THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

158 THE BOOK OF POETRY. [PART I.
2 The varnish trees on hill-sides grow,
And chestnuts on the lands below.
When access to the prince we've found,
We sit and hear the lutes' sweet sound.
If we seize not this joy to-day,
Old age will have us for its prey.
3 The mulberries on the hill-sides grow,
And willows where the grounds are low.
When to the prince our way we've made,
We sit and hear the organs played.
If we pass by this joy to-day,
Old age will bear us all away.
II.
The Sze t'eeh; narrative. CELEBRATING THE GROWING OPULENCE
OF THE LORDS OF TS'IN, AS BEEN IN THEIR HUNTING.
1 Our ruler to the hunt proceeds;
And black as iron are his steeds
That heed the charioteer's command,
Who holds the six reins in his hand.
His favourites follow to the chase,
Rejoicing in his special grace.
2 The season's males, alarmed, arise,—
The season's males, of wondrous size.
Driven by the beaters, forth they spring,
Soon caught within the hunters' ring.
" Drive on their left," the ruler cries ;
And to its mark his arrow flies.
3 The hunting done, northward he goes;
And in the park the driver shows
The horses' points, and his own skill
That rules and guides them at his will.
Light cars, whose teams small bells display,
The long and short-mouthed dogs convey.
HI.
The Seamtjmifl; narrative. THE LADY op AN OFFICER ABSENT ON
AN EXPEDITION AGAIXST THE TRIBES OP THE WEST GIVES A GLOW
ING DESCRIPTION OF HIS CHARIOT, AND PRAISES HIMSELF, EXPRESSING,
BUT WITHOUT MURMURING, HER REGRET AT HIS ABSENCE.
XI. IV.] THE BOOK OF POETEY. 159
1 Before my mind's eye stands my lord's short car,
In which he dares the risks of savage war:—
Its pole, whose end turns upward, curving round,
And in five places shines, with leather bound;
The slip rings and the side straps; the masked place,
Where gilt rings to the front unite the trace;
The mat of tiger's skin • the naves so long;
The steeds, with left legs white, and piebalds, strong.
Such my lord's oar ! He rises in my mind,
Lovely and bland, like jade of richest kind;
Yet there he lives, in his log hut apart:—
The veiy thought confuses all my heart.
2 The driver with the six reins guides along
The horses, with their shining coats, and strong :—
One inside dappled, one bay with black mane;
Black-mouthed and bay, and black, the outer twain.
Shields, dragon-figured, rise up side by side,
Shelter in front 'gainst missiles to provide.
Gilt buckles with the carriage front connect
The inner reins by which the insides are checkt.
I see my lord, thus in his carriage borne,
With his mild form the frontier towns adorn.
What time can be for his return assigned ?
Ah me ! his figure ever fills my mind !
3 With measured steps move the mail-covered team.
The trident spears, with gilded shaft-ends gleam.
The feather-figured shield, of beauty rare,
He holds before him, all his foes to dare.
The bow-case, made of tiger's skin, and bright
With metal plates, lies ready for the fight.
It holds two bows which bamboo frames secure,
And keep unhurt, to send tho arrows sure.
To him thus busy all my thoughts are borne,
Both when I rest at night and rise at morn.
He, my good lord, is tranquil and serene,
His virtuous fame more prized, the more he's seen.
IV.
The Keen Jcea; narrative. SOME ONE TELLS HOW HE SOUGHT AN
OTHER, WHOM IT SEEMED EASY TO FIND, AND YET COULD NOT FIND
HIM.