Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/620

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558
THE PIGEON AND THE DOVE.

The Sovereign Fairy remained some time with the newly married birds. She could not sufficiently applaud the contempt they had shown for worldly grandeur. It cannot be doubted that they took the surest means to enjoy a peaceful existence. At length she took her leave of them, and it is well known from her account, and from Cupid's, that Prince Pigeon and Princess Dove loved each other faithfully for ever.

Of faithful love behold the destiny,
Cares still tormenting—Hopes but born to die;
Stern trials, sad reverses—'Neath the sun
The course of true love never smooth did run.[1]
Cupid, who links us by such charming ties,
Can lead to happiness in various wise;
The god by troubles oft ensures our bliss.
Young hearts, who sigh o'er such a tale as this,
Know that when Love is pure, suspense and pain
Are but the heralds of his happy reign.

  1. The Countess does not actually paraphrase Shakspeare, but the sense of the passages is so similar, that, as in a former instance, p. 104, I felt I could not render the original more faithfully than by availing myself of a popular quotation.