Love is born of the Lily and Rose,
Love in a garden springs;
With maidens pure and bright it grows,
And for all hearts it sings.
How delicious and soothing Shadow Land was! Shadow Land! The Land of Yesterday, To-Day and To-morrow. The Land of Hope, and Joy and Peace. The two children wandered off, as it were, into a dream for a time, and when they gazed again, the garden was more delightful than ever—a joyous blend of Spring and Summer seemed to invade the grounds, while many of the flowers and trees showed slight signs of Autumn tinting. In one corner of the garden a magnificent marble and bronze fountain unexpectedly sprang up through the ground and played unceasingly to the ethereal skies. Merry children danced and played around its base, and lovers young and old promenaded affectionately up and down the innumerable groves, stopping now and then to offer each other a draught of the sparkling water that fell so deliciously into the amber cups.
There were no shadows now. All was bright and glorious; sunlight and pleasure reigned supreme. From the clouds unseen singers sang softly to the people as they passed and repassed, and this was the story of their song:—
In a garden stood a fountain,
Sparkling in the noon-day sun,
Rising like a crystal mountain—
Never ceasing—never done!
Happy children came there playing,
Laughing in their frolic glee;
'Mong the flow'rs and brambles straying,
Tasting life's sweet ecstasy.
O fountain pure and bright,
Dance in the joyous sun;
And sparkle in your might,
Until all life is done.
In the summer came the lovers,
Plighting troth beneath its shade;
Warm heart's secret each discovers—
Happy youth and happy maid!
Plays the fount so soft and featly
In the breeze of waning day,
As the lovers whisper sweetly,
"I will love you, love alway."
O fountain pure and bright,
Dance in the joyous sun;
And sparkle in your might
Until all life is done.
In the winter, cold and dreary,
Cease the waters in their play;
But the lovers, grey and weary,
Seek the tryst of yesterday!
Time and tide flow on for ever,
Heedless of man's joy or pain;
But beyond the tideless river
Trusting hearts will meet again.
O fountain pure and bright,
Dance in the joyous sun;
And sparkle in your might,
Until all life is done.
The voices faded and died away; the scene changed and a purple curtain descended, hiding everything and everybody except the Winny Weg. An extraordinary commotion outside warned the half-dozing children that a fresh flight of goblins might be expected. And sure enough in stalked an army of giants from one side, who were met by an army of dwarfs from the other, the latter on stilts. But the curious thing about them was that the giants had only got one eye, which was stuck on the ends of their noses, while the dwarfs had their eyes where their ears ought to be, and their ears in the place usually reserved for the eyes. Besides which they each had a large horn fixed in the middle of their foreheads.