Night is come; no moon, no stars, Only the light of the snow!

But behold a fire in the cave of the hill A heart-reviving fire; And thither with strength renewed Thalaba presses on.

He found a Woman in the cave, A solitary Woman, Who by the fire was spinning And singing as she spun.

The pine boughs they blazed chearfully And her face was bright with the flame.

Her face was as a Damsel's face And yet her hair was grey.

She bade him welcome with a smile And still continued spinning And singing as she spun.

The thread the Woman drew Was finer than the silkworm's, Was finer than the gossamer.

The song she sung was low and sweet And Thalaba knew not the words.

He laid his bow before the hearth, For the string was frozen stiff.

He took the quiver from his neck, For the arrow plumes were iced.

Then as the chearful fire Revived his languid limbs, The adventurer asked for food.

The Woman answered him, And still her speech was song, "The She Bear she dwells near to me, "And she hath cubs, one, two and three.

"She hunts the deer and brings him here, "And then with her I make good cheer, "And she to the chase is gone "And she will be here anon."

She ceased from her work as she spake, And when she had answered him, Again her fingers twirled the thread And again the Woman began In low, sweet, tones to sing The unintelligible song.

The thread she spun it gleamed like gold In the light of the odorous fire, And yet so wonderous thin, That save when the light shone on it It could not be seen by the eye.

The youth sate watching it, And she beheld his wonder.

And then again she spake to him And still her speech was song, "Now twine it round thy hands I say, "Now twine it round thy hands I pray, "My thread is small, my thread is fine, "But he must be "A stronger than thee, "Who can break this thread of mine!"

And up she raised her bright blue eyes And sweetly she smiled on him, And he conceived no ill.

And round and round his right hand, And round and round his left, He wound the thread so fine.

And then again the Woman spake, And still her speech was song, "Now thy strength, O Stranger, strain, "Now then break the slender chain."

Thalaba strove, but the thread Was woven by magic hands, And in his cheek the flush of shame Arose, commixt with fear.

She beheld and laughed at him, And then again she sung, "My thread is small, my thread is fine, "But he must be "A stronger than thee "Who can break this thread of mine."

And up she raised her bright blue eyes And fiercely she smiled on him, "I thank thee, I thank thee, Hodeirah's Son!

"I thank thee for doing what can't be undone, "For binding thyself in the chain I have spun!"

Then from his head she wrenched A lock of his raven hair, And cast it in the fire And cried aloud as it burnt, "Sister! Sister! hear my voice!

"Sister! Sister! come and rejoice, "The web is spun, "The prize is won, "The work is done, "For I have made captive Hoderiah's Son."

Borne in her magic car The Sister Sorceress came, Khawla, the fiercest of the Sorcerer brood.

She gazed upon the youth, She bade him break the slender thread, She laughed aloud for scorn, She clapt her hands for joy.

The She Bear from the chase came in, She bore the prey in her b.l.o.o.d.y mouth, She laid it at Maimuna's feet, And she looked up with wistful eyes As if to ask her share.

"There! there!" quoth Maimuna And pointing to the prisoner youth She spurned him with her foot, And bade her make her meal.

But soon their mockery failed them And anger and shame arose, For the She Bear fawned on Thalaba And quietly licked his hand.

The grey haired Sorceress stamped the ground And called a Spirit up, "Shall we bear the Enemy "To the dungeon dens below?"

SPIRIT.

Woe! woe! to our Empire woe!

If ever he tread the caverns below.

MAIMUNA.

Shall we leave him fettered here With hunger and cold to die?

SPIRIT.

Away from thy lonely dwelling fly!

Here I see a danger nigh That he should live and thou shouldst die.

MAIMUNA.

Whither must we bear the foe?

SPIRIT.

To Mohareb's island go, There shalt thou secure the foe, There prevent thy future woe.

Then in the Car they threw The fettered Thalaba, And took their seats, and set Their feet upon his neck, Maimuna held the reins And Khawla shook the scourge And away![143] away! away!

They were no steeds of mortal race That drew the magic car With the swiftness of feet and of wings.

The snow-dust rises behind them, The ice-rocks splinters fly, And hark! in the valley below The sound of their chariot wheels And they are far over the mountains.

Away! away! away!

The Demons of the air Shout their joy as the Sisters pa.s.s, The Ghosts of the Wicked that wander by night Flit over the magic car.

Away! away! away!

Over the hills and the plains Over the rivers and rocks, Over the sands of the sh.o.r.e; The waves of ocean heave Under the magic steeds, With unwet hoofs they trample the deep And now they reach the Island coast, And away to the city the Monarch's abode.

Open fly the city gates, Open fly the iron doors The doors of the palace court.

Then stopt the charmed car.

The Monarch heard the chariot wheels And forth he came to greet The Mistress whom he served.

He knew the captive youth, And Thalaba beheld Mohareb in[144] the robes of royalty, Whom erst his arm had thrust Down the bitumen pit.

The Ninth Book.

_THALABA THE DESTROYER._

_THE NINTH BOOK._

"Go up, my Sister Maimuna, "Go up, and read the stars!"

Lo! on the terrace of the topmost tower She stands; her darkening eyes, Her fine face raised to heaven, Her white hair flowing like the silver streams That streak the northern night.

They hear her coming tread, They lift their asking eyes, Her face is serious, her unwilling lips Slow to the tale of ill.

"What hast thou read? what hast thou read?"

Quoth Khawla in alarm.

"Danger ... death ... judgement!" Maimuna replied.

"Is that the language of the lights of Heaven?"