noon
He said : ` Beloved , I am now become thy kindred and thine home , and it is meet for thee to stand beside me . ' She cast her eyes adown and answered not ; and she fell a-pondering of how sorely she had desired that fair dale , and now she would leave it , and be content and more than content . But now the kindreds had sundered , they upon the daïs ranked themselves together there in the House which their fathers had builded ; and when they saw themselves so meetly ordered , their hearts being full with the sweetness of hope accomplished and the joy of deliverance from death , song arose amongst them , and they fell to singing together ; and this is somewhat of their singing : Now raise we the lay Of the long-coming day ! Bright , white was the sun When we saw it begun : O'er its noon now we live ; It hath ceased not to give ; It shall give , and give more From the wealth of its store . O fair was the yesterday ! Kindly and good Was the wasteland our guester , and kind was the wood ; Though below us for reaping lay under our hand The harvest of weeping , the grief of the land ; Dumb cowered the sorrow , nought daring to cry On the help of to-morrow , the deed drawing nigh . All increase throve In the Dale of our love ; There the ox and the steed Fed down the mead ; The grapes hung high ' Twixt earth and sky , And the apples fell Round the orchard well .