es of achievements dread, of battles, deaths,
Had they to speak, while, with pleased ear intent,
Their sovereign listened.

One warrior ghoul
With crispy locks and frosty eyes, and breath
Chiller than death's,--naked, as scorning e'en
To wear the trophies of his fierce renown--
Before the Presence stood, and told in haste,--
As half impatient of the wish to boast,
Yet proud to serve so well--how he was called
WOLE, guardian of old Thug;--how from the South
Came, ploughing slowly through the unwilling sea,
A ship, crowded with mortals from that land;
How, boldly, in defiance of commands
Sent out by skirmishing Frosts, they still drew near,
Passing the outer line of her domains;
Daring to come, with their invading eyes,
Where never mortals else had looked and lived.
He told,--and here he glanced, upon his friends,
Eyes of bright scorn--how the imperious ship
Passed safely Tug and Dor, though all the guards
Shot barbs of ice, and filled the air with fine,
Invisible needles, piercing their pained flesh,
And tore their stiffening sails with sharp-teethed winds;
How, still, the ship pressed on where He kept watch,
Ready to do new service for his Queen:
How, as it closer came, he fixed his eyes
Relentlessly upon it, till nor hand,
Nor foot, nor eyelid of the fated crew
Had power to stir, nor even the sails to flap,
While banded winds which he sent forth, still drove
The doomed ones onward to the eager shore,
Where every soul had perished, one by one.

"Thou hast done well, old WOLE," Queen OENE said.

Stepping a pace in front of her companions,
With bashful cheek, but with a kindling eye--
"'Tis not for one like me to have a thought
In thy rare presence, Queen," KOLONA said,--
"Yet I would dare to tell thee what I saw
Only a moon ago, when a wild freak
Possessed me to go voyaging alone,
Across the sea, to find what curious things
The other shore might hold. My lily bark,
Being too frail for such a venturous cruise
I borrowed GONDOR's boat of nautilus' shells,
Put up my lua-leaf sail and swiftly sped
Across the ocean, till this level isle
Grew smaller than a star. The air grew cold:--
I almost shivered in my bird's-down mantle;
But when I neared the opposing shore, the sight
Of all its sn