Then came the gladful morn, that sendeth sick
Dreams flying, and all shapes melancholic
That vex the slumbers of the love-distraught. 
Unto his heart the merry morning brought
Cheer, and forewhisperings of some far-off rest,
When he should end in sweet that bitter quest. 
But going forth that morn, and with his feet
Threading the murmurous maze of street and street,
All strangely fell upon him everywhere
The things he saw and heard of foul or fair. 
The thronging of the folk that filled the ways;
The hubbub of the street and market-place;
The sound of heavy wain-wheels on the stones;
The comely faces and ill-favoured ones;
The girls with apple-cheeks and hair of gold;
The grey locks and the wrinkles of the old;—­
All these remote and unfamiliar
Seem’d, and himself a something from afar,
Looking at men as shadows on the wall
And even the veriest shadow among them all.

But now when all things dreamwise seemed to swim
About the dubious eyes and ears of him,
That nothing in the world might be believed,
It chanced that on a sudden he perceived
Where one that dealt in jewels sat within
His doorway, hearkening to the outer din,
As who cared no-wise to make fast his ears
Against the babble of the street-farers: 
Whereat the merchant, seeing a stranger pass,
Guessed by his garb what countryman he was,
And giving him good-day right courteously
Bespake him in his mother-tongue; for he
Had wandered in his youth o’er distant seas
And knew full many lands and languages. 
Wherefore with him the royal stranger fell
To talking cheerly, and besought him tell
Whence all his gems were had and costly things,
Talismans, amulets, and charmed rings: 
Whereto the other answered, They had come
Some from a country not far hence, and some
From out a land a thousand leagues away
To eastward, ev’n the birthplace of the Day,
The region of the sun’s nativity;
And giving ear to this right readily
The Prince would fain be told of him the way
To that far homeland of the youngling Day. 
So, being ask’d, the other answered, “Sir,
There liveth but one master-mariner
Whose ship hath sailed so far:  and that is he
Who hither brought the jewels thou dost see. 
And now, as luck will have it for the nonce,
He wills to voyage thitherward but once
Before he die—­for he is old like me—­
And even this day se’nnight saileth he. 
Wherefore if thou be fain to see that land,
There needeth only gold within thy hand: 
For gold, if that it jingle true and clear,
Hath still a merry music for man’s ear,
And where is he that hateth sound of it?”
So saying, the merchant bade the stranger sit,
But the Prince thanked him for his courtesy,
And went his way.  And that day se’nnight he
Was sailing toward the far-off morningland,
And felt the skies about him like a band,
And heard the low wind uttering numerous noise,
And all the great sea singing as one voice.