love-songs of childhood-第7节
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No； ruther let Starvation wipe me slowly out o' sight
Than I should keep a…livin' on an' seein' things at night！
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING
When baby wakes of mornings；
Then it's wake； ye people all！
For another day
Of song and play
Has come at our darling's call！
And； till she gets her dinner；
She makes the welkin ring；
And she won't keep still till she's had her fill …
The cunnin' little thing！
When baby goes a…walking；
Oh； how her paddies fly！
For that's the way
The babies say
To other folk 〃by…by〃；
The trees bend down to kiss her；
And the birds in rapture sing；
As there she stands and waves her hands …
The cunnin' little thing！
When baby goes a…rocking
In her bed at close of day；
At hide…and…seek
On her dainty cheek
The dreams and the dimples play；
Then it's sleep in the tender kisses
The guardian angels bring
From the Far Above to my sweetest love …
You cunnin' little thing！
THE DOLL'S WOOING
The little French doll was a dear little doll
Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses；
Her eyes were of hue
A most delicate blue
And dark as the night were her tresses；
Her dear little mouth was fluted and red；
And this little French doll was so very well bred
That whenever accosted her little mouth said
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
The stockinet doll； with one arm and one leg；
Had once been a handsome young fellow；
But now he appeared
Rather frowzy and bleared
In his torn regimentals of yellow；
Yet his heart gave a curious thump as he lay
In the little toy cart near the window one day
And heard the sweet voice of that French dolly say：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
He listened so long and he listened so hard
That anon he grew ever so tender；
For it's everywhere known
That the feminine tone
Gets away with all masculine gender！
He up and he wooed her with soldierly zest
But all she'd reply to the love he professed
Were these plaintive words （which perhaps you have guessed）：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
Her mother … a sweet little lady of five …
Vouchsafed her parental protection；
And although stockinet
Wasn't blue…blooded； yet
She really could make no objection！
So soldier and dolly were wedded one day；
And a moment ago； as I journeyed that way；
I'm sure that I heard a wee baby voice say：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE
When thou dost eat from off this plate；
I charge thee be thou temperate；
Unto thine elders at the board
Do thou sweet reverence accord；
And； though to dignity inclined；
Unto the serving…folk be kind；
Be ever mindful of the poor；
Nor turn them hungry from the door；
And unto God； for health and food
And all that in thy life is good；
Give thou thy heart in gratitude。
FISHERMAN JIM'S KIDS
Fisherman Jim lived on the hill
With his bonnie wife an' his little boys；
'T wuz 〃Blow； ye winds； as blow ye will …
Naught we reck of your cold and noise！〃
For happy and warm were he an' his；
And he dandled his kids upon his knee
To the song of the sea。
Fisherman Jim would sail all day；
But； when come night； upon the sands
His little kids ran from their play；
Callin' to him an' wavin' their hands；
Though the wind was fresh and the sea was high；
He'd hear'em … you bet … above the roar
Of the waves on the shore！
Once Fisherman Jim sailed into the bay
As the sun went down in a cloudy sky；
And never a kid saw he at play；
And he listened in vain for the welcoming cry。
In his little house he learned it all；
And he clinched his hands and he bowed his head …
〃The fever！〃 they said。
'T wuz a pitiful time for Fisherman Jim；
With them darlin's a…dyin' afore his eyes；
A…stretchin' their wee hands out to him
An' a…breakin' his heart with the old…time cries
He had heerd so often upon the sands；
For they thought they wuz helpin' his boat ashore …
Till they spoke no more。
But Fisherman Jim lived on and on；
Castin' his nets an' sailin' the sea；
As a man will live when his heart is gone；
Fisherman Jim lived hopelessly；
Till once in those years they come an' said：
〃Old Fisherman Jim is powerful sick …
Go to him； quick！〃
Then Fisherman Jim says he to me：
〃It's a long； long cruise…you understand …
But over beyont the ragin' sea
I kin see my boys on the shinin' sand
Waitin' to help this ol' hulk ashore；
Just as they used to … ah； mate； you know！ …
In the long ago。〃
No； sir！ he wuzn't afeard to die；
For all night long he seemed to see
His little boys of the days gone by；
An' to hear sweet voices forgot by me！
An' just as the mornin' sun come up …
〃They're holdin' me by the hands！〃 he cried；
An' so he died。
〃FIDDLE…DEE…DEE〃
There once was a bird that lived up in a tree；
And all he could whistle was 〃Fiddle…dee…dee〃 …
A very provoking； unmusical song
For one to be whistling the summer day long！
Yet always contented and busy was he
With that vocal recurrence of 〃Fiddle…dee…dee。〃
Hard by lived a brave little soldier of four；
That weird iteration repented him sore；
〃I prithee； Dear…Mother…Mine！ fetch me my gun；
For； by our St。 Didy！ the deed must be done
That shall presently rid all creation and me
Of that ominous bird and his 'Fiddle…dee…dee'！〃
Then out came Dear…Mother…Mine； bringing her son
His awfully truculent little red gun；
The stock was of pine and the barrel of tin；
The 〃bang〃 it came out where the bullet went in …
The right kind of weapon I think you'll agree
For slaying all fowl that go 〃Fiddle…dee…dee〃！
The brave little soldier quoth never a word；
But he up and he drew a straight bead on that bird；
And； while that vain creature provokingly sang；
The gun it went off with a terrible bang！
Then loud laughed the youth … 〃By my Bottle；〃 cried he；
I've put a quietus on 'Fiddle…dee…dee'！〃
Out came then Dear…Mother…Mine； saying： 〃My son；
Right well have you wrought with your little red gun！
Hereafter no evil at all need I fear；
With such a brave soldier as You…My…Love here！〃
She kissed the dear boy。
（The bird in the tree
Continued to whistle his 〃Fiddle…dee…dee〃）
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
Over the hills and far away；
A little boy steals from his morning play
And under the blossoming apple…tree
He lies and he dreams of the things to be：
Of battles fought and of victories won；
Of wrongs o'erthrown and of great deeds done …
Of the valor that he shall prove some day；
Over the hills and far away …
Over the hills； and far away！
Over the hills and far away
It's； oh； for the toil the livelong day！
But it mattereth not to the soul aflame
With a love for riches and power and fame！
On； 0 man！ while the sun is high …
On to the certain joys that lie
Yonder where blazeth the noon of day；
Over the hills and far away …
Over the hills； and far away！
Over the hills and far away；
An old man lingers at close of day；
Now that his journey is almost done；
His battles fought and his victories won …
The old…time honesty and truth；
The trustfulness and the friends of youth；
Home and mother…where are they？
Over the hills and far away …
Over the years； and far away！
End
