"Faint heart never won fair lady," Mistress Fate herself should be courted, not with feminine finesse, but with masculine courage and aggression.

Flout her power, young man!
She is merely shrewish, scolding,—
She is plastic to your molding,
She is woman in her yielding to the fires desires fan.
Flout her power, young man!

Fight her fair, strong man!
Such a serpent love is this,—
Bitter wormwood in her kiss!
When she strikes, be nerved and ready;
Keep your gaze both bright and steady,
Chance no rapier-play, but hotly press the quarrel she began!
Fight her fair, strong man!

Gaze her down, old man!
Now no laughter may defy her,
Not a shaft of scorn come nigh her,
But she waits within the shadows, in dark shadows very near.
And her silence is your fear.
Meet her world-old eyes of warning! Gaze them down with courage! Can
You gaze them down, old man?

William Rose BenÉt.

From "Merchants from Cathay."