Child of the pure unclouded brow
And dreaming eyes of wonder!
Though time be fleet, and I and thou
Are half a life asunder
Thy loving smile will surely hail
The love-gift of a fairy-tale
Thy loving smile will surely hail
The love-gift of a fairy-tale
I have not seen thy sunny face
Nor heard thy silver laughter
No thought of me shall find a place
In thy young life's hereafter
Enough that now thou wilt not fail
To listen to my fairy-tale
Enough that now thou wilt not fail
To listen to my fairy-tale
A tale begun in other days
When summer suns were glowing-
A simple chime, that served to time
The rhythm of our rowing-
Whose echoes live in memory yet
Though envious years would say 'forget
Whose echoes live in memory yet
Though envious years would say 'forget
Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread
With bitter tidings laden
Shall summon to unwelcome bed
A melancholy maiden!
We are but older children, dear
Who fret to find our bedtime near
We are but older children, dear
Who fret to find our bedtime near
Without, the frost, the blinding snow
The storm-wind's moody madness-
Within, the firelight's ruddy glow
And childhood's nest of gladness
The magic words shall hold thee fast
Thou shalt not heed the raving blast
The magic words shall hold thee fast
Thou shalt not heed the raving blast
And, though the shadow of a sigh
May tremble through the story
For 'happy summer days' gone by
And vanish'd summer glory-
It shall not touch, with breath of bale
The pleasance, of our fairy-tale
It shall not touch, with breath of bale
The pleasance, of our fairy-tale
Though time be fleet, and I and thou
Are half a life asunder
Thy loving smile will surely hail
The love-gift of a fairy-tale
