Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman

Once Upon a Time, and Other Child-Verses


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      Amongst the clustering ivy leaves."

      "She was so full of angel-love,"

      Silver bells are ringing;

      "They could but make her a white dove,"

      Silver bells are ringing.

      The king stood 'neath the minster wall,

      And loudly on his child did call.

      A snow-white dove beneath the eaves,

      Looked down from 'mongst the ivy leaves,

      Then flew down to the monarch's breast,

      And, sorely panting, there did rest.

      Then spake the Wise Man by his side:

      "Oh, king, canst thou subdue thy pride,

      And hang thy crown beneath the eaves,

      Amongst the clustering ivy leaves

      "In thine unhappy daughter's place?"

      Silver bells are ringing;

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      "For thus she'll find her maiden grace,"

      Silver bells are ringing.

      The jewels in the royal

      crown,

      Out from the dark

      green ivy shone!

      The white dove softly

      folds her wings,

      Then lightly to the ground

      she springs—

      A princess, sweeter than before,

      For being a white dove an hour.

      They went home through the happy town,

      The king forgot his royal crown,

      And soon, beneath the minster eaves,

      'Twas hidden by the ivy leaves.

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      NOW Susan Jane a-berrying goes,

      With her dipper and pail a-berry-

      ing goes—

      Now Susan Jane creeps dolefully home, and

      mournfully hangs her head;

      For she tumbled down and bumped her

      nose,

      She tore her frock and she stubbed her toes,

      And the blueberries all were green, alas! and

      the blackberries all were red!

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      MEADOWS shadowy and sunny,

      Pink with clover, sweet with honey,

      Green with grass that shakes and swings,

      Rustling 'till it almost sings,

      From her open window show

      For a pleasant mile or so.

      She with earnest, pensive look,

      Bending o'er an open book,

      Her own happy self forgets

      Following a story-child's

      Pretty pleasures and regrets.

      Straightening up her golden head,

      Now she sees the fields instead,

      Where the grass and clover stir,

      And her glad self and her day

      Radiantly come back to her.

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      SEE-SAW, see-saw, up and down we gay-

      ly go!

      See-saw, see-saw, such a lovely teeter, O!

      See-saw, see-saw,

      grass across a daisy-stalk—

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      Up and down the robins teetered with their

      silvery talk.

      See-saw, see-saw! robins, they know how to

      play

      See-saw, see-saw, as well as children any day;

      See-saw, see-saw! lads and lassies, don't you

      know,

      Grass across a daisy-stalk makes a lovely

      teeter, O!

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      SHE sat in her little rocking-chair, a-sigh-

      ing and twirling her thumbs:

      "Oh, everything for my doll is done, and

      never to mending comes!

      I haven't a morsel of sewing!—dear mother,

      in all the town,

      Can't you find me one doll, no matter how

      small, who will wear out her gown?"

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      MY lady's ready for the ball;

      But she's lost her golden slippers,

      And the servants scurry all,

      From the pantry, from the hall,

      Brooms in hand, and spoons and dippers.

      Ah, my lady's golden slippers!

      Footman, cook, and housemaid—run!

      Hunt ye nimbly, every one!

      Round they whirl, the lightsome trippers,

      And the music has begun:

      Ah, my lady's golden slippers!