"Drink," said the lady, very still—
"Be holy and cold." He did her will
And drank the starry water chill.
The next pool they came near unto
Was bare of trees; there, only grew
Straight flags, and lilies just a few
Which sullen on the water sate
And leant their faces on the flat,
As weary of the starlight-state.
"Drink," said the lady, grave and slow—
"World's use behoveth thee to know."
He drank the bitter wave below.
The third pool, girt with thorny bushes
And flaunting weeds and reeds and rushes
That winds sang through in mournful gushes,
Was whitely smeared in many a round
By a slow slime; the starlight swound
Over the ghastly light it found.
"Drink," said the lady, sad and slow—
"World's love behoveth thee to know."
He looked to her commanding so;
Her brow was troubled, but her eye
Struck clear to his soul. For all reply
He drank the water suddenly,—
Then, with a deathly sickness, passed
Beside the fourth pool and the last,
Where weights of shadow were downcast
From yew and alder and rank trails
Of nightshade clasping the trunk-scales
And flung across the intervals