the home book of verse-1-第38章
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Or else they take their ease。
A tell…tale in their company
They never could endure；
And whoso kept not secretly
Their mirth； was punished sure；
It was a just and Christian deed
To pinch such black and blue：
Oh； how the Commonwealth doth need
Such justices as you！
Richard Corbet ＇1582…1635＇
THE FAIRY FOLK
Come cuddle close in daddy's coat
Beside the fire so bright；
And hear about the fairy folk
That wander in the night。
For when the stars are shining clear
And all the world is still；
They float across the silver moon
From hill to cloudy hill。
Their caps of red； their cloaks of green；
Are hung with silver bells；
And when they're shaken with the wind
Their merry ringing swells。
And riding on the crimson moth；
With black spots on her wings；
They guide them down the purple sky
With golden bridle rings。
They love to visit girls and boys
To see how sweet they sleep；
To stand beside their cosy cots
And at their faces peep。
For in the whole of fairy…land
They have no finer sight
Than little children sleeping sound
With faces rosy bright。
On tip…toe crowding round their heads；
When bright the moonlight beams；
They whisper little tender words
That fill their minds with dreams；
And when they see a sunny smile；
With lightest finger tips
They lay a hundred kisses sweet
Upon the ruddy lips。
And then the little spotted moths
Spread out their crimson wings；
And bear away the fairy crowd
With shaking bridle rings。
Come； bairnies； hide in daddy's coat；
Beside the fire so bright …
Perhaps the little fairy folk
Will visit you to…night。
Robert Bird ＇1867…
THE FAIRY BOOK
When Mother takes the Fairy Book
And we curl up to hear；
'Tis 〃All aboard for Fairyland！〃
Which seems to be so near。
For soon we reach the pleasant place
Of Once Upon a Time；
Where birdies sing the hour of day；
And flowers talk in rhyme；
Where Bobby is a velvet Prince；
And where I am a Queen；
Where one can talk with animals；
And walk about unseen；
Where Little People live in nuts；
And ride on butterflies；
And wonders kindly come to pass
Before your very eyes；
Where candy grows on every bush；
And playthings on the trees；
And visitors pick basketfuls
As often as they please。
It is the nicest time of day …
Though Bedtime is so near； …
When Mother takes the Fairy Book
And we curl up to hear。
Abbie Farwell Brown ＇1875…1927＇
THE VISITOR
The white goat Amaryllis；
She wandered at her will
At time of daffodillies
Afar and up the hill：
We hunted and we holloa'd
And back she came at dawn；
But what d'you think had followed？ …
A little； pagan Faun！
His face was like a berry。
His ears were high and pricked：
Tip…tap … his hoofs came merry
As up the path he clicked；
A junket for his winning
We set in dairy delf；
He eat it … peart and grinning
As Christian as yourself！
He stayed about the steading
A fortnight； say； or more；
A blanket for his bedding
We spread beside the door；
And when the cocks crowed clearly
Before the dawn was ripe；
He'd call the milkmaids cheerly
Upon a reedy pipe！
That fortnight of his staying
The work went smooth as silk：
The hens were all in laying；
The cows were all in milk；
And then … and then one morning
The maids woke up at day
Without his oaten warning； …
And found he'd gone away。
He left no trace behind him；
But still the milkmaids deem
That they； perhaps； may find him
With butter and with cream：
Beside the door they set them
In bowl and golden pat；
But no one comes to get them …
Unless； maybe； the cat。
The white goat Amaryllis；
She wanders at her will
At time of daffodillies；
Away up Woolcombe hill；
She stays until the morrow；
Then back she comes at dawn；
But never … to our sorrow …
The little； pagan Faun。
Patrick R。 Chalmers ＇18
THE LITTLE ELF
I met a little Elf…man； once；
Down where the lilies blow。
I asked him why he was so small；
And why he didn't grow。
He slightly frowned； and with his eye
He looked me through and through。
〃I'm quite as big for me；〃 said he；
〃As you are big for you。〃
John Kendrick Bangs ＇1862…1922＇
THE SATYRS AND THE MOON
Within the wood behind the hill
The moon got tangled in the trees。
Her splendor made the branches thrill
And thrilled the breeze。
The satyrs in the grotto bent
Their heads to see the wondrous sight。
〃It is a god in banishment
That stirs the night。〃
The little satyr looked and guessed：
〃It is an apple that one sees；
Brought from that garden of the West …
Hesperides。〃
〃It is a cyclops' glaring eye。〃
〃A temple dome from Babylon。〃
〃A Titan's cup of ivory。〃
〃A little sun。〃
The tiny satyr jumped for joy；
And kicked hoofs in utmost glee。
〃It is a wondrous silver toy …
Bring it to me！〃
A great wind whistled through the blue
And caught the moon and tossed it high；
A bubble of pale fire it flew
Across the sky。
The satyrs gasped and looked and smiled；
And wagged their heads from side to side；
Except their shaggy little child；
Who cried and cried。
Herbert S。 Gorman ＇1893…
THE CHILDREN
THE CHILDREN
When the lessons and tasks are all ended；
And the school for the day is dismissed；
The little ones gather around me；
To bid me good night and be kissed；
Oh； the little white arms that encircle
My neck in their tender embrace！
Oh； the smiles that are halos of heaven；
Shedding sunshine of love on my face！
And when they are gone； I sit dreaming
Of my childhood too lovely to last； …
Of joy that my heart will remember；
While it wakes to the pulse of the past；
Ere the world and its wickedness made me
A partner of sorrow and sin；
When the glory of God was about me；
And the glory of gladness within。
All my heart grows as weak as a woman's；
And the fountain of feeling will flow；
When I think of the paths steep and stony；
Where the feet of the dear ones must go； …
Of the mountains of sin hanging o'er them；
Of the tempest of fate blowing wild； …
Oh； there's nothing on earth half so holy
As the innocent heart of a child！
They are idols of hearts and of households；
They are angels of God in disguise；
His sunlight still sleeps in their tresses；
His glory still shines in their eyes；
Those truants from home and from heaven； …
They have made me more manly and mild；
And I know now how Jesus could liken
The kingdom of God to a child。
I ask not a life for the dear ones；
All radiant； as others have done；
But that life may have just enough shadow
To temper the glare of the sun；
I would pray God to guard them from evil；
But my prayer would bound back to myself； …
Ah！ a seraph may pray for a sinner；
But a sinner must pray for himself。
The twig is so easily bended；
I have banished the rule and the rod
I have taught them the goodness of knowledge；
They have taught me the goodness of God：
My heart is the dungeon of darkness
Where I shut them for breaking a rule；
My frown is sufficient correction；
My love is the law of the school。
I shall leave the old house in the autumn；
To traverse its threshold no more；
Ah； how I shall sigh for the dear ones
That meet me each morn at the door！
I shall miss the 〃good nights〃 and the kisses；
And the gush of their innocent glee；
The group on the green； and the flowers
That are brought every morning for me。
I shall miss them at morn and at even；
Their song in the school and the street；
I shall miss the low hum of their voices；
And the tread of their delicate feet。
When the lessons of life are all ended；
And death says： 〃The school is dismissed！〃
May the little ones gather around me；
To bid me good night and be kissed！
Charles Monroe Dickinson ＇1842…1924＇
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR
Between the dark and the daylight；
When the night is beginning to lower；
Comes a pause in the day's occupations；
That is known as the Children's Hour。
I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet；
The sound of a door that is opened；
And voices soft and sweet。
From my study I see in the lamplight；
Descending the broad hall stair；
Grave Alice； and laughing Allegra；
And Edith with golden hair。
A whisper； and then a silence：
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise。
A sudden rush from the stairway；
A sudden raid from the hall！
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall！
They climb up into my turret
O'er the arms and back of my chair；
If I try to escape； they surround me；
They seem to be everywhere。
They almost devour me with kisses；
Their arms about me entwine；
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse…Tower on the Rhine！
Do you think； O blue…eyed banditti；
Because you have scaled the wall；
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all！
I have you fast in my fortress；
And will not let you depart；
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round…tower of my heart。
And there will I keep you forever；
Yes； forever and a day；
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin；
And moulder in dust away。
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ＇1807…1882＇
LAUS INFANTIUM
In praise of little children I will say
God first made man； then found a better way
For woman； but his third way was the best。
Of all created things； the loveliest
And most divine are children。 Nothing here
Can be to us more gracious or more dear。
And though； when God saw all his works were good；
There was no rosy flower of babyhood；
'Twas said of children in a later day
That none could enter Heaven save such as they。
The earth； which feels the flowering of a thorn；
Was glad； O little child； when you were born；
The earth； which thrills when skylarks scale the blue；
Soared up itself to God's own Heaven in you；
And Heaven； which loves to lean down and to glass
Its beauty in each dewdrop on the grass； …
Heaven laughed to find your face so pure and fair；
And left； O little child； its reflex there。
William Canton ＇1845…
THE DESIRE
Give me no mansions ivory white
Nor palaces of pearl and gold；
Give me a child for all delight；
Just four years old。
Give me no wings of rosy shine
Nor snowy raiment； fold on fold；
Give me a little boy all mine；
Just four years old。
Give me no gold and starry crown
Nor harps； nor palm branches unrolled；
Give me a nestling head of brown；
Just four years old。
Give me a cheek that's like the peach；
Two arms to clasp me from the cold；
And all my heaven's within my reach；
Just four years old
