III.

"O rare, rare Earth!" he saith, "I will praise thee presently; Not to-day; I have no breath: I have hunted squirrels three-- Two ran down in the furzy hollow Where I could not see nor follow, One sits at the top of the filbert-tree, With a yellow nut and a mock at me: Presently it shall be done! When I see which way these two have run, When the mocking one at the filbert-top Shall leap a-down and beside me stop, Then, rare Earth, rare Earth, Will I pause, having known thy worth, To say all good of thee!"