15
One moment, then he entered quick and laid His weary limbs of on Nature’s couch to rest – The gentle earth with grass so softly drest – A couch by Cædmon more than all preferred; And by his side reposed the drowsy herd. Soon Morpheus took his cruse of golden ore – That cruse which holds a never-failing store – And with two drops of incense sealed his eyes; And when the fragrance as a mist did rise It spread and curled in shapes of rosy hue, Like sun-lit clouds, and shut the world from view. But suddenly that mist was rent aside, Those circling clouds no longer could abide, For there before him stood a Figure bright, Arrayed in vesture all of snowy-white; And on His head a crown of purest gold; His countenance too dazzling to behold As round His temples played a lambent beam Which lumined all His limbs with lustrous gleam. At length He spake in words of accent mild, And greeted him by name and gently smiled: “Come, Cædmon, sing to me” – An awestruck pause, And Cædmon said “I cannot; for that cause