GOBLIN MARKET Morning and evening Maids heard the goblins cry: ' o!

e b"y o"r orchard #r"its$ o!e b"y$ co!e b"y: A%%les and &"inces$ Le!ons and oranges$ 'l"!% "n%ec(ed cherries$ Melons and ras%berries$ Bloo!)do*n)chee(ed %eaches$ +*art)headed !"lberries$ .ild #ree)born cranberries$ rab)a%%les$ de*berries$ 'ine)a%%les$ blac(berries$ A%ricots$ stra*berries/)) All ri%e together In s"!!er *eather$)) Morns that %ass by$ 0air eves that #ly/ o!e b"y$ co!e b"y: O"r gra%es #resh #ro! the vine$ 'o!egranates #"ll and #ine$ 2ates and shar% b"llaces$ Rare %ears and greengages$ 2a!sons and bilberries$ Taste the! and try: "rrants and gooseberries$ Bright)#ire)li(e barberries$ 0igs to #ill yo"r !o"th$ itrons #ro! the +o"th$ +*eet to tong"e and so"nd to eye/ o!e b"y$ co!e b"y4' Evening by evening A!ong the broo(side r"shes$ La"ra bo*ed her head to hear$ Li55ie veiled her bl"shes: ro"ching close together In the cooling *eather$ .ith clas%ing ar!s and ca"tioning li%s$ .ith tingling chee(s and #inger ti%s4 'Lie close$' La"ra said$ 'ric(ing "% her golden head: '.e !"st not loo( at goblin !en$ .e !"st not b"y their #r"its: .ho (no*s "%on *hat soil they #ed Their h"ngry thirsty roots7' ' o!e b"y$' call the goblins 8obbling do*n the glen4 'Oh$' cried Li55ie$ 'La"ra$ La"ra$ 9o" sho"ld not %ee% at goblin !en4' Li55ie covered "% her eyes$ overed close lest they sho"ld loo(/ La"ra reared her glossy head$ And *his%ered li(e the restless broo(: 'Loo($ Li55ie$ loo($ Li55ie$ 2o*n the glen tra!% little !en4 One ha"ls a bas(et$ One bears a %late$

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One l"gs a golden dish O# !any %o"nds *eight4 8o* #air the vine !"st gro* .hose gra%es are so l"scio"s/ 8o* *ar! the *ind !"st blo* Thro"gh those #r"it b"shes4' 'No$' said Li55ie$ 'No$ no$ no/ Their o##ers sho"ld not char! "s$ Their evil gi#ts *o"ld har! "s4' +he thr"st a di!%led #inger In each ear$ sh"t eyes and ran: "rio"s La"ra chose to linger .ondering at each !erchant !an4 One had a cat's #ace$ One *his(ed a tail$ One tra!%ed at a rat's %ace$ One cra*led li(e a snail$ One li(e a *o!bat %ro*led obt"se and #"rry$ One li(e a ratel t"!bled h"rry s("rry4 +he heard a voice li(e voice o# doves ooing all together: They so"nded (ind and #"ll o# loves In the %leasant *eather4 La"ra stretched her glea!ing nec( Li(e a r"sh)i!bedded s*an$ Li(e a lily #ro! the bec($ Li(e a !oonlit %o%lar branch$ Li(e a vessel at the la"nch .hen its last restraint is gone4 Bac(*ards "% the !ossy glen T"rned and troo%ed the goblin !en$ .ith their shrill re%eated cry$ ' o!e b"y$ co!e b"y4' .hen they reached *here La"ra *as They stood stoc( still "%on the !oss$ Leering at each other$ Brother *ith &"eer brother/ +ignalling each other$ Brother *ith sly brother4 One set his bas(et do*n$ One reared his %late/ One began to *eave a cro*n O# tendrils$ leaves$ and ro"gh n"ts bro*n ?Men sell not s"ch in any to*n@/ One heaved the golden *eight O# dish and #r"it to o##er her: ' o!e b"y$ co!e b"y$' *as still their cry4 La"ra stared b"t did not stir$ Longed b"t had no !oney: The *his()tailed !erchant bade her taste In tones as s!ooth as honey$ The cat)#aced %"rr'd$ The rat)#aced s%o(e a *ord O# *elco!e$ and the snail)%aced even *as heard/ One %arrot)voiced and Aolly ried ''retty Goblin' still #or ''retty 'olly/')) One *histled li(e a bird4 B"t s*eet)tooth La"ra s%o(e in haste:

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'Good #ol($ I have no coin/ To ta(e *ere to %"rloin: I have no co%%er in !y %"rse$ I have no silver either$ And all !y gold is on the #"r5e That sha(es in *indy *eather Above the r"sty heather4' '9o" have !"ch gold "%on yo"r head$' They ans*ered all together: 'B"y #ro! "s *ith a golden c"rl4' +he cli%%ed a %recio"s golden loc($ +he dro%%ed a tear !ore rare than %earl$ Then s"c(ed their #r"it globes #air or red: +*eeter than honey #ro! the roc($ +tronger than !an)reAoicing *ine$ learer than *ater #lo*ed that A"ice/ +he never tasted s"ch be#ore$ 8o* sho"ld it cloy *ith length o# "se7 +he s"c(ed and s"c(ed and s"c(ed the !ore 0r"its *hich that "n(no*n orchard bore/ +he s"c(ed "ntil her li%s *ere sore/ Then #l"ng the e!%tied rinds a*ay B"t gathered "% one (ernel stone$ And (ne* not *as it night or day As she t"rned ho!e alone4 Li55ie !et her at the gate 0"ll o# *ise "%braidings: '2ear$ yo" sho"ld not stay so late$ T*ilight is not good #or !aidens/ +ho"ld not loiter in the glen In the ha"nts o# goblin !en4 2o yo" not re!e!ber Beanie$ 8o* she !et the! in the !oonlight$ Too( their gi#ts both choice and !any$ Ate their #r"its and *ore their #lo*ers 'l"c(ed #ro! bo*ers .here s"!!er ri%ens at all ho"rs7 B"t ever in the noonlight +he %ined and %ined a*ay/ +o"ght the! by night and day$ 0o"nd the! no !ore$ b"t d*indled and gre* grey/ Then #ell *ith the #irst sno*$ .hile to this day no grass *ill gro* .here she lies lo*: I %lanted daisies there a year ago That never blo*4 9o" sho"ld not loiter so4' 'Nay$ h"sh$' said La"ra: 'Nay$ h"sh$ !y sister: I ate and ate !y #ill$ 9et !y !o"th *aters still/ To)!orro* night I *ill B"y !ore:' and (issed her: '8ave done *ith sorro*/ I'll bring yo" %l"!s to)!orro* 0resh on their !other t*igs$ herries *orth getting/ 9o" cannot thin( *hat #igs My teeth have !et in$ .hat !elons icy)cold

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'iled on a dish o# gold Too h"ge #or !e to hold$ .hat %eaches *ith a velvet na%$ 'ell"cid gra%es *itho"t one seed: Odoro"s indeed !"st be the !ead .hereon they gro*$ and %"re the *ave they drin( .ith lilies at the brin($ And s"gar)s*eet their sa%4' Golden head by golden head$ Li(e t*o %igeons in one nest 0olded in each other's *ings$ They lay do*n in their c"rtained bed: Li(e t*o blosso!s on one ste!$ Li(e t*o #la(es o# ne*)#all'n sno*$ Li(e t*o *ands o# ivory Ti%%ed *ith gold #or a*#"l (ings4 Moon and stars ga5ed in at the!$ .ind sang to the! l"llaby$ L"!bering o*ls #orbore to #ly$ Not a bat #la%%ed to and #ro Ro"nd their rest: hee( to chee( and breast to breast Loc(ed together in one nest4 Early in the !orning .hen the #irst coc( cro*ed his *arning$ Neat li(e bees$ as s*eet and b"sy$ La"ra rose *ith Li55ie: 0etched in honey$ !il(ed the co*s$ Aired and set to rights the ho"se$ Kneaded ca(es o# *hitest *heat$ a(es #or dainty !o"ths to eat$ NeCt ch"rned b"tter$ *hi%%ed "% crea!$ 0ed their %o"ltry$ sat and se*ed/ Tal(ed as !odest !aidens sho"ld: Li55ie *ith an o%en heart$ La"ra in an absent drea!$ One content$ one sic( in %art/ One *arbling #or the !ere bright day's delight$ One longing #or the night4 At length slo* evening ca!e: They *ent *ith %itchers to the reedy broo(/ Li55ie !ost %lacid in her loo($ La"ra !ost li(e a lea%ing #la!e4 They dre* the g"rgling *ater #ro! its dee%/ Li55ie %l"c(ed %"r%le and rich golden #lags$ Then t"rning ho!e*ard said: 'The s"nset #l"shes Those #"rthest lo#tiest crags/ o!e$ La"ra$ not another !aiden lags$ No *il#"l s&"irrel *ags$ The beasts and birds are #ast aslee%4' B"t La"ra loitered still a!ong the r"shes And said the ban( *as stee%4 And said the ho"r *as early still The de* not #all'n$ the *ind not chill: Listening ever$ b"t not catching The c"sto!ary cry$ ' o!e b"y$ co!e b"y$'

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.ith its iterated Aingle O# s"gar)baited *ords: Not #or all her *atching Once discerning even one goblin Racing$ *his(ing$ t"!bling$ hobbling/ Let alone the herds That "sed to tra!% along the glen$ In gro"%s or single$ O# bris( #r"it)!erchant !en4 Till Li55ie "rged$ 'O La"ra$ co!e/ I hear the #r"it)call b"t I dare not loo(: 9o" sho"ld not loiter longer at this broo(: o!e *ith !e ho!e4 The stars rise$ the !oon bends her arc$ Each glo**or! *in(s her s%ar($ Let "s get ho!e be#ore the night gro*s dar(: 0or clo"ds !ay gather Tho"gh this is s"!!er *eather$ '"t o"t the lights and drench "s thro"gh/ Then i# *e lost o"r *ay *hat sho"ld *e do7

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