 | Songs for little people |  |
44
THE DEW
Hardly any youngster knows
What the dew is on a rose.
What the dew is on a rose.
If you children all are nice
I will teach you in a trice.
I will teach you in a trice.
Long ago when men were sage,
(This was in the Golden Age,)
(This was in the Golden Age,)
They were certain lovely-lipped,
Meadow-haunting fairies tripped
Meadow-haunting fairies tripped
Night by night in starlit reels
Practising their fragile heels.
Practising their fragile heels.
But to-day to hosts and hosts
Fairies are less real than ghosts.
Fairies are less real than ghosts.
45
So at night the fairies weep
While the unbelievers sleep;
While the unbelievers sleep;
And, while grieving out of view,
Change their sorrow into dew.
Change their sorrow into dew.
Whence, my children, it appears
There's no salt in fairies' tears!
There's no salt in fairies' tears!
| Songs for little people | |