With　veer　of　wind；　and　all　are　flowers　again；
  So　dame　and　damsel　cast　the　simple　white；
  And　glowing　in　all　colours；　the　live　grass；
  Rose…campion；　bluebell；　kingcup；　poppy；　glanced
  About　the　revels；　and　with　mirth　so　loud
  Beyond　all　use；　that；　half…amazed；　the　Queen；
  And　wroth　at　Tristram　and　the　lawless　jousts；
  Brake　up　their　sports；　then　slowly　to　her　bower
  Parted；　and　in　her　bosom　pain　was　lord。
  And　little　Dagonet　on　the　morrow　morn；
  High　over　all　the　yellowing　Autumn…tide；
  Danced　like　a　withered　leaf　before　the　hall。
  Then　Tristram　saying；　'Why　skip　ye　so；　Sir　Fool？'
  Wheeled　round　on　either　heel；　Dagonet　replied；
  'Belike　for　lack　of　wiser　company；
  Or　being　fool；　and　seeing　too　much　wit
  Makes　the　world　rotten；　why；　belike　I　skip
  To　know　myself　the　wisest　knight　of　all。'
  'Ay；　fool；'　said　Tristram；　'but　'tis　eating　dry
  To　dance　without　a　catch；　a　roundelay
  To　dance　to。'　　Then　he　twangled　on　his　harp；
  And　while　he　twangled　little　Dagonet　stood
  Quiet　as　any　water…sodden　log
  Stayed　in　the　wandering　warble　of　a　brook；
  But　when　the　twangling　ended；　skipt　again；
  And　being　asked；　'Why　skipt　ye　not；　Sir　Fool？'
  Made　answer；　'I　had　liefer　twenty　years
  Skip　to　the　broken　music　of　my　brains
  Than　any　broken　music　thou　canst　make。'
  Then　Tristram；　waiting　for　the　quip　to　come；
  'Good　now；　what　music　have　I　broken；　fool？'
  And　little　Dagonet；　skipping；　'Arthur；　the　King's；
  For　when　thou　playest　that　air　with　Queen　Isolt；
  Thou　makest　broken　music　with　thy　bride；
  Her　daintier　namesake　down　in　Brittany
  And　so　thou　breakest　Arthur's　music　too。'
  'Save　for　that　broken　music　in　thy　brains；
  Sir　Fool；'　said　Tristram；　'I　would　break　thy　head。
  Fool；　I　came　too　late；　the　heathen　wars　were　o'er；
  The　life　had　flown；　we　sware　but　by　the　shell
  I　am　but　a　fool　to　reason　with　a　fool
  Come；　thou　art　crabbed　and　sour：　　but　lean　me　down；
  Sir　Dagonet；　one　of　thy　long　asses'　ears；
  And　harken　if　my　music　be　not　true。
  '〃Free　lovefree　fieldwe　love　but　while　we　may：
  The　woods　are　hushed；　their　music　is　no　more：
  The　leaf　is　dead；　the　yearning　past　away：
  New　leaf；　new　lifethe　days　of　frost　are　o'er：
  New　life；　new　love；　to　suit　the　newer　day：
  New　loves　are　sweet　as　those　that　went　before：
  Free　lovefree　fieldwe　love　but　while　we　may。〃
  'Ye　might　have　moved　slow…measure　to　my　tune；
  Not　stood　stockstill。　　I　made　it　in　the　woods；
  And　heard　it　ring　as　true　as　tested　gold。'
  But　Dagonet　with　one　foot　poised　in　his　hand；
  'Friend；　did　ye　mark　that　fountain　yesterday
  Made　to　run　wine？but　this　had　run　itself
  All　out　like　a　long　life　to　a　sour　end
  And　them　that　round　it　sat　with　golden　cups
  To　hand　the　wine　to　whosoever　came
  The　twelve　small　damosels　white　as　Innocence；
  In　honour　of　poor　Innocence　the　babe；
  Who　left　the　gems　which　Innocence　the　Queen
  Lent　to　the　King；　and　Innocence　the　King
  Gave　for　a　prizeand　one　of　those　white　slips
  Handed　her　cup　and　piped；　the　pretty　one；
  〃Drink；　drink；　Sir　Fool；〃　and　thereupon　I　drank；
  Spatpishthe　cup　was　gold；　the　draught　was　mud。'
  And　Tristram；　'Was　it　muddier　than　thy　gibes？
  Is　all　the　laughter　gone　dead　out　of　thee？
  Not　marking　how　the　knighthood　mock　thee；　fool
  〃Fear　God：　　honour　the　Kinghis　one　true　knight
  Sole　follower　of　the　vows〃for　here　be　they
  Who　knew　thee　swine　enow　before　I　came；
  Smuttier　than　blasted　grain：　　but　when　the　King
  Had　made　thee　fool；　thy　vanity　so　shot　up
  It　frighted　all　free　fool　from　out　thy　heart；
  Which　left　thee　less　than　fool；　and　less　than　swine；
  A　naked　aughtyet　swine　I　hold　thee　still；
  For　I　have　flung　thee　pearls　and　find　thee　swine。'
  And　little　Dagonet　mincing　with　his　feet；
  'Knight；　an　ye　fling　those　rubies　round　my　neck
  In　lieu　of　hers；　I'll　hold　thou　hast　some　touch
  Of　music；　since　I　care　not　for　thy　pearls。
  Swine？　　I　have　wallowed；　I　have　washedthe　world
  Is　flesh　and　shadowI　have　had　my　day。
  The　dirty　nurse；　Experience；　in　her　kind
  Hath　fouled　mean　I　wallowed；　then　I　washed
  I　have　had　my　day　and　my　philosophies
  And　thank　the　Lord　I　am　King　Arthur's　fool。
  Swine；　say　ye？　swine；　goats；　asses；　rams　and　geese
  Trooped　round　a　Paynim　harper　once；　who　thrummed
  On　such　a　wire　as　musically　as　thou
  Some　such　fine　songbut　never　a　king's　fool。'
  And　Tristram；　'Then　were　swine；　goats；　asses；　geese
  The　wiser　fools；　seeing　thy　Paynim　bard
  Had　such　a　mastery　of　his　mystery
  That　he　could　harp　his　wife　up　out　of　hell。'
  Then　Dagonet；　turning　on　the　ball　of　his　foot；
  'And　whither　harp'st　thou　thine？　down！　and　thyself
  Down！　and　two　more：　　a　helpful　harper　thou；
  That　harpest　downward！　　Dost　thou　know　the　star
  We　call　the　harp　of　Arthur　up　in　heaven？'
  And　Tristram；　'Ay；　Sir　Fool；　for　when　our　King
  Was　victor　wellnigh　day　by　day；　the　knights；
  Glorying　in　each　new　glory；　set　his　name
  High　on　all　hills；　and　in　the　signs　of　heaven。'
  And　Dagonet　answered；　'Ay；　and　when　the　land
  Was　freed；　and　the　Queen　false；　ye　set　yourself
  To　babble　about　him；　all　to　show　your　wit
  And　whether　he　were　King　by　courtesy；
  Or　King　by　rightand　so　went　harping　down
  The　black　king's　highway；　got　so　far；　and　grew
  So　witty　that　ye　played　at　ducks　and　drakes
  With　Arthur's　vows　on　the　great　lake　of　fire。
  Tuwhoo！　do　ye　see　it？　do　ye　see　the　star？'
  'Nay；　fool；'　said　Tristram；　'not　in　open　day。'
  And　Dagonet；　'Nay；　nor　will：　　I　see　it　and　hear。
  It　makes　a　silent　music　up　in　heaven；
  And　I；　and　Arthur　and　the　angels　hear；
  And　then　we　skip。'　　'Lo；　fool；'　he　said；　'ye　talk
  Fool's　treason：　　is　the　King　thy　brother　fool？'
  Then　little　Dagonet　clapt　his　hands　and　shrilled；
  'Ay；　ay；　my　brother　fool；　the　king　of　fools！
  Conceits　himself　as　God　that　he　can　make
  Figs　out　of　thistles；　silk　from　bristles；　milk
  From　burning　spurge；　honey　from　hornet…combs；
  And　men　from　beastsLong　live　the　king　of　fools！'
  And　down　the　city　Dagonet　danced　away；
  But　through　the　slowly…mellowing　avenues
  And　solitary　passes　of　the　wood
  Rode　Tristram　toward　Lyonnesse　and　the　west。
  Before　him　fled　the　face　of　Queen　Isolt
  With　ruby…circled　neck；　but　evermore
  Past；　as　a　rustle　or　twitter　in　the　wood
  Made　dull　his　inner；　keen　his　outer　eye
  For　all　that　walked；　or　crept；　or　perched；　or　flew。
  Anon　the　face；　as；　when　a　gust　hath　blown；
  Unruffling　waters　re…collect　the　shape
  Of　one　that　in　them　sees　himself；　returned；
  But　at　the　slot　or　fewmets　of　a　deer；
  Or　even　a　fallen　feather；　vanished　again。
  So　on　for　all　that　day　from　lawn　to　lawn
  Through　many　a　league…long　bower　he　rode。　　At　length
  A　lodge　of　intertwisted　beechen…boughs
  Furze…crammed；　and　bracken…rooft；　the　which　himself
  Built　for　a　summer　day　with　Queen　Isolt
  Against　a　shower；　dark　in　the　golden　grove
  Appearing；　sent　his　fancy　back　to　where
  She　lived　a　moon　in　that　low　lodge　with　him：
  Till　Mark　her　lord　had　past；　the　Cornish　King；
  With　six　or　seven；　when　Tristram　was　away；
  And　snatched　her　thence；　yet　dreading　worse　than　shame
  Her　warrior　Tristram；　spake　not　any　word；
  But　bode　his　hour；　devising　wretchedness。
  And　now　that　desert　lodge　to　Tristram　lookt
  So　sweet；　that　halting；　in　he　past；　and　sank
  Down　on　a　drift　of　foliage　random…blown；
  But　could　not　rest　for　musing　how　to　smoothe
  And　sleek　his　marriage　over　to　the　Queen。
  Perchance　in　lone　Tintagil　far　from　all
  The　tonguesters　of　the　court　she　had　not　heard。
  But　then　what　folly　had　sent　him　overseas
  After　she　left　him　lonely　here？　a　name？
  Was　it　the　name　of　one　in　Brittany；
  Isolt；　the　daughter　of　the　King？　　'Isolt
  Of　the　white　hands'　they　called　her：　　the　sweet　name
  Allured　him　first；　and　then　the　maid　herself；
  Who　served　him　well　with　those　white　hands　of　hers；
  And　loved　him　well；　until　himself　had　thought
  He　loved　her　also；　wedded　easily；
  But　left　her　all　as　easily；　and　returned。
  The　black…blue　Irish　hair　and　Irish　eyes
  Had　drawn　him　homewhat　marvel？　then　he　laid
  His　brows　upon　the　drifted　leaf　and　dreamed。
  He　seemed　to　pace　the　strand　of　Brittany
  Between　Isolt　of　Britain　and　his　bride；
  And　showed　them　both　the　ruby…chain；　and　both
  Began　to　struggle　for　it；　till　his　Queen
  Graspt　it　so　hard；　that　all　her　hand　was　red。
  Then　cried　the　Breton；　'Look；　her　hand　is　red！
  These　be　no　rubies；　this　is　frozen　blood；
  And　melts　within　her　handher　hand　is　hot
  With　ill　desires；　but　this　I　gave　thee；　look；
  Is　all　as　cool　and　white　as　any　flower。'
  Followed　a　rush　of　eagle's　wings；　and　then
  A　whimpering　of　the　spirit　of　the　child；
  Because　the　twain　had　spoiled　her　carcanet。
  He　dreamed；　but　Arthur　with　a　hundred　spears
  Rode　far；　till　o'er　the　illimitable　reed；
  And　many　a　glancing　plash　and　sallowy　isle；
  The　wide…winged　sunset　of　the　misty　marsh
  Glared　on　a　huge　machicolated　tower
  That　stood　with　open　doors；　whereout　was　rolled
  A　roar　of　riot；　as　from　men　secure
  Amid　their　marshes；　ruffians　at　their　ease
  Among　their　harlot…brides；　an　evil　song。
  'Lo　there；'　said　one　of　Arthur's　youth；　for　there；
  High　on　a　grim　dead　tree　before　the　tower；
  A　goodly　brother　of　the　Table　Round
  Swung　by　the　neck：　　and　on　the　boughs　a　shield
  Showing　a　shower　of　blood　in　a　field　noir；
  And　therebeside　a　horn；　inflamed　the　knights
  At　that　dishonour　done　the　gilded　spur；
  Till　each　would　clash　the　shield；　and　blow　the　horn。
  But　Arthur　waved　them　back。　　Alone　he　rode。
  Then　at　the　dry　har