"
Then both of them sang so delightful a song, that the boisterous river
before us
Stood suddenly quiet and placid, as though 't were afraid to disturb the
sweet chorus.
The boisterous stream stood suddenly still, though accustom'd to foam and
to bellow;
And, fearless, the trout play'd along with the pike, and the pike play'd
with him as his fellow.
The fishes, whose dwelling was deep in the flood, up, up from their
caverns did sally;
The gay little birds of the forest began to warble, forthwith, in the
valley.
"Now, listen thou fair-headed swain, and if thou wilt stand up and dance
for a minute,
We'll teach thee to open the sorcerer's book, and to read all the Runic
that's in it.
"The bear and the wolf thou shalt trammel, unto the thick stem of the
oak, at thy pleasure;
Before thee the dragon shall fly from his nest, and shall leave thee sole
lord of his treasure."
Then about and around on the moonlight hill, in their fairy fashion they
sported,
While unmov'd sat the gallant and fair young swain, whom they, in their
wantonness, courted.
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