Songs from Books Part 19

Over the jewelled floor, nigh weeping, ran to them Mary the Mother, Kneeled and caressed and made promise with kisses, and drew them along to the gateway-- Yea, the all-iron unbribeable Door which Peter must guard and none other.

Straightway She took the Keys from his keeping, and opened and freed them straightway.

Then, to Her Son, Who had seen and smiled, She said: 'On the night that I bore Thee, What didst Thou care for a love beyond mine or a heaven that was not my arm?

Didst Thou push from the nipple, O Child, to hear the angels adore Thee?

When we two lay in the breath of the kine?' And He said:--'Thou hast done no harm.'

So through the Void the Children ran homeward merrily hand in hand, Looking neither to left nor right where the breathless Heavens stood still.

And the Guards of the Void resheathed their swords, for they heard the Command: 'Shall I that have suffered the children to come to Me hold them against their will?'

MERROW DOWN

I

There runs a road by Merrow Down-- A gra.s.sy track to-day it is-- An hour out of Guildford town, Above the river Wey it is.

Here, when they heard the horse-bells ring, The ancient Britons dressed and rode To watch the dark Phoenicians bring Their goods along the Western Road.

Yes, here, or hereabouts, they met To hold their racial talks and such-- To barter beads for Whitby jet, And tin for gay sh.e.l.l torques and such.

But long and long before that time (When bison used to roam on it) Did Taffy and her Daddy climb That Down, and had their home on it.

Then beavers built in Broadstonebrook And made a swamp where Bramley stands; And bears from Shere would come and look For Taffimai where Shamley stands.

The Wey, that Taffy called Wagai, Was more than six times bigger then; And all the Tribe of Tegumai They cut a n.o.ble figure then!

II

Of all the Tribe of Tegumai Who cut that figure, none remain,-- On Merrow Down the cuckoos cry-- The silence and the sun remain.

But as the faithful years return And hearts unwounded sing again, Comes Taffy dancing through the fern To lead the Surrey spring again.

Her brows are bound with bracken-fronds, And golden elf-locks fly above; Her eyes are bright as diamonds And bluer than the sky above.

In moca.s.sins and deer-skin cloak, Unfearing, free and fair she flits, And lights her little damp-wood smoke To show her Daddy where she flits.

For far--oh, very far behind, So far she cannot call to him, Comes Tegumai alone to find The daughter that was all to him.

OLD MOTHER LAIDINWOOL

'Old Mother Laidinwool had nigh twelve months been dead.

She heard the hops was doing well, an' so popped up her head,'

For said she: 'The lads I've picked with when I was young and fair, They're bound to be at hopping and I'm bound to meet 'em there!'

_Let me up and go Back to the work I know, Lord!

Back to the work I know, Lord!

For it's dark where I lie down, My Lord!

An' it's dark where I lie down!_

Old Mother Laidinwool, she give her bones a shake, An' trotted down the churchyard path as fast as she could make.

She met the Parson walking, but she says to him, says she: 'Oh don't let no one trouble for a poor old ghost like me!'

'Twas all a warm September an' the hops had flourished grand, She saw the folks get into 'em with stockin's on their hands; An' none of 'em was foreigners but all which she had known, And old Mother Laidinwool she blessed 'em every one.

She saw her daughters picking, an' their children them beside, An' she moved among the babies an' she stilled 'em when they cried.

She saw their clothes was bought, not begged, an' they was clean an' fat, An' old Mother Laidinwool she thanked the Lord for that.

Old Mother Laidinwool she waited on all day Until it come too dark to see an' people went away-- Until it come too dark to see an' lights began to show, An' old Mother Laidinwool she hadn't where to go.

Old Mother Laidinwool she give her bones a shake, An' trotted back to churchyard-mould as fast as she could make.

She went where she was bidden to an' there laid down her ghost, ...

An' the Lord have mercy on you in the Day you need it most!

_Let me in again, Out of the wet an' rain, Lord!

Out of the dark an rain, Lord!

For it's best as you shall say, My Lord!

An' it's best as you shall say!_

CHAPTER HEADINGS

JUST-SO STORIES

When the cabin port-holes are dark and green Because of the seas outside; When the s.h.i.+p goes _wop_ (with a wiggle between) And the steward falls into the soup-tureen, And the trunks begin to slide; When Nursey lies on the floor in a heap, And Mummy tells you to let her sleep, And you aren't waked or washed or dressed, Why, then you will know (if you haven't guessed) You're 'Fifty North and Forty West!'

_How the Whale got his Throat._

The Camel's hump is an ugly lump Which well you may see at the Zoo; But uglier yet is the hump we get From having too little to do.

Kiddies and grown-ups too-oo-oo, If we haven't enough to do-oo-oo.

We get the hump-- Cameelious hump-- The hump that is black and blue!

We climb out of bed with a frouzly head And a snarly-yarly voice.

We s.h.i.+ver and scowl and we grunt and we growl At our bath and our boots and our toys;