*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 69842 ***

[Illustration: ÆGLE AND THE ELF]

[Illustration: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTERS]




[Illustration]




                            ÆGLE AND THE ELF.

                                A FANTASY.

                                    BY
                             M. B. M. TOLAND,
    AUTHOR OF “SIR RAE,” “IRIS,” “ONTI ORA,” “THE INCA PRINCESS,” ETC.

                               ILLUSTRATED
       WITH PHOTOGRAVURES OF ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY EMINENT ARTISTS.

                              PHILADELPHIA:
                        J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.
               LONDON: 10 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
                                  1887.

              COPYRIGHT, 1886, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY.




[Illustration: DESIGNS.]




[Illustration: LIST OF DRAWINGS]


    THE NYMPH’S CAVERNED CELL                  _Frontispiece._

    _Modelled by Theodor Baur._


    THE MOONBEAMS WERE LIGHTING THE WATERY WAY       PAGE 13

    _Drawn by Wm. St. John Harper._


    THE LOVELY YOUNG NAIADS WERE SWAYING THE TREE         17

    _Drawn by H. Siddons Mowbray._


    WHEN LO! A FAIR VISION AROSE ON THE TIDE              21

    _Drawn by F. S. Church._


    SURPRISING A YOUNG WOODLAND ELF                       25

    _Drawn by F. S. Church._


    ON A TREE-TOP HE SAT, WITH A QUIZZICAL FACE           29

    _Drawn by W. Hamilton Gibson._


    SEEMED WAVING HER FORM FROM HIS SIGHT                 33

    _Drawn by Wm. St. John Harper._


    THREE LOVELY YOUNG NAIADS AROSE ON THE TIDE           37

    _Drawn by S. W. Van Schaick._


    HE BLINDLY PLUNGED INTO THE TIDE                      41

    _Drawn by H. Siddons Mowbray._


    THE NAIADS HAD VANISHED LIKE FLASHES OF LIGHT         45

    _Drawn by Jessie Shepherd._


    “YOUNG ELFIN, THYSELF IN THY ELEMENT KEEP!”           49

    _Drawn by Jessie Shepherd._


    ALL DRIPPING AND SKIPPING HE O’ER THE BANK SPED       53

    _Drawn by W. Hamilton Gibson._


    I SUDDENLY WOKE FROM MY NAP BY THE STREAM             57

    _Drawn by Wm. St. John Harper._


    DECORATIVE DESIGNS.

    _Drawn by René T. Quelin._




[Illustration: ÆGLE


    The moonbeams were lighting the watery way,
                That rimpled
                And dimpled,—
            The Nymphs were at play;
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    ’Neath willows whose branches were kissing the stream
                So lightly
                And brightly,
            It almost would seem

    The lovely young Naiads were swaying the tree,
                To lash it
                And dash it,
            In frolicking glee.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    I rested my oars on my frail little boat,
                Still gliding,
                Dividing
            The cresses afloat.

    When lo! a fair vision arose on the tide;
                A maiden
                All laden
            With lilies to hide
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    Her love-dimpled blushes from glances too bold;
                A daughter
                Of water,
            Like Venus of old.

    She stood for one moment admiring herself;
                Uprising,
                Surprising
            A young woodland Elf,
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    Who left his own forest in mirth-loving glee,
                To ramble
                And gambol
            In wild ecstasy.

    On a tree-top he sat, with a quizzical face,
                Ne’er tiring
                Admiring
            The beauty and grace
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    Of Ægle, who saw, mirrored close by her side,
                The young Elf
                By herself
            Impressed on the tide.

    She instantly sank amid ripples of light,
                That, laving,
                Seemed waving
            Her form from his sight.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    Three lovely young Naiads arose on the tide,
                While swimming
                Were trimming
            And drawing aside

    A budding branch, cedar, that shaded so well,
                Reposing,
                And closing
            The Nymph’s caverned cell.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    So charming she looked in her fairy-queen pride,
                And kindly,
                He blindly
            Plunged into the tide.

    The water was instantly lashed into spray;
                Half drowning,
                And frowning,
            The Elf got away.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    The Naiads had vanished like flashes of light;
                No daughter
                Of water
            Condoled his sad plight.

    But ripples of laughter were heard everywhere,
                With singing
                And ringing
            Of fairy-bells there.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    The echoes trilled back from the grottos down deep,
                “Young Elfin,
                Thyself in
            Thy element keep!”

    Then home to his wild-wood returned the young Elf
                Most gladly,
                Though madly,
            While drying himself.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    He plumed his gay cap on his queer little head,
                All dripping
                And skipping
            He o’er the bank sped.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

    I suddenly woke from my nap by the stream,
                Astounded!
                Confounded!
            Behold! ’Twas a dream.
]

[Illustration]

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 69842 ***