Dora Sigerson Shorter

“ The Prince of Breffni suspects that his wife Dearvorgil has a lover.⁠It is the Prince of Breffni rides quick in the pale of suspects day,
Deep in his eyes a shadow, a frown on his forehead lay;
And spur and bit not sparing, he rests nor horse nor page,
But rides into his castle like a man who wins a wage.
And up the twisting staircase, into his lady's room.
He strides with frowning forehead, like a man to meet his doom,
But from his lady's chamber he comes with sobbing breath.
With a joy upon his white lips, like a man escaped from death. ”

“ If there's aught on the highroad, now quickly tell to me.”
“I see one by the pine-wood come on a charger white,
He seeks the shadow always, as though he fears the light.”
She tries to persuade the prince. It is a wild dog.⁠“Half-blind the kern, and aged, all wizen, cold, and grey,
A wolf is on the highroad, who hurries quick away.”
“A wolf, Queen, is a danger who in the shade does go.
At the thief who seeks the night-time I quick shall bend my bow.”
(She screams.)
The prince raises his crossbow, and screams a warning.⁠“Why did you scream, Dearvorgil, disturbing so my aim?” ”

“ She screams again, and her lover, knowing the warning, flies.⁠“Again you scream, Dearvorgil, and you would have him hear?”
“A bat that flew across me was all that made me fear.”
“The wolf speeds down the highroad all at your lady's cry,
The hawk has spread his dark wings, and seeks another sky.”
Now that the danger is past the soon flatters the prince into believing she loves him alone.⁠“Why should we heed the grey hawk?—Let him fly off to his nest:
Why should we heed the lone wolf?—Let him go in peace to rest.”
“My lady, neither beast nor bird slunk round my home to-night ”