Sir Launfal awoke as from a swound:—­
    “The Grail in my castle here is found! 
    Hang my idle armor up on the wall, 330
    Let it be the spider’s banquet-hall;
    He must be fenced with stronger mail
    Who would seek and find the Holy Grail.”

X

    The castle gate stands open now,
      And the wanderer is welcome to the hall 335
    As the hangbird is to the elm-tree bough;
      No longer scowl the turrets tall,
    The Summer’s long siege at last is o’er;
    When the first poor outcast went in at the door,
    She entered with him in disguise, 340
    And mastered the fortress by surprise;
    There is no spot she loves so well on ground,
    She lingers and smiles there the whole year round;
    The meanest serf on Sir Launfal’s land
    Has hall and bower at his command; 345
    And there’s no poor man in the North Countree
    But is lord of the earldom as much as he.

THE SHEPHERD OF KING ADMETUS

    There came a youth upon the earth,
      Some thousand years ago,
    Whose slender hands were nothing worth,
    Whether to plow, or reap, or sow.

    He made a lyre, and drew therefrom 5
      Music so strange and rich,
    That all men loved to hear,—­and some
    Muttered of fagots for a witch.

    But King Admetus, one who had
      Pure taste by right divine, 10
    Decreed his singing not too bad
    To hear between the cups of wine.

    And so, well pleased with being soothed
      Into a sweet half-sleep,
    Three times his kingly beard he smoothed. 15
    And made him viceroy o’er his sheep.

    His words were simple words enough,
      And yet he used them so,
    That what in other mouths were rough
    In his seemed musical and low. 20

    Men called him but a shiftless youth,
      In whom no good they saw;
    And yet, unwittingly, in truth,
    They made his careless words their law.

    They knew not how he learned at all, 25
      For, long hour after hour,
    He sat and watched the dead leaves fall,
    Or mused upon a common flower.

    It seemed the loveliness of things
      Did teach him all their use, 30
    For, in mere weeds, and stones, and springs,
    He found a healing power profuse.

    Men granted that his speech was wise,
      But, when a glance they caught
    Of his slim grace and woman’s eyes, 35
    They laughed, and called him good-for-naught.

    Yet after he was dead and gone,
      And e’en his memory dim,
    Earth seemed more sweet to live upon,
    More full of love, because of him. 40