You chase the blue butterflies,
The shining dew is shaken by your feet,
That are white in the young grasses;
Swift, you hesitate, poised;
And they elude you; fluttering
In the windless gold.
Sai is small,
But a little child,
With little sorrows;
Yet her tears shine with laughter,
Her face comes and goes between the wet leaves,
As a face in sleep
Comes and goes between green shadows,
As moving lights hide and shine in the marshes.
I shall not look at her,
Lest she should hide from mine eyes
In the shadow.
I bring her pale honey in a comb, apples
Sweet and smelling; and leave them beside me;
Then comes she softly.
There is a bee in the willow-weed,
From flower to flower it climbs, and I watch it
Till the honey and apples are eaten.
Sai is quite close to me; now she has gone
She has forgotten me.
Sai is small,
But a little child.
THE SHEPHERDS' CAROL OF
BETHLEHEM
A golden star hangs in the night,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
And all the fields are clad in white:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
What maketh Mary's face so pale?
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
It is the hour of her travail:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
She lies between an ass and beast,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
Three kings come riding from the east:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
They have ridden out of the lands afar:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
In ermine furs and cramasie,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
A duffle cloak will shelter me:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
The kings have stooped to Mary's hem,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
But her eyes travel away from them:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
What gifts have we to bring the Lord?
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
Neither a sceptre, nor a sword:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
We bring no gifts but milk and cheese:
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
And a fleece of wool for Mary's knees:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
Nor myrrh, nor frankincense, nor gold:
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
But a fleece to shield Him from the cold:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
Down miry ways, tho' storms be wild,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
A warm soft fleece for a naked child:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
Now Mary turns her face to sleep:
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
While we go back to tend our sheep:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
The sparks fly from the crackling thorn,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
Our God was in a stable born:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
Tho' three wise kings rode from the east,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
He was born between an ass and beast:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow.
I saw no trail of starry light,
Heigh-ho, the bitter winds blow!
I heard a child wail in the night:
I saw three shepherds out in the snow!