； sweeping up the strand；
Lashed at the wizard as he spake the word；
And all at once all round him rose in fire；
So that the child and he were clothed in fire。
And presently thereafter followed calm；
Free sky and stars： 〃And this the same child；〃 he said；
〃Is he who reigns； nor could I part in peace
Till this were told。〃 And saying this the seer
Went through the strait and dreadful pass of death；
Not ever to be questioned any more
Save on the further side； but when I met
Merlin； and asked him if these things were truth
The shining dragon and the naked child
Descending in the glory of the seas
He laughed as is his wont； and answered me
In riddling triplets of old time； and said：
'〃Rain； rain； and sun！ a rainbow in the sky！
A young man will be wiser by and by；
An old man's wit may wander ere he die。
Rain； rain； and sun！ a rainbow on the lea！
And truth is this to me； and that to thee；
And truth or clothed or naked let it be。
Rain； sun； and rain！ and the free blossom blows：
Sun； rain； and sun！ and where is he who knows？
From the great deep to the great deep he goes。〃
'So Merlin riddling angered me； but thou
Fear not to give this King thy only child；
Guinevere： so great bards of him will sing
Hereafter； and dark sayings from of old
Ranging and ringing through the minds of men；
And echoed by old folk beside their fires
For comfort after their wage…work is done；
Speak of the King； and Merlin in our time
Hath spoken also； not in jest； and sworn
Though men may wound him that he will not die；
But pass； again to come； and then or now
Utterly smite the heathen underfoot；
Till these and all men hail him for their king。'
She spake and King Leodogran rejoiced；
But musing； 'Shall I answer yea or nay？'
Doubted； and drowsed； nodded and slept； and saw；
Dreaming； a slope of land that ever grew；
Field after field； up to a height； the peak
Haze…hidden； and thereon a phantom king；
Now looming； and now lost； and on the slope
The sword rose； the hind fell； the herd was driven；
Fire glimpsed； and all the land from roof and rick；
In drifts of smoke before a rolling wind；
Streamed to the peak； and mingled with the haze
And made it thicker； while the phantom king
Sent out at times a voice； and here or there
Stood one who pointed toward the voice； the rest
Slew on and burnt； crying； 'No king of ours；
No son of Uther； and no king of ours；'
Till with a wink his dream was changed； the haze
Descended； and the solid earth became
As nothing； but the King stood out in heaven；
Crowned。 And Leodogran awoke； and sent
Ulfius； and Brastias and Bedivere；
Back to the court of Arthur answering yea。
Then Arthur charged his warrior whom he loved
And honoured most； Sir Lancelot； to ride forth
And bring the Queen；and watched him from the gates：
And Lancelot past away among the flowers；
（For then was latter April） and returned
Among the flowers； in May； with Guinevere。
To whom arrived； by Dubric the high saint；
Chief of the church in Britain； and before
The stateliest of her altar…shrines； the King
That morn was married； while in stainless white；
The fair beginners of a nobler time；
And glorying in their vows and him； his knights
Stood around him； and rejoicing in his joy。
Far shone the fields of May through open door；
The sacred altar blossomed white with May；
The Sun of May descended on their King；
They gazed on all earth's beauty in their Queen；
Rolled incense； and there past along the hymns
A voice as of the waters； while the two
Sware at the shrine of Christ a deathless love：
And Arthur said； 'Behold； thy doom is mine。
Let chance what will； I love thee to the death！'
To whom the Queen replied with drooping eyes；
'King and my lord； I love thee to the death！'
And holy Dubric spread his hands and spake；
'Reign ye； and live and love； and make the world
Other； and may thy Queen be one with thee；
And all this Order of thy Table Round
Fulfil the boundless purpose of their King！'
So Dubric said； but when they left the shrine
Great Lords from Rome before the portal stood；
In scornful stillness gazing as they past；
Then while they paced a city all on fire
With sun and cloth of gold； the trumpets blew；
And Arthur's knighthood sang before the King：
'Blow； trumpet； for the world is white with May；
Blow trumpet； the long night hath rolled away！
Blow through the living world〃Let the King reign。〃
'Shall Rome or Heathen rule in Arthur's realm？
Flash brand and lance； fall battleaxe upon helm；
Fall battleaxe； and flash brand！ Let the King reign。
'Strike for the King and live！ his knights have heard
That God hath told the King a secret word。
Fall battleaxe； and flash brand！ Let the King reign。
'Blow trumpet！ he will lift us from the dust。
Blow trumpet！ live the strength and die the lust！
Clang battleaxe； and clash brand！ Let the King reign。
'Strike for the King and die！ and if thou diest；
The King is King； and ever wills the highest。
Clang battleaxe； and clash brand！ Let the King reign。
'Blow； for our Sun is mighty in his May！
Blow； for our Sun is mightier day by day！
Clang battleaxe； and clash brand！ Let the King reign。
'The King will follow Christ； and we the King
In whom high God hath breathed a secret thing。
Fall battleaxe； and flash brand！ Let the King reign。'
So sang the knighthood； moving to their hall。
There at the banquet those great Lords from Rome；
The slowly…fading mistress of the world；
Strode in； and claimed their tribute as of yore。
But Arthur spake； 'Behold； for these have sworn
To wage my wars； and worship me their King；
The old order changeth； yielding place to new；
And we that fight for our fair father Christ；
Seeing that ye be grown too weak and old
To drive the heathen from your Roman wall；
No tribute will we pay：' so those great lords
Drew back in wrath； and Arthur strove with Rome。
And Arthur and his knighthood for a space
Were all one will； and through that strength the King
Drew in the petty princedoms under him；
Fought； and in twelve great battles overcame
The heathen hordes； and made a realm and reigned。
Gareth and Lynette
The last tall son of Lot and Bellicent；
And tallest； Gareth； in a showerful spring
Stared at the spate。 A slender…shafted Pine
Lost footing； fell； and so was whirled away。
'How he went down；' said Gareth； 'as a false knight
Or evil king before my lance if lance
Were mine to useO senseless cataract；
Bearing all down in thy precipitancy
And yet thou art but swollen with cold snows
And mine is living blood： thou dost His will；
The Maker's； and not knowest； and I that know；
Have strength and wit； in my good mother's hall
Linger with vacillating obedience；
Prisoned； and kept and coaxed and whistled to
Since the good mother holds me still a child！
Good mother is bad mother unto me！
A worse were better； yet no worse would I。
Heaven yield her for it； but in me put force
To weary her ears with one continuous prayer；
Until she let me fly discaged to sweep
In ever…highering eagle…circles up
To the great Sun of Glory； and thence swoop
Down upon all things base； and dash them dead；
A knight of Arthur； working out his will；
To cleanse the world。 Why； Gawain； when he came
With Modred hither in the summertime；
Asked me to tilt with him； the proven knight。
Modred for want of worthier was the judge。
Then I so shook him in the saddle； he said；
〃Thou hast half prevailed against me；〃 said sohe
Though Modred biting his thin lips was mute；
For he is alway sullen： what care I？'
And Gareth went； and hovering round her chair
Asked； 'Mother； though ye count me still the child；
Sweet mother； d