darts the spider quick. And swifter fly
The insect-fleets among the foam; yet think
Not when among the billows wild doth sink
Thy bounding boat, I fear. Nor would I slight
Thy skill, that made it strong, and swift, and light,
And trimmed it gayly, for my sake."
Now near
A jutting shore Prince Eblis drew, where sheer
The brown rocks rose. And just beyond, a slim
Beach of white sand curved to the ocean's brim.
Thereto he came, and high upon the strand
Drew the boat's keel. "Welcome, fair queen, to land
That Eblis rules," he said. "I fain would show
Thee what thou hast not seen in the warm glow
Of thy glad home. This blighted shore of mine
No verdure hath, nor bloom, nor fruits that shine
'Mong drooping boughs. Far inland gloom lone peaks
O'er blackened meads; or from their bare cones leaps
Gaunt, crackling flame; or crawl like ashen veins
The smouldering fires across the stricken plains.
Deep in these yawning caves black shadows lie
That shall be lifted never more. Come, I
Enter! Know thou what treasure by the sea
I gathered other time." Therewith showed he
Hid 'mong the high heaped rocks a dusky grot
Where never sunshine fell. A dismal spot
Where dank the sea-weeds coiled and cold the air
Swept through. And stooping, Eblis downward rolled
Before her webs of woven stuff, in fold
Of purple sheen, enwrought with flecks of gold.
Great wefts of scarlet and of blue, thick strewn
With pearls, or cleft with discs of jacinth stone;
And drifts of silky woof and samite white,
And warps of Orient hues. Eblis light
Wound round her neck a scarf of amber. Wide
Its smooth folds sweeping flowed; and proud he cried,
"Among these hills, in the still loom of night,
I wrought for Lilith's pleasing, all. And bright
Have spun these webs, in blended morning hues
And noontide shades and trail of silver dews--
Hereon have set fair traceries of cloud-shine
And tints of the far vales. The textures fine
Glow with sweet thoughts of thee. And otherwhere
Hast thou such fabrics seen, or colors rare
As these?" Dawned in her eyes a swift delight,
And low she cried, "Oh, wondrous is the sight,
And much it pleaseth me. But yet," she said,
"Beside my knee one morn, its hooded head
A Hage reared. Its gliding shape so near