Far away.
"Far away
Came a stranger brave to love her,
Loved her when the moon was high;
When the moon was pale above her
Love grew pale and like to die
Far away.
"Far away
From the fountain's mist he drew her
Happy while the moon was high,
Waning, fled she, her pursuer
Held her back, and saw her die
Far away."
"'Tis a sad song for morning," cried the maids--
"And for a bride. Come, Hopa, sing of laughter."
Hopa sang:--
"Little brown streams,
Slim as my fingers,
Running and laughing
While the light lingers,
Have you no dreams,
Little brown streams?
"Little brown maidens,
Laughing and weeping,
Singing and dancing,
All the night sleeping,
Have you no lovers,
Little brown maidens?"
Afar there sounded in the mellow breeze
The rhythmic movement of the maidens' toil;
Before them on the sand a snowy sheet
Lay spread,--the tapa cloth; tutunga trees
Yield them their inner bark, and lightly then
The maidens tap the fibres till they join,
Made firm with scented gums and bright with dyes,
To form a fabric that a bride might choose,
And this was for a bride. Among the rest
One maiden shone; a moon beside her stars,
Taka, the fair. Her father was the chief
Of this small village. His the splendid store
Of kava bowls for which the isle is famed,
The shining fish-hooks, fairest of mother of pearl,
Great mats from ancient days with border rare
Of crimson feathers, cruel tragic spears,
Sweet unguents, necklaces of pearly shells
Envied by maidens, and above them all
Bales of the snowy tapa, made by hands
Subtle, wise hands of women, over whom
The earth had long laid flowers.
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