ONE night in Fairyland, when all the court Held carnival to welcome in the June, And to the wind-harp's music, flying feet Were dancing on the rose leaves night had strewn;
The naughty Puck crept up the castle stair, And called the sleeping princes from their bed; And with their royal pages following, Away the tricksy little fairies sped.
Mounted on snowy night-moths, off they raced, Startling the gnomes, asleep within the shade Of gloomy forests, with their merry cries, As at forbidden games all night they played.
But when at sunrise blew an elfin horn, Mischievous Puck was nowhere to be seen, The disobedient princes stood forlorn; Like dew-drops fell their tears on grasses green.
For fairy children, not within the bounds Of Queen Titania's realm at morning's dawn, Change into blooming flowers where they stand, And bloom there till the summer time is gone.
Now, where the little princes played all night In robes of royal purple and of gold, The flowers we call pansies sprang in sight, And round them stood the little pages bold,
In liveries of yellow, blue, and white; While upward through the east the great sun rolled. Then some, repentant, sadly drooped their heads; Some turned their saucy faces to the sky;
But now they all alike must wait the day When they can bid the summer time good-by. Sometimes, when bees upon their busy rounds Stop to deliver some sweet message sent
From Fairyland, the thoughtful faces smile And seem to grow a little more content. When cooling shadows creep along the grass, And mother birds are twittering lullabies
To sleepy nestlings, then the south winds pass, And close with fingers soft the pansies’ eyes. Upon the wings of dreams they're borne along To loving arms that rock them all the night,
And fairy voices soothe their sleep with song, Till they are waked by kisses of the light.
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