II. iii. 1. WAR AND PEACE.*

THE wild-geese rose upon the wing, Rustling and napping as they left in haste. So once our men went to the wars, To toil and moil in wilderness and waste. Unhappy men ! and yet unhappier they Who here remained, the widowed and the grey.

The wild-geese rose upon the wing, But rest from flight they found upon the mere. Our men-folk now build up our walls, And all at once a hundred roods they rear. Though toiling still and labouring past their strength, Yet homes we now shall have, and peace at length.

The wild-geese rose upon the wing, With lamentable cry as if distressed. It was this wise and prudent One Who spoke of us as toilers and oppressed. And it was he, the man of little sense, Who spoke of our unbounded insolence !

II. iii. 2. THE KING'S ANXIETY TO BE PUNCTUAL AT THE MORNING AUDIENCE.

How speeds the night ? Scarce yet the half is fled : The great torch gleams out red. Yet will my lords anon be here, Bells tinkling gaily on their gear.

How speeds the night ? Scarce yet is darkness gone : The great torch glimmers on. Yet will my lords anon be here ; Their tinkling bells announce them near,

How speeds the night ? Now towards the morn it turns : No more the great torch burns. And now my lords will soon be here ; Ho, there at last their flags appear !

II. iii. 3. A STATESMAN'S LAMENT ON SEEING THE APATHY OF HIS BROTHER-OFFICERS IN A TIME OF ANARCHY AND TROUBLE.

THERE the rolling river, brimming, Makes the sovereign sea its quest. There the soaring glede kite, hasting, Flees away and finds its rest. But, ah me! of all my brethren, All my friends and countrymen, None will take to heart our troubles. Is there none has parents, then?

See the rolling river, brimming, Dashing, splashing down its bed. See the soaring glede kite, hasting, Mounting up on wings outspread. Pondering on those wayward courses, Restless I arise and stroll, But, alas ! can never banish The great sorrow from my soul.

Swiftly flies the glede kite yonder, Midway by the mountain side. " Spread the people idle stories ? Can the tongues of none be tied?" Ah, my friends, be ye more watchful; Scandal must go far and wide.

II. iii. 4. RANDOM THOUGHTS ON COMMON THINGS.

IN the depths of the marsh though the crane may cry, It is heard in the lands around. In the deep dark pools though the fish may lie, In the shallows may some be found. Yonder lawn may be fragrant with sandal-trees, Yet are withered dead leaves in their shade. And the rocks on the hills that one yonder sees Into polishing-stones may be made.

In the depths of the marsh though the crane may scream, Yet its notes may be heard in the sky. And though fish be found in the shallow stream, There are those that in dark pools lie. Yonder lawn may be fragrant with sandal-trees, But the nettles will grow in their shade. And the rocks on the hills that one yonder sees Serve to polish your gems of jade.

II. iii. 5. COMPLAINT OF THE ROYAL GUARDS ON BEING SENT TO THE FRONTIER *

GRAND Commander! Why be we, the teeth and talons of the King, Moved about, in miserable case, With no longer an abiding place?

Grand Commander! Why be we, the braves, the talons of the King, Moved about, in miserable plight, With the end still hidden from our sight?

Grand Commander! Surely here is lack of judgment shown. Why transport us to this misery, Who have mothers managing the meals alone?

II. iii. 6. “FIGHT WITH THY WISH THE WORLD TO FLEE." *

His spotless snow-white colts shall browse (E'en) on my plot of sprouting corn ; Go tether them, go tie them there, For we must lengthen out this morn. So be their master made aware Here he may rest and banish care.

His spotless snow-white colts shall feed Upon my plot of vetches young ; Go tether them, go tie them them there, And so the morning hours prolong. So to their master manifest That here he is a welcome guest.

Thy spotless snow-white colts and thou Came hither, aye, like sunny glint ! Art thou a duke art thou a prince ? And must have freedom without stint ? 'Ware thou of reckless errantry ! Fight with thy wish the world to flee.

(Methinks I see) the snow-white colts Within some lone sequestered glen, With but one sheaf of new-cut grass, (Beside) their master best of men ! Yet do not, as one hoarding gems or gold, Hold back thy news, nor let thy heart grow cold.

* The writer seeks in vain to detain some officer whom he ad- mires, and to dissuade him against his purpose of retirement from public service. The officer, disgusted with the state of public affairs, meditates leading a hermit-life.

II iii. 7. DISAPPOINTED EMIGRANTS.

YELLOW birds, yellow birds ! Do not crowd the tree-tops ; Come not pecking our crops. From the folk of this land We no welcoming win ; Up, let us return To our country and kin.

Yellow birds, yellow birds ! Not the mulberry-trees. Come not pecking our maize. With the folk of this land Understanding is vain ; Up, let us return To our brethren again.

Yellow birds, yellow birds ! Nor the thicket of thorn. Come not pecking our corn. With the folk of this land We can never remain ; Up, let us return To our fathers again.

* The birds are appealed to, only as leading up to the greater hindrances put in their way by the inhabitants, The paper-mulberry-tree is specified.

J Properly a small species of oak. Variation merely for rhyme. Panicled millet.

1 Lit., paternal uncles, or relatives on the father's side.

II iii. 8. INHOSPITABLE KINSFOLK.

I TOOK my journey o'er the wilds, Where throve the foul Ailantus tree. As thou hadst married kin of mine I thought to go and stay with thee. But since thou thought'st the cost too great,* Back came I to my clan and State.

I took my journey o'er the wilds, And gathered sorrel by the way. As thou hadst married kin of mine, I thought some nights with thee to stay. But since the cost thou canst not bear,* Back homewards I again repair.

I took my journey o'er the wilds, Plucking the pokeweed as I went. Ah, thou forgettest the old ties, Now on a new alliance bent. E'en if not wealth thy object be, 'Tis all the same thou'rt changed to me.

* Since thou didst not provide me with the necessaries of life. f Said to have been built on the accession of King Swan, about 825 B.C.

II. iii. 9. ON THE COMPLETION OF A NEW PALACE.

WHERE gentle slopes lead to the river's rim, And with South Hill as background, distant, dim, (It stands) firm based like cluster of bamboos, With rafters stretching like far-spreading yews. When brother comes to brother in this place, Let loving kindness be the aim of each, Nor one strive other e'er to overreach !

Lo, he who now the heritage acquires, Succeeding to the olden dames and sires, Hath here his palace reared, pile unto pile, With portals looking to the South and West, His future Seat, his future domicile, For sober counsel, as for mirth and jest.

Firmly they fixed the frames, rows straight on rows,* Loud was the thumping of the pounders' blows ; Nor wind nor rain should find admittance there, Nor bird nor rat find crevice anywhere ; A noble dwelling for our Prince uprose.

Here, grave as human form erect, attent, Here, straight as arrow e'er from bow was sent, Here, like as when a bird her wings extends, Here, like the (bright-plumed) pheasant in his flight; - Such is the (audience-hall) 'our Prince ascends.

All smooth and even are the palace-courts, And tall and straight the pillars and supports ; The (chambers) cheerful, flooded here with light, There darkened with recesses, deep and wide ; Here shall our Prince in calm content abide.

With rush-mat 'neath him, bamboo-mat above, So shall his sleep serene and tranquil prove ; So shall he sleep, and, when he quits the bed,

Demand, " Now be my dreams interpreted ; " And whether of these twain good fortune brings : For I have dreamt of brown and grisly bears, Of vipers too, and other snake-like things." When the great Augur then these dreams declares, Thus will he answer : " Brown and grisly bears " Are tokens of the birth to thee of sons. " And vipers and the other serpents tell " Of daughters to be born to thee as well."

* For the adobe walls.

t This verse, exceedingly terse in the original, is intended to describe the architecture of this portion of the palace, its loftiness and dignity, the straight lines of the walls, and the curving roof with its ornamentation and colouring.

208 On Completion of a New Palace.

And it shall be, whenever sons are born,* These shall be laid on beds to sleep and rest ; In loose long robes they also shall be dressed, And sceptrelets be given them for their toys ! And when they cry, what music in the noise ! Once these shall don the scarlet aprons grand, And be the king and princes of the land.

And it shall be, when daughters shall be born, These shall be laid to sleep upon the ground ; In swaddling-bands their bodies shall be bound ; And pots shall be their playthings. 'Twill belong To these to meddle not with right or wrong :f To mind alone the household drinks and food, And cause their parents no solicitude.

II. iii. 10. ON THE PROSPEROUS CONDITION OF THE KING'S FLOCKS AND HEEDS.

AND who shall say thou hast no sheep ? Where hundreds three each flock compose. Or that no cattle thou dost keep ? Where ninety show black mouth and nose. Lo, there thy sheep are coining in, Horned, yet unused to fight or feud ; And there thy kine are coming in, Their ears with (healthy) moisture dewed.

And some are winding down the hill ; Some drinking at the pools their fill ; Some sleep, some wander at their will. And now, behold, thy herdsmen come, Rain-cloak and large round hat in hand, And some with provender behind. There, too, thy victims ready stand, Sorted by thirties of a kind.

Thy herdsmen come, each from his herd, "With loads of wood and sticks to burn, With quarry both of beast and bird. Anon thy flocks of sheep return, All strong and vigorous and bold, All free of ailment, free of harm ; And at a movement of the arm They all betake them to the fold.

And now the herdsmen lie and dream : And people all like fishes seem ! And every snake-and-tortoise-flag Is turned into a falcon-flag ! And the great Augur gives the sense : " The folk as fish" rich years foreshow ; And " tortoise-flag as falcon-flag " Reveals how vast the clans shall grow.