And it shall tell thee why it glitters in the morning sky,

And why it scatters its bright beauty through the humid air.

Descend, O little Cloud, and hover before the eyes of Thel."

The Cloud descended; and the Lily bowed her modest head,

And went to mind her numerous charge among the verdant grass.

II.

"O little cloud," the virgin said, I charge thee

tell to me

Why thou complainest not, when in one hour thou fad'st away:

Then we shall seek thee, but not find. Ah! Thel is like to thee

I pass away; yet I complain, and no one hears my voice."

The Cloud then showed his golden head, and his bright form emerged,

Hovering and glittering on the air, before the face of Thel.

“O virgin, know'st thou not our steeds drink of the golden springs

Where Luvah doth renew his horses ! Look'st thou on my youth,

And fearest thou because I vanish and am seen no more?

Nothing remains. O maid, I tell thee, when I

pass away,

It is to tenfold life, to love, to peace, and raptures holy.

Unseen descending weigh my light wings upon balmy flowers,

And court the fair-eyed Dew to take me to her shining tent :

The weeping virgin trembling kneels before the risen sun,

Till we arise, linked in a golden band, and never

part,

N

But walk united, bearing food to all our tender flowers."

"Dost thou, O little Cloud? I fear that I am not like thee;

For I walk through the vales of Har, and smell the sweetest flowers,

But I feed not the little flowers: I hear the

warbling birds,

But I feed not the warbling birds, they fly and seek their food.

But Thel delights in these no more! because I fade away,

And all shall say, 'Without a use this shining woman lived,

Or did she only live to be at death the food of worms?'"

The Cloud reclined upon his airy throne, and answered thus:

"Then if thou art the food of worms, O virgin of the skies,

How great thy use, how great thy blessing! Every

thing that lives

Lives not alone nor for itself.

will call

Fear not, and I

The weak Worm from its lowly bed, and thou shalt hear its voice.

Come forth, Worm of the silent valley, to thy pensive queen."

The helpless Worm arose, and sat upon the Lily's leaf,

And the bright Cloud sailed on to find his partner in the vale.

III.

Then Thel, astonished, viewed the Worm upon its dewy bed.

"Art thou a worm, image of weakness? art thou but a worm?

I see thee, like an infant, wrapped in the Lily's leaf. Ah! weep not, little voice; thou canst not speak, but thou canst weep.

Is this a worm? I see thee lie helpless and naked, weeping,

And none to answer, none to cherish thee with mother's smiles."

The Clod of Clay heard the Worm's voice, and raised her pitying head :

She bowed over the weeping infant, and her life exhaled

In milky fondness: then on Thel she fixed her humble eyes.

"O beauty of the vales of Har! we live not for ourselves.

Thou seest me, the meanest thing, and so I am indeed.

My bosom of itself is cold, and of itself is dark; But He that loves the lowly pours his oil upon my head,

And kisses me, and binds his nuptial bands around my breast,

And says: 'Thou mother of my children, I have loved thee,