*28*

THE FAIRIES.

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather.

Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home;
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide-foam;

Some in the reeds

Of the black mountain lake, With frogs for their watch-dogs, All night awake.

High on the hill-top
The old king sits;

He is now so old and grey
He's nigh lost his wits.
With a bridge of white mist
Columbkill he crosses,

On his stately journeys

From Slieveleague to Rosses;

Or going up with music

On cold starry nights,

To sup with the queen

Of the gay Northern Lights.

They stole little Bridget
For seven years long;
When she came down again,
Her friends were all gone.
They took her lightly back,

Between the night and morrow,
They thought that she was fast asleep,
But she was dead with sorrow.
They have kept her ever since
Deep within the lakes,
On a bed of flag leaves,
Watching till she wakes.

By the craggy hill-side,
Through the mosses bare,
They have planted thorn trees
For pleasure here and there.
Is any man so daring

As to dig one up in spite,
He shall find the thornies set
In his bed at night.

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;

Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather.

William Allingham.

* 29 *

LITTLE WHITE LILY.

Little white Lily

Sat by a stone,

Drooping and waiting

Till the sun shone.

Little white Lily
Sunshine has fed;
Little white Lily
Is lifting her head.

Little white Lily
Said, "It is good;
Little white Lily's
Clothing and food."
Little white Lily,
Dressed like a bride!
Shining with whiteness,
And crowned beside!

Little white Lily
Droopeth with pain,
Waiting and waiting

For the wet rain.
Little white Lily
Holdeth her cup;
Rain is fast falling
And filling it up.

Little white Lily
Says, "Good again,
When I am thirsty
To have fresh rain;
Now I am stronger,
Now I am cool;

Heat cannot burn me,

My veins are so full."

Little white Lily

Smells very sweet!
On her head, sunshine,

Rain at her feet.

"Thanks to the sunshine

Thanks to the rain!"

Little white Lily

Is happy again!

Geo. MacDonald.

* 30 *

ROBIN REDBREAST.

Good-bye, good-bye to summer!
For summer's nearly done;
The garden smiling faintly,
Cool breezes in the sun,
Our thrushes now are silent,
Our swallows flown away,
But Robin's here in coat of brown.
And scarlet breast-knot gay.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,

O Robin dear!

Robin sings so sweetly

In the falling of the year.

Bright yellow, red, and orange,
The leaves come down in hosts;
The trees are Indian princes,

But soon they'll turn to ghosts;
The leathery pears and apples
Hang russet on the bough;
It's Autumn, Autumn, Autumn late,
'Twill soon be Winter now.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,

O Robin dear!

And what will this poor Robin do?
For pinching days are near.

The fire-side for the cricket,

The wheatstack for the mouse, When trembling night-winds whistle And moan all round the house.

The frosty ways like iron,

The branches plumed with snow,

Alas! in winter dead and dark,
Where can poor Robin go?

Robin, Robin Redbreast,

O Robin dear!

And a crumb of bread for Robin,

His little heart to cheer.

W. Allingham.

31 *

TO THE LADY-BIRD.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home;-
The field-mouse has gone to her nest,
The daisies have shut up their sleepy red eyes,
And the bees and the birds are at rest.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home,-
The glow-worm is lighting her lamp,

The dew's falling fast, and your fine speckled wings
Will flag with the close-clinging damp.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home,-
Good luck if you reach it at last!

The owl's come abroad, and the bat's on the roam,
Sharp set from their Ramazan fast.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home,

The fairy bells tinkle afar!

Make haste, or they'll catch you, and harness you
With a cobweb to Oberon's car.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home,

To your house in the old willow-tree,

Where your children, so dear, have invited the ant
And a few cosy neighbors to tea.

Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home,-
And if not gobbled up by the way,
Nor yoked by the fairies to Oberon's car,
You're in luck—and that's all I've to say.

fast

Mrs. Southey.