blank reverse) pp. 1-2; Title-page, as above (with a note regarding the
American copyright upon the centre of the reverse) pp. 3-4; and Text of
the _Ballads_ pp. 5-27. There are head-lines throughout, each page being
headed with the title of the particular _Ballad_ occupying it. Upon the
reverse of p. 27 is the following imprint: "_London_: / _Printed for
Thomas J. Wise_, _Hampstead_, _N. W._ / _Edition limited to Thirty
Copies_." The signatures are A (a quarter-sheet of 2 leaves), B (a
half-sheet of 4 leaves), and C (a full sheet of 8 leaves), all inset
within each other.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the
title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 8.5 x 6.875
inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

_Contents_.

PAGE

THE NIGHTINGALE, OR THE TRANSFORMED DAMSEL. [_I know 5
where stands a Castellaye_]

THE VALKYRIE AND RAVEN. [_Ye men wearing bracelets_] 11

Previously printed in _Once a Week_, _August_ 2_nd_,
1862, pp. 152-156, where the Ballad was accompanied by a
full-page Illustration engraved upon wood. [_See post_,
pp. 302-305.]

ERIK EMUN AND SIR PLOG. [_Early at morn the lark sang 21
gay_]

THE ELVES. [_Take heed_, _good people_, _of yourselves_] 25

There are two Manuscripts of _The Elves_ available. So
far as the body of the poem is concerned the texts of
these are identical, the fifth line alone differing
materially in each. This line, as printed, reads:

_The lass he woo' d_, _her promise won_.

In the earlier of the two MSS. it reads:

_Inflamed with passion her he woo'd_.

A cancelled reading of the same MS. runs:

_Whom when he saw the peasant woo'd_.

But the Ballad is furnished with a repeated refrain.
This refrain in the printed version reads:

_Take heed_, _good people_, _of yourselves_;
_And oh_! _beware ye of the elves_.

In the earlier MS. the refrain employed is:

'_Tis wonderful the Lord can brook_
_The insolence of the fairy folk_!

A reduced facsimile of the first page of the later MS.
will be found facing the present page.

The entire poem should be compared with _The Elf Bride_,
printed in _The Brother Avenged and Other Ballads_, 1913,
pp. 21-22.

FERIDUN. [_No face of an Angel could Feridun claim_]