he air is mist and the people mist and the rain more
real than they.

And they came to the fount of wonder, and forded the waters
wan,
And the king of Persia and all his armies marched on Masinderan.

And they turned the rivers to blood, and the fields to a ravaged
camp,
And they neared the golden faery town, that burned in the dusk
as a lamp.

And they stood and shouted for joy to see it stand so nigh,
Given into their hands for spoil; and their hearts beat proud
and high.

And the armies longed for the morrow, to conquer the shining
town,
For there was no death in the land, neither any to strike them
down.

The hosts were many in numbers, mighty, and skilled in the
strife,
And they lusted for gold and conquest as the old king lusted for
life.

And, gazing on the golden place, night took them unaware,
And black and windy grew the skies, and black the eddying air

So long the night and black the night that fell upon their eyes,
They quaked with fear, those mighty hosts; the sun would never
rise.

Darkness and deafening sounds confused the black, tempestuous
air,
And no man saw his neighbor's face, nor heard his neighbor's
prayer.

And wild with terror the raging armies fell on each other in
fight,
The ground was strewn with wounded men, mad in the horrible night

Mad with eternal pain, with darkness and stabbing blows
Rained on all sides from invisible hands till the ground was red
as a rose.

And, though he was longing for rest, none ventured to pause from
the strife,
Lest haply another wound be his to poison his hateful life

And the king entreated death; and for peace the armies prayed;
But the gifts of God are everlasting, his word is not gainsaid;

Gold and battle are given the hosts, their boon is turned to a
ban,
And the curse of the king is to reign forever in conquered
Masinderan.
A. MARY F. ROBINSON.

Handy Spandy, Jack-a-Dandy,
Loved plum cake and sugar candy;
He bought some at a grocer's shop
And out he come with a hop.
hop,
hop.

Jocko is a monkey,
Dressed just like a clown;
With the grinding-organ man
He travels round the town.