The Three Beggars

'Twas autumn daybreak gold and wild,
    While past St. Ann's grey tower they shuffled,
Three beggars spied a fairy-child
    In crimson mantle muffled.

The daybreak lighted up her face
    All pink, and sharp, and emerald-eyed;
She looked on them a little space,
    And shrill as hautboy cried: -

"O three tall footsore men of rags
    Which walking this gold morn I see,
What will ye give me from your bags
    For fairy kisses three?"

The first, that was a reddish man,
    Out of his bundle takes a crust:
"La, by the tombstones of St. Ann,
    There's fee, if fee ye must!"

The second, that was a chestnut man,
    Out of his bundle draws a bone:
"Lo, by the belfry of St. Ann,
    And all my breakfast gone!"

The third, that was a yellow man,
    Out of his bundle picks a groat,
"La, by the Angel of St. Ann,
    And I must go without."

That changeling, lean and icy-lipped,
    Touched crust, and bone, and groat, and lo!
Beneath her finger taper-tipped
    The magic all ran through.

Instead of crust a peacock pie,
    Instead of bone sweet venison,
Instead of groat a white lily
    With seven blooms thereon.

And each fair cup was deep with wine:
    Such was the changeling's charity,
The sweet feast was enough for nine,
    But not too much for three.

O toothsome meat in jelly froze!
    O tender haunch of elfin stag!
O rich the odour that arose!
    O plump with scraps each bag!

There, in the daybreak gold and wild,
    Each merry-hearted beggar man
Drank deep unto the fairy child,
    And blessed the good St. Ann.