<meta content="urn:uuid:fb05077e-9eb0-4d84-816a-a0dbb176445c" name="Adept.expected.resource"/> </head> <body> <p class="p11"><a id="a194"/><a id="a193"/><span class="t12">TIRIEL 4</span></p> <p class="p18">Over the weary hills the blind man took his lonely way<br/>To him the day & night alike was dark & desolate<br/>But far he had not gone when Ijim from his woods come down<br/>Met him at entrance of the forest in a dark & lonely way<br/>Who art thou Eyeless wretch that thus obstructst the lions path<br/>Ijim shall rend thy feeble joints thou tempter of dark Ijim<br/>Thous hast the form of Tiriel but I know thee well enough<br/>Stand from my path foul fiend is this the las of thy deceits<br/>To be a hypocrite & stand in shape of a blind beggar<br/>The blind man heard his brothers voice & kneeld down on his knee<br/>O brother Ijim if it is thy voice that speaks to me<br/>Smite not thy brother Tiriel tho weary of his life<br/>My sons have smitten me already. and if thou smitest me<br/>The curse that rolls over their heads will rest itself on thine<br/>Tis now seven years since in my palace I beheld thy face<br/>Come thou dark fiend I dare thy cunning know that Ijim scorns<br/>To smite the[e] in the form of helpless age & eyeless policy<br/>Rise up for I discern thee & I dare thy eloquent tongue<br/>Come I will lead thee on thy way & use thee as a scoff<br/>O Brother Ijim thou beholdest wretched Tiriel<br/>Kiss me my brother & then leave me to wander desolate<br/>No artful fiend. but I will lead thee dost thou want to go<br/>Reply not lest I bind thee with the green flags of the brook<br/>Ay now thou art discoverd I will use thee like a slave<br/>When Tiriel heard the words of Ijim he sought not to reply<br/>He knew twas vain for Ijims words were as the voice of Fate<br/>And they went on together over hills thro woody dales<br/>Blind to the pleasures of the sight & deaf to warbling birds<br/>All day they walkd & all the night beneath the pleasant Moon<br/>Westwardly journeying till Tiriel grew weary with his travel<br/>O Ijim I am faint & weary for my knees forbid<br/>To bear me further. urge me not lest I should die with travel<br/>A little rest I crave a little water from a brook<br/>Or I shall soon discover that I am a mortal man<br/>And you will lose your once lovd Tiriel alas how fain I am<br/>Impudent fiend said Ijim hold thy glib & eloquent tongue<br/>Tiriel is a king. & thou the tempter of dark Ijim<br/>Drink of this runing brook. & I will bear thee on my shoulders<br/>He drank & Ijim raisd him up & bore him on his shoulders<br/>All day he bore him & when evening drew her solemn curtain<br/>Enterd the gates of Tiriels palace. & stood & calld aloud<br/>Heuxos come forth I here have brought the fiend that troubles Ijim<br/>Look knowst thou aught of this grey beard. or of these blinded eyes<br/>Heuxos & Lotho ran forth at the sound of Ijims voice<br/>And saw their aged father borne upon his mighty shoulders<br/>Their eloquent tongues were dumb & sweat stood on. their trembling limbs<br/>They knew twas vain to strive with Ijim they bowd & silent stood<br/>What Heuxos call thy father for I mean to sport to night<br/>This is the Hypocritc that sometimes roars a dreadful lion<br/>Then I have rent his limbs & left him rotting in the forest<br/>For birds to eat but I have scarce departed from the place<br/>But like a tyger he would come & so I rent him too<br/>Then like a river be would seek to drown me in his waves<br/>But soon I buffetted the torrent anon like to a cloud<br/>Fraught with the swords of lightning. but I bravd the vengeance too<br/>Then he would creep like a bright serpent till around my neck<br/>While I was Sleeping he would twine I squeezd his poisnous soul<br/>Then like a toad or like a newt. would whisper in my ears<br/>Or like a rock stood in my way. or like a poisnous shrub<br/>At last I caught him in the form of Tiriel blind & old<br/>And so Ill keep him fetch your father fetch forth Myratana<br/>They stood confounded. and Thus Tiriel raisd his silver voice<br/>Serpents not sons why do you stand fetch hither Tiriel<br/>Fetch hither Myratana & delight yourselves with scoffs<br/>For poor blind Tiriel is returnd & this much injurd head<br/>Is ready for your bitter taunts. come forth sons of the curse<br/>Mean time the other sons of Tiriel ran around their father<br/>Confounded at the terrible strength of Ijim they knew twas vain<br/>Both spear & shield were useless & the coat of iron mail<br/>When Ijim stretchd his mighty arm. the arrow from his limbs<br/>Rebounded & the piercing sword broke on his naked flesh<br/>Then is it true Heuxos that thou hast turnd thy aged parent<br/>To be the sport of wintry winds. (said Ijim) is this true<br/>It is a lie & I am like the tree torn by the wind<br/>Thou eyeless fiend. & you dissemblers. Is this Tiriels house<br/>It is as false [as] Matha. & as dark as vacant Orcus<br/>Escape ye fiends for Ijim will not lift his hand against ye<br/>So saying. Ijim gloomy turnd his back & silent sought<br/>The secret forests & all night wanderd in desolate ways<br/> </p> </body> </html>