Nought would the raging Tyger's strength avail If once involved within those mighty toils; The arm'd Rhinoceros, so clasp'd, in vain Had trusted to his hide of rugged mail, His bones all broken, and the breath of life Crush'd from the lungs, in that unequal strife. Again, and yet again, he sought to break The impassive limbs; but when the Monster found His utmost power was vain, A moment he relax'd in every round, Then knit his coils again with closer strain, And, bearing forward, forced him to the ground. 16. Ereenia groan'd in anguish at the sight Of this dread fight: once more the Glendoveer Essay'd to break his bonds, and fear For that brave father who had sought him here, And now, with long and unrelaxing strain, Till his immortal sinews fail'd at length; Fall prostrate on his prison-bed of stone, 17. Struggling they lay in mortal fray All day, while day was in our upper sphere, And natural darkness never entered here; And yet no respite, no repose! With mutual rage their war they wage, For when the seventh morning came, 18. Sometimes the Beast sprung up to bear To shake him from his hold, Relax'd the rings that wreath'd him round; But on his throat Ladurlad hung For well he knew with what a power, The Curse had arm'd him for this hour; Well could Ladurlad now descry 19. And now the Beast no more can keep With will relentless follows still; Till lifeless, underneath his grasp, 20. That obstinate work is done; Ladurlad cried, And thoughtfully he eyed And with faint effort, half-despairing, tried The rivets deep in-driven. Instinctively, As if in search of aid, he look'd around: Oh, then how gladly, in the near alcove, Fallen on the ground its lifeless Lord beside, The crescent scymitar he spied, Whose cloudy blade, with potent spells imbued, Had lain so many an age unhurt in solitude. 21. Joyfully springing there He seized the weapon, and with eager stroke Hew'd at the chain; the force was dealt in vain, For not as if through yielding air Pass'd the descending scymitar, Its deaden'd way the heavy water broke ; Yet it bit deep. Again, with both his hands, He wields the blade, and dealt a surer blow. The baser metal yields To that fine edge, and lo! the Glendoveer Rises and snaps the half-sever'd links, and stands Freed from his broken bands. XVII. BALY. 1. THIS is the appointed night, Baly goes forth, that he may walk the Earth Still hymn'd and honour'd by the grateful voice Shaking their firebrands, the glad children run; Baly! great Baly! they acclaim, Where'er they run they bear the mighty name, Where'er they meet, Baly! great Baly! still their choral tongues repeat. Therefore at every door the votive flame Through pendant lanterns sheds its painted light, And rockets hissing upward through the sky, Fall like a shower of stars From Heaven's black canopy. Therefore, on yonder mountain's templed height, The brazen caldron blazes through the night. |