Little Seal−skin Eliza Keary Little Seal−skin Table of Contents Little Seal−skin..........................................................................................................................................................1 Eliza Keary.....................................................................................................................................................2 LITTLE SEAL−SKIN....................................................................................................................................4 THE LEGEND OF THORA..........................................................................................................................9 SUNBEAMS IN THE SEA.........................................................................................................................11 THE GOOSE−GIRL....................................................................................................................................12 ASDISA.......................................................................................................................................................15 THE MILL STREAM..................................................................................................................................18 * * * * *........................................................................................................................................................20 DISENCHANTED.......................................................................................................................................21 RENUNCIATION.......................................................................................................................................22 THROUGH THE WOOD............................................................................................................................23 PRESENTIMENTS.....................................................................................................................................25 THEODORA................................................................................................................................................26 TWO.............................................................................................................................................................29 A MOTHER'S CALL...................................................................................................................................31 MAVOURNEEN.........................................................................................................................................32 KATHLEEN................................................................................................................................................33 SNOWBELL................................................................................................................................................35 * * * * *........................................................................................................................................................43 * * * * *........................................................................................................................................................54 DAYS...........................................................................................................................................................55 Evening........................................................................................................................................................58 ......................................................................................................................................................................60DAWN, OR THE TWILIGHT CHORUS...................................................................................................59 OLD AGE....................................................................................................................................................61 A FLOWER TO THE MOON.....................................................................................................................62 A SKETCH..................................................................................................................................................63 A PORTRAIT..............................................................................................................................................64 LUCY...........................................................................................................................................................65 AGNES........................................................................................................................................................66 * * * * *........................................................................................................................................................68 DOCTOR EMILY........................................................................................................................................69 SLEEP..........................................................................................................................................................73 DEATH........................................................................................................................................................74 HOMELESS.................................................................................................................................................75 INCOMPLETE—COMPLETE...................................................................................................................76 A SAINT......................................................................................................................................................77 CHRISTINE AND MARY..........................................................................................................................79 CHRISTINE to MARY................................................................................................................................80 MARY to CHRISTINE................................................................................................................................81 CHRISTINE to MARY................................................................................................................................83 MARY to CHRISTINE................................................................................................................................84 CHRISTINE to MARY................................................................................................................................89 MARY to CHRISTINE................................................................................................................................96 CHRISTINE to MARY..............................................................................................................................104 MARY to CHRISTINE..............................................................................................................................113 A FAREWELL..........................................................................................................................................116 i Little Seal−skin Little Seal−skin 1 Little Seal−skin Eliza Keary This page copyright © 2002 Blackmask Online. http://www.blackmask.com • LITTLE SEAL−SKIN. • THE LEGEND OF THORA. • SUNBEAMS IN THE SEA. • THE GOOSE−GIRL. • ASDISA. • THE MILL STREAM. • * * * * * • DISENCHANTED. • RENUNCIATION. • THROUGH THE WOOD. • PRESENTIMENTS. • THEODORA. • TWO. • A MOTHER'S CALL. • MAVOURNEEN. • KATHLEEN. • SNOWBELL. • * * * * * • * * * * * • DAYS. • Evening. • DAWN, OR THE TWILIGHT CHORUS. • OLD AGE. • A FLOWER TO THE MOON. • A SKETCH. • A PORTRAIT. • LUCY. • AGNES. • * * * * * • DOCTOR EMILY. • SLEEP. • DEATH. • HOMELESS. • INCOMPLETE−−COMPLETE. • A SAINT. • CHRISTINE AND MARY. • CHRISTINE to MARY. • MARY to CHRISTINE. • CHRISTINE to MARY. • MARY to CHRISTINE. • CHRISTINE to MARY. • MARY to CHRISTINE. • CHRISTINE to MARY. • MARY to CHRISTINE. Eliza Keary 2 Little Seal−skin • A FAREWELL. Eliza Keary 3 Little Seal−skin LITTLE SEAL−SKIN. THE Fisherman walked up the hill, His boat lay on the sand, His net was on his shoulder still, His home a mile inland. And as he walked amongst the whin He saw a little white seal−skin, Which he took up in his hand. Then "How," said he, "can this thing be? A seal−skin, and no seal within?" Thus pondered he, Partly in fear, Till he remembered what he'd heard Of creatures in the sea,— Sea−men and women, who are stirred One day in every year To drop their seal−skins on the sand, To leave the sea, and seek the land For twelve long hours, Playing about in sweet sunshine Amongst the cornfields, with corn−flowers, Wild roses and woodbine: Till night comes on, and then they flit Adown the fields, and sit Upon the shore and put their seal−skins on, And slip into the sea, and they are gone. The Fisherman stroked the fur Of the little white seal−skin, Soft as silk, and white as snow; And he said to himself, "I know That some little sea−woman lived in This seal−skin, perhaps not long ago. I wonder what has become of her! And why she left this on the whin, Instead of slipping it on again, When all the little sea−women and men Went hurrying down to the sea! Ah! well, she never meant It for me, That I should take it. But I will, Home to