standing among great trees, and then as an old carline, Birdalone in
stately old age. And when she praises Birdalone's naked body, and speaks
of the desire it shall awaken, praise and desire are innocent because they
would not break the links that chain the days to one another. The desire
seems not other than the desire of the bird for its mate in the heart of
the wood, and we listen to that joyous praise as though a bird watching
its plumage in still water had begun to sing in its joy, or as if we heard
hawk praising hawk in the middle air, and because it is the praise of one
made for all noble life and not for pleasure only, it seems, though it is
the praise of the body, that it is the noblest praise.

Birdalone has never seen her image but in 'a broad latten-dish,' so the
wood woman must tell her of her body and praise it.

'Thus it is with thee; thou standest before me a tall and slim maiden,
somewhat thin as befitteth thy seventeen summers; where thy flesh is bare
of wont, as thy throat and thine arms and thy legs from the middle down,
it is tanned a beauteous colour, but otherwhere it is even as fair a
white, wholesome and clean as if the golden sunlight which fulfilleth the
promise of the earth were playing therein.... Delicate and clean-made is
the little trench that goeth from thy mouth to thy lips, and sweet it is,
and there is more might in it than in sweet words spoken. Thy lips they
are of the finest fashion, yet rather thin than full; and some would not
have it so; but I would, whereas I see therein a sign of thy valiancy and
friendliness. Surely he who did thy carven chin had a mind to a master
work and did no less. Great was the deftness of thine imaginer, and he
would have all folk who see thee wonder at thy deep thinking and thy
carefulness and thy kindness. Ah, maiden! is it so that thy thoughts are
ever deep and solemn? Yet at least I know it of thee that they be hale
and true and sweet.

'My friend, when thou hast a mirror, some of all this shalt thou see, but
not all; and when thou hast a lover some deal wilt thou hear, but not all.
But now thy she-friend may tell it thee all, if she have eyes to see it,
as have I; whereas no man could say so much of thee before the mere love
should overtake him, and turn his speech into the folly of love and the
madness of desire.'

All his good women, whether it is Danae in her tower, or that woman in
_The Wood beyond the World_ who can make the withered flow