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Those be rubies； fairy favors；
In those freckles live their savors：
I must go seek some dew…drops here；
And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear。
II
From 〃A Midsummer…Night's Dream〃
You spotted snakes with double tongue；
Thorny hedgehogs； be not seen；
Newts and blind…worms； do no wrong；
Come not near our fairy queen。
Philomel； with melody；
Sing in our sweet lullaby；
Lulla； lulla； lullaby； lulla； lulla； lullaby！
Never harm；
Nor spell nor charm；
Come our lovely lady nigh；
So； good night； with lullaby。
Weaving spiders； come not here；
Hence； you long…legged spinners； hence！
Beetles black； approach not near；
Worm nor snail； do no offence。
Philomel； with melody；
Sing in our sweet lullaby；
Lulla； lulla； lullaby； lulla； lulla； lullaby！
Never harm；
Nor spell nor charm；
Come our lovely lady nigh；
So； good…night； with lullaby。
III
From 〃The Tempest〃
Come unto these yellow sands；
And then take hands：
Court'sied when you have； and kissed； …
The wild waves whist； …
Foot it featly here and there；
And； sweet sprites； the burthen bear。
Hark； hark！
Bow； wow；
The watch…dogs bark：
Bow； wow。
Hark； hark！ I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry； Cock…a…diddle…dow！
IV
From 〃The Tempest〃
Where the bee sucks； there suck I：
In a cowslip's bell I lie；
There I couch when owls do cry。
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily：
Merrily； merrily； shall I live now；
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough。
William Shakespeare ＇1564…1616＇
QUEEN MAB
From 〃The Satyr〃
This is Mab； the Mistress…Fairy；
That doth nightly rob the dairy
And can hurt or help the churning；
As she please without discerning。
She that pinches country wenches
If they rub not clean their benches；
And with sharper nails remembers
When they rake not up their embers：
But if so they chance to feast her；
In a shoe she drops a tester。
This is she that empties cradles；
Takes out children； puts in ladles：
Trains forth old wives in their slumber
With a sieve the holes to number；
And then leads them from her burrows；
Home through ponds and water…furrows。
She can start our Franklins' daughters；
In their sleep； with shrieks and laughters：
And on sweet Saint Anna's night
Feed them with a promised sight；
Some of husbands； some of lovers；
Which an empty dream discovers。
Ben Jonson ＇1573？…1637＇
THE ELF AND THE DORMOUSE
Under a toadstool crept a wee Elf；
Out of the rain； to shelter himself。
Under the toadstool sound asleep；
Sat a big Dormouse all in a heap。
Trembled the wee Elf； frightened； and yet
Fearing to fly away lest he get wet。
To the next shelter … maybe a mile！
Sudden the wee Elf smiled a wee smile；
Tugged till the toadstool toppled in two。
Holding it over him； gayly he flew。
Soon he was safe home； dry as could be。
Soon woke the Dormouse … 〃Good gracious me！
〃Where is my toadstool？〃 loud he lamented。
… And that's how umbrellas first were invented。
Oliver Herford ＇1863…1935＇
〃OH！ WHERE DO FAIRIES HIDE THEIR HEADS？〃
Oh！ where do fairies hide their heads；
When snow lies on the hills；
When frost has spoiled their mossy beds；
And crystallized their rills？
Beneath the moon they cannot trip
In circles o'er the plain；
And draughts of dew they cannot sip；
Till green leaves come again。
Perhaps； in small； blue diving…bells
They plunge beneath the waves；
Inhabiting the wreathed shells
That lie in coral caves。
Perhaps； in red Vesuvius
Carousals they maintain；
And cheer their little spirits thus；
Till green leaves come again。
When they return； there will be mirth
And music in the air。
And fairy wings upon the earth；
And mischief everywhere。
The maids； to keep the elves aloof；
Will bar the doors in vain；
No key…hole will he fairy…proof
When green leaves come again。
Thomas Haynes Bayly ＇1797…1839＇
FAIRY SONG
From 〃Amyntas〃
We the Fairies； blithe and antic；
Of dimensions not gigantic；
Though the moonshine mostly keep us；
Oft in orchards frisk and peep us。
Stolen sweets are always sweeter；
Stolen kisses much completer；
Stolen looks are nice in chapels；
Stolen； stolen be your apples。
When to bed the world is bobbing；
Then's the time for orchard…robbing；
Yet the fruit were scarce worth peeling
Were it not for stealing； stealing。
Translated by Leigh Hunt from the Latin of Thomas Randolph
＇1605…1635＇
DREAM SONG
I come from woods enchaunted；
Starlit and pixey…haunted；
Where 'twixt the bracken and the trees
The goblins lie and take their ease
By winter moods undaunted。
There down the golden gravel
The laughing rivers travel；
Elves wake at nights and whisper low
Between the bracken and the snow
Their dreamings to unravel。
Twisted and lank and hairy；
With wanton eyes and wary；
They stretch and chuckle in the wind；
For one has found a mermaid kind；
And one has kissed a fairy。
They know no melancholy；
But fashion crowns of holly；
And gather sleep within the brake
To deck a kingdom when they wake；
And bless the dreamer's folly。
Ah！ would that I might follow
The servants of Apollo！
But it is sweet to heap the hours
With quiet dreams and poppy…flowers；
Down in the pixies' hollow。
Richard Middleton ＇1882…1911＇
FAIRY SONG
Shed no tear！ O； shed no tear！
The flower will bloom another year。
Weep no more！ O； weep no more！
Young buds sleep in the root's white core。
Dry your eyes！ O； dry your eyes！
For I was taught in Paradise
To ease my breast of melodies； …
Shed no tear。
Overhead！ look overhead！
'Mong the blossoms white and red； …
Look up； look up！ I flutter now
On this flush pomegranate bough。
See me！ 'tis this silvery bill
Ever cures the good man's ill； …
Shed no tear！ O； shed no tear！
The flower will bloom another year。
Adieu； adieu … I fly … adieu！
I vanish in the heaven's blue； …
Adieu； adieu！
John Keats ＇1795…1821＇
QUEEN MAB
A little fairy comes at night；
Her eyes are blue； her hair is brown；
With silver spots upon her wings；
And from the moon she flutters down。
She has a little silver wand；
And when a good child goes to bed
She waves her hand from right to left；
And makes a circle round its head。
And then it dreams of pleasant things；
Of fountains filled with fairy fish；
And trees that bear delicious fruit；
And bow their branches at a wish：
Of arbors filled with dainty scents
From lovely flowers that never fade；
Bright flies that glitter in the sun；
And glow…worms shining in the shade：
And talking birds with gifted tongues；
For singing songs and telling tales；
And pretty dwarfs to show the way
Through fairy hills and fairy dales。
But when a bad child goes to bed；
From l