Oth He, "Now Will She Know Temptations, Since She Hath Put Away The Angel'S Tears, And Hath No Protection Save Her Own Strength." And So Bitter Were Her Sufferings That The Little Bride Cried Out It Was More Than She Could Bear. And The Evil One, Hearing Her, Said: "Give Thyself To Me, And Thou Shalt Suffer No More." But She Turned Her Face Away, And Made Him No Answer. Then Black Roderick, Looking Upon Her, Saw Her Anguish, And To His Soul Came Such Bitter Repentance That Great Tears Fell From His Eyes Upon Her, And Every Tear Was As Balm Upon Her Sad And Suffering Flesh. So That When The Seven Years Were Over She Stood Whole And Without Pain. Now, When The Seven Long Years Were At An End, She Found The Naming Doors Opened Of Themselves For Her And Black Roderick To Go Forth. But When She Took Her Love By The Hand, A Great Cry Rose From The Lost Souls She Had Let Into The Burning Place During Her Seven Years Of Trial. And In Her Heart Was Such Grief She Could Not Go. She Heard Her Father'S Voice Call To Her, And The Voice Of Her Brother. Therefore Went She To The Throne Of The Evil One, And Begged Him To Grant Her A Boon. "For I Have Worked Long For Thee And Well," Quoth She, "And I Beg Of Thee To Let Me Carry Forth As Much Treasure As My Strength Can Bear." "That," Saith He, "Thou Shalt Have; All Thou Canst Carry Thou Mayst Take Forth, If Thou Wilt Give Me For Payment Seven More Years Of Service." Now, When The Little Bride Heard This She Bowed Her Head And Wept. "Seven Long Years," Saith She, "Shall I Serve Thee More." She Took Black Roderick By The Hand, And Stood By Him At The Open Doors. "Go Thou Upward," Saith She, "And Await Me In Heaven." Then She Closed The Flaming Gates, And Took Her Place Behind Them. But The Soul Of Black Roderick Crouched Outside, As A Dog Lieth On The Threshold Of His Master. For Seven Long Years He Let No One Approach The Naming Gates, So That Not Once Were They Opened During The Last Seven Years Of Her Trial. And When The Day Came For Her To Go Forth, The Little Bride Flung The Gates Apart With A Loud Cry Of Joy. She Knew The Evil One Could But Grant The Promise She Had Extorted, For She Had Served Him Well. And Of The Further Trials And Temptations That Came To Her Shall I Sing Thee, Lest Thou Grow Weary Of My Prose: Seven Long Years Did She Serve Him Well Until The Last Day Was Done; And All The Souls She Had Let In. They Clung To Her One By One. And All The Souls She Had Let Through, They Clung To Her Dress And Hair, Until The Burden That She Brought Forth Was Heavy As She Could Bear. The First Who Stopped Upon Her Way Was A Saint All Fair To See, And "Sister, Your Load Is Great," She Said, "So Give It, I Pray, To Me." "Brigit I Am; God Sent Me Forth That You To Your Love Might Go"-- The Woman She Drew The Fair Robe Aside, And A Cloven Hoof Did Show. "And I Will Not Give It To You," She Said, Quick Grasping Her Burden Tight; And All The Souls That Surrounded Her Clung Closer In Dire Affright. The Next Who Stopped Her Upon Her Way Was An Angel With Sword Aflame; "The Lord Has Sent For Your Load," He Said: "St. Michael It Is My Name." The Woman Drew Back His Gown Of White, And The Cloven Hoof Did See. "Oh, God Be With Me This Day," She Said, "For Bitter My Sorrows Be." "And I Will Not Give It To You," She Said, And Wept Full Many A Tear. And All The Souls That Her Burden Made Cried Out In Desperate Fear. Now, The Spirit Of The Poor Little Bride Stopped Upon Her Way, And Feared To Go Farther, For She Knew Not What To Do Nor Where To Go, And It Seemed As Though There Were None To Trust. And As She Stood, With The Trembling Souls Clinging To Her, From The Far-Off Earth Came The Sweet Singing Of A Robin; And As The Bird Sang He Came Nearer And Nearer, Till The Little Bride Could See His Red Throat Pulsing With His Song. And The Song He Bore Upon His Beak Was Her Mother'S Prayer. Now, When The Soul Of The Little Bride Heard This Sweet Singing, She Became Strong, And Followed The Bird Even To The Gates Of Heaven; And There She Paused, Trembling, Afraid To Knock, For She Had Gone Forth Of Her Own Free Will, And She Had Returned With A Burden That She Had No Leave To Bring. "And Without These Dear Ones How Could I Enter?" Saith She; And The Souls Trembled With Her In Her Fear. But The Robin Tapped Upon The Golden Gates Three Times With His Beak, And Flung His Song Into The Shining Blue Of The Skies. Then A Voice Came Forth, Saying: "By What Right Comest Thou, Of All Birds, To Disturb The Peace Of Paradise With Thy Singing?" And The Robin Answered: "Because I Alone, Of All Birds, Strove To Draw Forth The Cruel Nails In Calvary; So My Breast Is Ever Red With The Sacred Blood." "And What Song Bearest Thou Upon Thy Bill," Saith The Voice, "That Would Be Welcome Here?" "The Prayer Of A Mother For The Soul Of Her Little Child," Quoth The Robin. When He Saith This The Doors Of Paradise Were Opened, And Upon The Threshold Stood One Of The Archangels Of The Lord, And His Face Was Glad And Glorious As The Sun. And When He Saw The Little Bride, With Her Burden Of Trembling Souls Clinging To Her Dress And Hair, He Bade Her Enter. "Thou Hast Done Well," Saith He, "And There Is Joy In Heaven Over Thy Return." And As He Led Her By The Hand The Souls Dropped From Her And Flew Through The Golden Gates With Loud Cries Of Joy. So Brought She To Heaven The Soul Of Black Roderick, That Had Been Lost But For Her Great And Suffering Love. And From The Closed Gates None Came Forth Save The Little Robin. Now Must I End My Tale, Lest Thou Grow Weary Of The Telling. And If More Thou Requirest, Listen Thou To The Robin, Who Alone Of All Birds Hath Seen The Glories Of Paradise, And Who Telleth To All Men, If They Would But Hear, His Pride And His Joy. Even In Winter, When Snow And Hunger Chill Him Almost To Death, When All Other Birds Are Silent With Discontent, He Sitteth Upon A Low Bough And Telleth The Story Of Black Roderick And His Little Bride, And Of Many Things Good To The Heart Of Man. Listen Thou And Hearken. The End