with the sense and the splendour of angels.

Twelve plains there are under the body of the earth he lightens every
night; the fiery sea laughs against his journey; ranks of angels come
together, welcoming his visit after the brightness of the night. The
first place he brightens is the stream beyond the seas, with news of
the eastern waters. Then he lightens the ocean of fire and the seas
of sulphur-fire that are round about the red countries.

Then he shines upon the troops of boys in the pleasant fields, who
send out their cry to heaven through dread of the beast that kills
thousands of armies under the waves of the south. Then he shines upon
the mountains that have streams of fire, on the hosts that protect
them in the plains. Then the ribs of the great beast shine, and the
four and twenty champions rise up in the valley of pain. He shines
over against the terrible many-thronged fence in the north that has
closed around the people of hell. He shines on the dark valleys having
sorrowful streams over their faces. He brightens the ribs of the beast
that sends out the many seas around the earth; that sucks in again
the many seas till the sands on every side are dry. He shines upon
the many beasts that sleep their sleep of tears in the valley of flowers
from the first beginning of the world; and on the sorrowful tearful
plain, with the dragons that were set under the mist. He shines then
upon the bird-flocks singing their many tunes in the flower-valleys;
upon the shining plains with the wine-flowers that lighten the valley;
he shines at the last against Adam's Paradise till he rises up in the
morning from the east. There would be many stories now for the sun
to tell upon his journey, if he had but a tongue to give them out.