 | Lilliput legends |  |
iii
[The boys and girls were exceeding gay]
The
boys and girls were exceeding gay,
With billycock bonnets and curds and whey,
And I thought that I was in Arcady,
For the fringe of the forest was fair to see.
With billycock bonnets and curds and whey,
And I thought that I was in Arcady,
For the fringe of the forest was fair to see.
But the very first hayrick that I came to
Did turn to a Doll's House, fair and true;
I saw with my eyes where the same did sit,
And there was a rainbow over it.
Did turn to a Doll's House, fair and true;
I saw with my eyes where the same did sit,
And there was a rainbow over it.
The people inside were setting the platters,
The chairs and tables, and such-like matters,
And making the beds and getting the tea:
But through a bow-window I saw the sea.
The chairs and tables, and such-like matters,
And making the beds and getting the tea:
But through a bow-window I saw the sea.
Up came a damsel: “Sir,” she said,
“Will you walk with me by my garden-bed?
Will you sit in my parlour by-and-by?”
“I will sit in your parlour, my dear,” says I.
“Will you walk with me by my garden-bed?
Will you sit in my parlour by-and-by?”
“I will sit in your parlour, my dear,” says I.
“Will you hear my starling gossip?” said she,
And now I felt sure it was Arcady;
But a starling never could do the rhyming
That very soon in my ears was chiming:—
And now I felt sure it was Arcady;
But a starling never could do the rhyming
That very soon in my ears was chiming:—
iv
“Jigglum-jogglum, Lilliputlandum,
Twopenny tiptop, sugaricandum,
Snip-snap-snorum, hot-cross buns,
Conjugatorum, double dunce.
Twopenny tiptop, sugaricandum,
Snip-snap-snorum, hot-cross buns,
Conjugatorum, double dunce.
“Fannyfold funnyface, fairy-tale,
Cat in a cockle-boat, wigglum-whale,
Dickory-dolphin, humpty-hoo,
Floppety-fluteykin, tootle-tum-too.”
Cat in a cockle-boat, wigglum-whale,
Dickory-dolphin, humpty-hoo,
Floppety-fluteykin, tootle-tum-too.”
Said I, “There may be a Clown outside,
And a Clown I never could yet abide,—
A picker and stealer, a clumsy joker,
Who stirs up his friends with a burning poker.
And a Clown I never could yet abide,—
A picker and stealer, a clumsy joker,
Who stirs up his friends with a burning poker.
“But perhaps,” said I, “I mistake the plan;
It may be the Punch-and-Judy man,
Or the other, that keeps the galante show
And the marionnettes, for what I know.”
It may be the Punch-and-Judy man,
Or the other, that keeps the galante show
And the marionnettes, for what I know.”
Then I opened the window through thick and thin,
And in with a bounce came a Harlequin,
And very distinctly I heard a band
Strike up the dances of Lilliput Land.
And in with a bounce came a Harlequin,
And very distinctly I heard a band
Strike up the dances of Lilliput Land.
To wonder at this I did incline,
“And where,” said I, “is the Columbine—
Tip-toe twist-about, shimmer and shine,
Where is the beautiful Columbine?”
“And where,” said I, “is the Columbine—
Tip-toe twist-about, shimmer and shine,
Where is the beautiful Columbine?”
v
Then out from the curtains, all shimmer and shine,
With a rose-red sash came Columbine,
And Harlequin took her by the hand,
And they stepped out in Lilliput Land;
Twirl about, whirl about, shimmer and shine,
O a rose-red sash had Columbine!
With a rose-red sash came Columbine,
And Harlequin took her by the hand,
And they stepped out in Lilliput Land;
Twirl about, whirl about, shimmer and shine,
O a rose-red sash had Columbine!
Then one of the folks, who had set the tea
In Doli's House fashion, did climb my knee,
And he said, “Would you like, sir, to take a trip
With me? Have you seen my little ship?”
In Doli's House fashion, did climb my knee,
And he said, “Would you like, sir, to take a trip
With me? Have you seen my little ship?”
The ship, as he called it, was certainly small,
For the dot of a sailor could carry it all:
So both got in, and away went we,
Coasting the sea-board of Arcady.
For the dot of a sailor could carry it all:
So both got in, and away went we,
Coasting the sea-board of Arcady.
Then I told a story, and he told one,
But they both got mixed before they were done;
And so did we, as the day grew dim,
And the child was myself, and myself was him.
But they both got mixed before they were done;
And so did we, as the day grew dim,
And the child was myself, and myself was him.
But now it was getting time to land,
So I stepped into Fleet Street, and went up the Strand,
For I thought I should like to study the trade
They drive in toys at the Lowther Arcade.
So I stepped into Fleet Street, and went up the Strand,
For I thought I should like to study the trade
They drive in toys at the Lowther Arcade.
And whom should I see, at a Doll's House door,
But the very same damsel I met before!
“I thought I should see you again,” says she;
“And a few of my friends will be here to tea.”
But the very same damsel I met before!
“I thought I should see you again,” says she;
“And a few of my friends will be here to tea.”
vi
Then the Punch-and-Judy man came in,
The Columbine and the Harlequin,
The man that patters in front of a show,
And the children—and how their tongues did go!
The Columbine and the Harlequin,
The man that patters in front of a show,
And the children—and how their tongues did go!
But what makes the place so sweet? thought I,
As scents of the heather and furze went by,
And with them a whiff of the rolling sea;—
And then I remembered Arcady,
As the party were tittering over the tea.
As scents of the heather and furze went by,
And with them a whiff of the rolling sea;—
And then I remembered Arcady,
As the party were tittering over the tea.
There are things that they do not understand
In Arcady or in Lilliput Land,
Thought I, and a tear began to come—
Somewhere was a little one tapping a drum.
In Arcady or in Lilliput Land,
Thought I, and a tear began to come—
Somewhere was a little one tapping a drum.
Then forth I quietly stepped, back way,
From the merry party; myself not gay,
And yet not sad, but at sixes and sevens
With things in the world and things in the heavens;
From the merry party; myself not gay,
And yet not sad, but at sixes and sevens
With things in the world and things in the heavens;
For, what with the Punch-and-Judy man,
And the dainty little Arcadian,
I found it had all got into my head,
With the stories the Doll's House people said,—
But yet they would not be rememberéd!
And the dainty little Arcadian,
I found it had all got into my head,
With the stories the Doll's House people said,—
But yet they would not be rememberéd!
Then I says to the stories, “You tricksy elves,
You had better take pencil, and tell yourselves!”
So they did. And the telling of them is true;
Though they carried off some of the things I knew,
You had better take pencil, and tell yourselves!”
So they did. And the telling of them is true;
Though they carried off some of the things I knew,
vii
But which never a soul in Lilliput Land,
Or in Arcady can understand,
Or know. And little of them know I
Or you, except that they make us cry.
Or in Arcady can understand,
Or know. And little of them know I
Or you, except that they make us cry.
I will put up the book in the library
Of the little Doll's House in Arcady;
And if some of the people there read and find
A few of the tears, will they really mind?
Or why should Sixtyfoot hate himself
For taking a book from a Doll's House shelf?
Of the little Doll's House in Arcady;
And if some of the people there read and find
A few of the tears, will they really mind?
Or why should Sixtyfoot hate himself
For taking a book from a Doll's House shelf?
| Lilliput legends | |