Bent, to the first he spake, "Something doth tell
Me that to-day my jewelled crown should lie
Upon thy brow, that it be proven well
How any man may be a king thereby."
And to the second, "Still the same hath told
That thou shalt don this robe of royalty,
And"—to the third—"that thou this sceptre hold
To show a king to such a man as I!"
And straightway it was done. Then Izza spake
Unto the guards and said, "Go! Bring thee now
From out the city wall a child to make
Its first obeisance to the King. Speed thou!"
In Izza's name, Izza, the great and good,
Went this strange word 'mid stir and trumpet's ring,
And straightway came along and wondering stood
A child within the presence of the King.
The King? Her dark eyes, flashing, fearless gazed
To where 'mid pomp and splendor three there sate.
One, 'neath a glittering crown, shrunk sore amazed;
One cringed upon the carven throne of state,
The third, wrapped with a royal robe, hung low
His head in awkward shame, and could not see
Beyond the blazoned hem, that was to show
How any man thus garbed a king might be!
Wondering, paused the child, then turned to where
One stood apart, his arms across his breast;
No crown upon the silver of his hair,
Black-gowned and still, of stately mien possessed;
No 'broidered robe nor gemmed device to tell
Whose was that brow, majestic with its mind;
But lo, one look, and straight she prostrate fell
Before great Izza, kingliest of his kind!
* * * * *
Around the shining Well, at close of day,
Beyond the desert, 'neath the palms' green ring,
Three stopped to quaff a draught and paused to say
"Life to great Izza! Long may he be King!"