e juniper;
Who, King, could cast a slur on such?

A cup with mead of hazelnut
Outside my hut in summer shine,
Or ale with herbs from wood and spring
Are worth, O King, thy costliest wine.

Bright bluebells o'er my board I throw--
A lovely show my feast to spangle--
The rushes' radiance, oaklets grey,
Brier-tresses gay, sweet, goodly tangle.

When brilliant summer casts once more
Her cloak of colour o'er the fields,
Sweet-tasting marjoram, pignut, leek,
To all who seek, her verdure yields.

Her bright red-breasted little men
Their lovely music then outpour,
The thrush exults, the cuckoos all
Around her call and call once more.

The bees, earth's small musicians, hum,
No longer dumb, in gentle chorus.
Like echoes faint of that long plaint
The fleeing wild-fowl murmur o'er us.

The wren, an active songster now,
From off the hazel-bough pipes shrill,
Woodpeckers flock in multitudes
With beauteous hoods and beating bill.

With fair white birds, the crane and gull
The fields are full, while cuckoos cry--
No mournful music! Heath-poults dun
Through russet heather sunward fly.

The heifers now with loud delight,
Summer bright, salute thy reign!
Smooth delight for toilsome loss
'Tis now to cross the fertile plain.

The warblings of the wind that sweep
From branchy wood to beaming sky,
The river-falls, the swan's far note--
Delicious music floating by.

Earth's bravest band because unhired,
All day, untired make cheer for me.
In Christ's own eyes of endless youth
Can this same truth be said of thee?

What though in Kingly pleasures now
Beyond all riches thou rejoice,
Content am I my Saviour good
Should on this wood have set my choice.

Without one hour of war or strife
Through all my life at peace I fare;
Where better can I keep my tryst
With our Lord Christ, O brother Guare?

GUARE

My glorious Kingship, yea! and all
My Sire's estates that fall to me,
My Marvan, I would gladly give,
So I might live my life with thee.

ON AENGUS THE CULDEE

Author of the _Felire AEngusa_ or Calendar of Church Festivals. He was a
Saint, his appellation Culdee [Ceile de] meaning "Servant of God." He
lived at the end of the eighth and beginning of the ninth century.

Delightful here at Disert Bethel,
By cold, pure Nore at peace to re