冷酷的国王——冬天——坐在山上，威严地统治着大地。他封锁了河流、湖泊和所有的小溪——“我不是一个弱小、伤感的国王，”他说，“而是一个严厉的君主，生来就是为了统治和统治;我将展示我的力量，直到最后。我杀死了夏天繁花的侍从，把大胆自由的北风作为我的朋友。“春、夏、秋——它们是虚弱的女王，带着大群的花、鸟、蜂，和风，吹动着长长的绿草——它们在这样的事情上失去了自己的身份!我鄙视他们!不，我蔑视这一切!谁也夺不走我手中的权杖。可靠的北风响应了我的呼唤，把这冰冷的气息吹向大地。”海妖——南风——听了一会儿，现在飘过草地。 "Oh King!" she cried, with tender tone and smile, "I come to do all homage unto thee. In all the sunny region, whence I came, I find none like thee, King, so brave and grand! Thine is a well deserved, unrivaled fame; I kiss, in awe, dear King, thy cold white hand." Her words were pleasing, and most fair her face. He listened wrapt, to her soft-whispered praise. She nestled nearer, in her Siren grace. "Dear King," she said, "henceforth my voice shall raise But songs of thy unrivaled splendor! Lo! How white thy brow is! How thy garments shine! I tremble 'neath thy beaming glance, for Oh, Thy wondrous beauty mak'st thee seem divine." The rain King listened, in a trance of bliss, To this most sweet-voiced Siren from the South, She nestled close, and pressed a lingering kiss Upon the stern white pallor of his mouth. She hung upon his breast, she pressed his cheek, And he was nothing loth to hold her there, While she such tender, loving words did speak, And combed his white locks with her fingers fair. And so she bound him, in her Siren wiles, And stole his strength, with every kiss she gave, And stabbed him through and through with tender smiles, And with her tender words she dug his grave; And then she left him, old, and weak, and blind, And unlocked all the rivers, lakes, and rills, While the queen Spring, with her whole troop behind, Of flowers, and birds, and bees, came o'er the hills.