'Come, Ogresses, and tame her pride.' He spoke; and quicker than the word, Aud the earth shook beneath their tread. Before their lord they humbly bowed, And pressed round Sita in a crowd. To the Asoka garden bear My prize,' he cried, and guard her there, By mingled threat and blandishment: With every flower that charms the sight, Where sweet streams under branches flowed, Beneath a tiger's paw, she lay Thinking of Rama far away. RAMA IN THE SPRING. "I sought thee there, And, mourning for my darling, scarce could bear The beauty and the perfume of the flowers, And all delights of sight, and sound, and smell; KALIDASA. 'Look, brother, at that grove,' he cried, These are the pleasant days that fire When soft winds, breathing balm, dispense Wood odours that enthral the sense, And pour a ceaseless rain of flowers As drops the cloud his summer showers. Is covered with the blooms they shed. A giant clad in burning gold. O happy spring, whom birds rejoice To welcome with their gladdest voice! O happy time, but not to me, For I am wandering far from thee, My darling of the large soft eye. That Koil with his loud shrill cry That the first days of spring inspire, Seems calling, as he cheers his mate, To me all lone and desolate.' See, where the joyous mallard leads His partner through that fringe of reeds. Each happy bird, and none alone, Hails the spring air with gladdest tone, All revelling in bliss alike, The swan, the hawk, the dove, the shrike. The peacock dances round his hen: The mate with whom he loves to play. But Ah! the blissful life around, Each lovely sight, each pleasant sound, With Sita of the roe-deer's eye!' 1 "Thou 'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird That sings beside thy mate." BURNS. TIDINGS OF SITA. As on the breezy hill I stood, That rises o'er the pathless wood, High o'er me flew a monstrous form, Dark as the cloud that heralds storm. I saw the giant's flashing eye; I heard a woman's piteous cry. |