Collected Poems Volume II Part 59

Shadow-of-a-Leaf, some change Is creeping o'er the forest. I myself Scarce laugh so much since Robin went away!

Oh, my head hangs as heavily as a violet Brimmed with the rain. Shadow-of-a-Leaf, a cloud, A whisper steals across this listening wood!

I am growing afraid. Dear fool, I am thy Puck, But I am growing afraid there comes an end To all our Sherwood revels, and I shall never Tease thee again.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Here comes the King!

[_Enter OBERON._]

Hail, Oberon.

King of the fairies, I strew ferns before you.

There are no palms here: ferns do just as well!

OBERON

Shadow-of-a-Leaf, our battles all are wasted; Our fairy dreams whereby we strove to warn Robin and Marian, wasted. Shadow-of-a-Leaf, Dear Robin Hood, the lover of the poor, And kind Maid Marian, our forest queen, Are in the toils at last!

[_He pauses._]

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Speak, speak!

OBERON

Prince John Hath trapped and taken Robin.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Is not Richard King of this England? Did not Richard tempt Robin, for Marian's sake, to leave the forest?

Did he not swear upon the Holy Cross That Robin should be Earl of Huntingdon And hold his lands in safety?

OBERON

Only fear Of Richard held the wicked Prince in leash.

But Richard roamed abroad again. Prince John Would murder Robin secretly.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Wise men Fight too much for these holy sepulchres!

Are not the living images of G.o.d Better than empty graves?

OBERON

One grave is filled Now; for our fairy couriers have brought Tidings that Richard Lion-Heart is dead.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Dead?

OBERON

Dead! In a few brief hours the news will reach The wicked Prince. He will be King of England, With Marian in his power!

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

No way to save them!

OBERON

We cannot break our fairy vows of silence.

A mortal, Shadow-of-a-Leaf, can break those vows, But only on pain of death.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Oberon, I, Shadow-of-a-Leaf, the fool, must break my vows!

I must save Robin Hood that he may save Marian from worse than death.

OBERON

Shadow-of-a-Leaf, Think what death means to you, never to join Our happy sports again, never to see The moonlight streaming through these ancient oaks Again, never to pa.s.s the fairy gates Again. We cannot help it. They will close Like iron in your face, and you will hear Our happy songs within; but you will lie Alone, without, dying, and never a word To comfort you, no hand to touch your brow.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

So be it. I shall see them entering in!

The time is brief. Quick, tell me, where is Robin?

Quick, or the news that makes Prince John a king Will ruin all.

OBERON

Robin is even now Thrust in the great dark tower beyond the wood, The topmost cell where foot can never climb.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Cannot an arrow reach it? Ay, be swift; Come, lead me thither.

OBERON

I cannot disobey The word that kills the seed to raise the wheat, The word that--Shadow-of-a-Leaf, I think I know Now, why great kings ride out to the Crusade.

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

Quickly, come, quickly!

[_Exeunt OBERON and SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF. PUCK remains staring after them, then vanishes with a sob, between the trees. LITTLE JOHN and SCARLET appear once more at the mouth of the cave._]

SCARLET