CLV The Three Fishers
CLVI Alice Fell, or Poverty
CLVII The First Swallow
CLVIII The Graves of a Household
CLIX The Thrush's Nest
CLX The Last of the Flock
CLXI The Romance of the Swan's Nest
CLXII Song
CLXIII Timothy
CLXIV The Sleeping Beauty
CLXV Choral Song of Illyrian Peasants
CLXVI The Destruction of Sennacherib
CLXVII The Widow Bird
CLXVIII Dora
CLXIX A Witch, Spoken by a Countryman
CLXX Nursery Rhymes
CLXXI The Age of Children Happiest
CLXXII The Noble Nature
CLXXIII The Rainbow

The Children's Garland from the Best Poets

_THE CHILD AND THE PIPER_

Piping down the valleys wild,
Piping songs of pleasant glee,
On a cloud I saw a child,
And he, laughing, said to me,

'Pipe a song about a lamb,'
So I piped with merry cheer;
'Piper, pipe that song again,'
So I piped, he wept to hear.

'Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe,
Sing thy songs of happy cheer.'
So I sang the same again,
While he wept with joy to hear.

'Piper, sit thee down and write
In a book that all may read.'
So he vanish'd from my sight;
And I pluck'd a hollow reed,

And I made a rural pen,
And I stain'd the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear.

_W. Blake_

II

_ON MAY MORNING_

Now the bright morning star, day's harbinger,
Comes dancing from the east, and leads with her
The flow'ry May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip, and the pale primrose.
Hail, bounteous May, that doth inspire
Mirth and youth and warm desire!
Woods and groves are of thy dressing,
Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song,
And welcome thee, and wish thee long.

_J. Milton_

III

_THE APPROACH OF THE FAIRIES_

Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task foredone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the scritch owl, scritching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe,
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves, all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the churchway paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do ru