 | The Ingoldsby Lyrics |  |
297
The Radiant Boy.
A FRAGMENT.
“That pretty little boy, Mamma,
That stands behind the tree,
Do let him come indoors, Mamma,
And bid him play with me.
That stands behind the tree,
Do let him come indoors, Mamma,
And bid him play with me.
“Papa is busy now, Mamma,
And sister is away,
Oh! bid that little boy come in,
That we may go and play.”
And sister is away,
Oh! bid that little boy come in,
That we may go and play.”
“What little boy? thou silly child,
No little boy I see:”—
“Oh! there he stands upon the lawn,
And weeps beneath the tree;
No little boy I see:”—
“Oh! there he stands upon the lawn,
And weeps beneath the tree;
“He will not come and play, Mamma,
I show him every toy;
I bid him come, but still he weeps;
Is he a naughty boy?”
I show him every toy;
I bid him come, but still he weeps;
Is he a naughty boy?”
298
“Why what is this, Tom Ingoldsby,
My child, what may it mean?
I look upon the lawn, but there
No little boy is seen;
My child, what may it mean?
I look upon the lawn, but there
No little boy is seen;
“The linden tree is straight and tall,
Its leaves are fresh and fair,
But there's no little boy at all—
No pretty boy is there.”
Its leaves are fresh and fair,
But there's no little boy at all—
No pretty boy is there.”
“Now nay, now nay, my mother dear,
He stands beside the tree;
He weeps, he sheds full many a tear,
Yet still he looks on me.
He stands beside the tree;
He weeps, he sheds full many a tear,
Yet still he looks on me.
“Full many a time and oft, Mamma,
I've asked him day by day,
But there he always stands and weeps—
He will not come and play.
I've asked him day by day,
But there he always stands and weeps—
He will not come and play.
“What makes him look so pale, Mamma?
Why is he weeping so?
There—now at once he's gone away!
I did not see him go:
Why is he weeping so?
There—now at once he's gone away!
I did not see him go:
299
“He went not down the gravel walk,
He did not cross the lawn,
And yet he's gone away at once;—
Mamma, where is he gone?”
He did not cross the lawn,
And yet he's gone away at once;—
Mamma, where is he gone?”
“You little monkey, are you mad?”
The mother smiling said;
But her voice had something lost its tone,
And her cheek a little red.
The mother smiling said;
But her voice had something lost its tone,
And her cheek a little red.
She look'd adown the gravel walk,
And across the grass-green sod;
Of course she'd no belief in Ghosts,
But she thought it rather odd.
And across the grass-green sod;
Of course she'd no belief in Ghosts,
But she thought it rather odd.
“Go in,” quoth she, “thou silly child—
Go in, and mind your toys,
And do not talk such stuff to me
Of pretty little boys.”
Go in, and mind your toys,
And do not talk such stuff to me
Of pretty little boys.”
“Papa! papa! he's there again—
He's come again to-day!
See, there he stands!—do make him stop,
And bid him come and play.
He's come again to-day!
See, there he stands!—do make him stop,
And bid him come and play.
300
“Mamma was angry yesterday,
She said it was not true,
But see! he's there again, Papa,
Now you can see him too!
She said it was not true,
But see! he's there again, Papa,
Now you can see him too!
“I love this fine old house, Papa,
I like its large old hall;
It is so very nice a place
For us to play at ball.
I like its large old hall;
It is so very nice a place
For us to play at ball.
“Yes! we've been here now half a year,
And yet, though day by day
I've ask'd him, he will not come in,
All I can do or say.”
And yet, though day by day
I've ask'd him, he will not come in,
All I can do or say.”
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