Front Matter

Upon the road to Faerie,

O there are many sights to see,—

Small woodland folk may one discern

Housekeeping under leaf and fern,

And little tunnels in the grass

Where caravans of goblins pass,

And airy corsair-craft that float

On wings transparent as a mote,—

All sorts of curious things can be

Upon the road to Faerie!

Along the wharves of Faerie—

There all the winds of Christendie

Are musical with hawk-bell chimes,

Carillons rung to minstrels' rimes,

And silver trumpets bravely blown

From argosies of lands unknown,

And the great war-drum's wakening roll—

The reveille of heart and soul—

For news of all the ageless sea

Comes to the quays of Faerie!

Across the fields to Faerie

There is no lack of company,—

The world is real, the world is wide,

But there be many things beside.

Who once has known that crystal spring

Shall not lose heart for anything.

The blessing of a faery wife

Is love to sweeten all your life.

To find the truth whate'er it be—

That is the luck of Faerie!

Above the gates of Faerie

There bends a wild witch-hazel tree.

The fairies know its elfin powers.

They wove a garland of the flowers,

And on a misty autumn day

They crowned their queen—and ran away!

And by that gift they made you free

Of all the roads of Faerie!