The
Ballad of Crossing the Brook
|
|
Oh,
it was a dainty maid that went a-Maying in the morn,
A dainty, dainty maiden
of degree.
The ways she took were merry and the ways she missed
forlorn,
And the laughing water tinkled
to the sea.
The little leaves above her loved the dainty,
dainty maid;
|
5 |
The
little wind they kissed her, every one;
At the nearing of her little feet the flowers were
not afraid;
And the water lay a-whimpling
in the sun.
Oh, the dainty, dainty maid to the borders of
the brook
Lingered down as lightly
as the breeze;
|
10 |
And
the shy water-spiders quit their scurrying to look;
And the happy water whispered
to the trees.
She was fain to cross the brook, was the dainty,
dainty maid;
But first she lifted up
her elfin eyes
To see if there were cavalier or clown a-near
to aid,—
|
15 |
| And
the water-bubbles blinked in surprise.
The brook bared its pebbles to persuade her dainty
feet,
But the dainty, dainty
maid was not content.
She had spied a simple country lad (for dainty
maid unmeet),
And the shy water twinkled
as it went.
|
20 |
As the simple lad drew nigh, then this dainty, dainty
maid,
(O maidens, well you know
how it was done!)
Stood a-gazing at her feet until he saw she was
afraid
Of the water there a-whimpling
in the sun.
Now that simple lad had in him all the makings
of a man;
|
25 |
And
he stammered, "I had better lift you over!"
Said the dainty, dainty maid—"Do you
really think you can?"
And the water hid its laughter
in the clover.
So he carried her across, with his eyes cast
down,
And his foolish heart
a-quaking with delight.
|
30 |
And
the maid she looked him over with her elfin eyes
of brown;
And the impish water giggled
at his plight.
He reached the other side, he set down the dainty
maid;
But he trembled so he
couldn’t speak a word.
Then the dainty, dainty maid—"Thank
you, Sir! Good-day!" she said.
|
35 |
| And
the water-bubbles chuckled as they heard.
Oh she tripped away so lightly, a-Maying in the
morn,
That dainty, dainty maiden
of degree;
She left the simple country lad a-sighing and
forlorn
Where the mocking water
twinkled to the sea.
|
40 |
|
