IV

And next, fair Amo's handmaid—she
Whose gaze of wondering curious glee
Would Ranolf's gestures, looks—pursue,
So pleasant seemed they, strange and new;
Who, if his lively, joyous glance
Alit upon the little maid,
Would start half-back, as if afraid
And half-disposed to run away,
With look averted though so gay,
And face half-hidden, and a play
Of giggling blushes, bright and shy;
Then with brown eyes—that all the day
Would else with mirth and mischief dance,
page 119 Keeping a sheltering friend close by,
Would snatch a serious look askance,
As quickly turned aside again
Lest she be caught in that assay;—
All with an artless sympathy,
An interest undisguised and plain—
Such fresh unconscious coquetry!
Though little noticed by the rest
Because with fancies of their own,
Thoughts, feelings hitherto unknown,
Too much amused and prepossest;
This shy and saucy Miroa told,
With fluttering breath, slight-heaving breast,
Looking at any but the guest
To whom her story was addrest
How merry Rona, reckless, bold,
Wetting one evening in a stream
The leaves to make her oven steam.
Cursed the fair innocent Moon aloud,
Because she hid behind a cloud,
And Rona when the light was gone,
Struck her foot against a stone;
And how the solemn Moon in anger came
Broadening and reddening down, and wound
Her bright entangling beams around
The affrighted Maid in vain resisting,
Like a vast Cuttlefish around her twisting
A hundred writhing trunks of chilly flame;
Then rose with basket, Maid and all,
And fixed them in her amber ball—"
And this is fact for certain—doubt who will,
Wait only till the Moon shall fill
Her horns—there's Rona with her basket still!"
page 120 "A pretty fancy, pretty one!"
Said Ranolf when the tale was done;
"Come here, my child—let me repay
Your story—it will suit your hair
This ribbon, though not half so gay,
So beauteous as the wreath you wear."
And as the laughing girls beside,
Caught, pushed her forward, held her there,
The ribbon round her head he tied,
For some such purpose brought; while she
A-tremble with delighted pride,
With pettish mock reproaches, aimed
At them, not him, seemed, half-ashamed,
Half-angry, struggling to get free.