One day, she remembers the fruit pit she took back with her after first meeting the goblins. In her despair, Laura’s hair begins to turn gray and she ages prematurely. She listens in the hopes of once more hearing the goblins, but she never again hears their cry. They go to bed, and Laura gnashes her teeth and weeps as she grieves for the lost fruit.ĭays pass, and Laura pines for the fruit. The sisters return home, but Laura’s heart aches.

This greatly distresses Laura, who fears that she will never again eat the goblin fruit that she craves. But try as she might, she cannot hear their calls. The next evening, when Laura and Lizzie return to the brook to draw water, Laura tries to delay their departure so that she might meet the goblins again. The two sisters go to sleep enfolded in one another’s arms. Laura describes the fruit as otherworldly and unbelievably delicious. Laura tries to reassure her sister, promising to bring back fruit from the goblins for Lizzie to try. After eating the fruit, Jeanie was abandoned by the goblins, pined away, and died.

Lizzie scolds Laura for staying out so late and reminds her of the fate of Jeanie, a young woman who, like Laura, accepted fruit from the goblins. The goblins take a lock of Laura’s hair as payment instead, and she then begins ravenously eating the fruit.Īfter gorging herself, Laura gathers up a fruit pit and, in a state of bewilderment, returns home to find her sister waiting up for her.

Laura wants to buy their fruit but has no money to offer in exchange. The goblins approach Laura and seem delighted to find her alone. Fascinated, she stretches her neck toward them. She notices that they share physical characteristics with animals, including doves, rats, wombats, and cats, and have kind, pleasant voices. Laura chooses to stay and watch the goblins. Lizzie then puts her fingers in her ears to block the sound of the goblins’ cries and runs away, leaving Laura on her own. Still, Lizzie is steadfast in her refusal to look and warns Laura once again that the goblin men mean to harm them.

Laura describes the goblin men’s odd movements and wonders where the luscious and unusual fruit they’re selling might have grown. Lizzie warns Laura not to look and covers her own eyes for protection, but the incurably curious Laura looks directly at the goblins. They grow fearful and crouch down to hide themselves. Each morning and evening young women hear the cry of the goblin men, who seductively describe the fruits they’re selling and urge the young women to “come buy.” One evening, sisters Laura and Lizzie hear the goblins’ call while visiting a brook to draw water.

Christina rossetti poem goblin market