The cradle, carved like an open shellOf ebony, polished bright,Was all inlaid with silver rareThat shone in the mellow light,—Which streamed through the tiny curtains, woveOf silver gauze and velvet flowers,And lightly touched the infant’s cheek,As it lay in satin wrappings, weak,And slept through the quiet hours;And the princess dreamed in her costly bed,With a lady grand at her feet and head;And never knew nor cared what graceHad fashioned frills of her dainty lace;For she dreamed no sweeter while she slept,Nor suffered less when in pain she wept;Though the lullaby in the chorus said:“There’s a sparkling crown for the royal head.”
The cradle, carved like an open shellOf ebony, polished bright,Was all inlaid with silver rareThat shone in the mellow light,—Which streamed through the tiny curtains, woveOf silver gauze and velvet flowers,And lightly touched the infant’s cheek,As it lay in satin wrappings, weak,And slept through the quiet hours;And the princess dreamed in her costly bed,With a lady grand at her feet and head;And never knew nor cared what graceHad fashioned frills of her dainty lace;For she dreamed no sweeter while she slept,Nor suffered less when in pain she wept;Though the lullaby in the chorus said:“There’s a sparkling crown for the royal head.”
The cradle, carved like an open shell
Of ebony, polished bright,
Was all inlaid with silver rare
That shone in the mellow light,—
Which streamed through the tiny curtains, wove
Of silver gauze and velvet flowers,
And lightly touched the infant’s cheek,
As it lay in satin wrappings, weak,
And slept through the quiet hours;
And the princess dreamed in her costly bed,
With a lady grand at her feet and head;
And never knew nor cared what grace
Had fashioned frills of her dainty lace;
For she dreamed no sweeter while she slept,
Nor suffered less when in pain she wept;
Though the lullaby in the chorus said:
“There’s a sparkling crown for the royal head.”
In its cradle-hammock, cool and light,A baby swayed in the summer air;And through the leaves of the spreading trees,It looked on the pure, blue heavens there;And smiled as the warblers sang a song,And cooed as the sweet breeze swept along,Till its eyelids drooped and the lashes layOn the velvet cheek; while the mother thereGuards still the babe of her tender care:And the winds blow soft as they come that wayTo touch the curls, and then whispering say,“Peace to the child in its hammock bed,And crowns of health for the bright young head.”
In its cradle-hammock, cool and light,A baby swayed in the summer air;And through the leaves of the spreading trees,It looked on the pure, blue heavens there;And smiled as the warblers sang a song,And cooed as the sweet breeze swept along,Till its eyelids drooped and the lashes layOn the velvet cheek; while the mother thereGuards still the babe of her tender care:And the winds blow soft as they come that wayTo touch the curls, and then whispering say,“Peace to the child in its hammock bed,And crowns of health for the bright young head.”
In its cradle-hammock, cool and light,
A baby swayed in the summer air;
And through the leaves of the spreading trees,
It looked on the pure, blue heavens there;
And smiled as the warblers sang a song,
And cooed as the sweet breeze swept along,
Till its eyelids drooped and the lashes lay
On the velvet cheek; while the mother there
Guards still the babe of her tender care:
And the winds blow soft as they come that way
To touch the curls, and then whispering say,
“Peace to the child in its hammock bed,
And crowns of health for the bright young head.”
endpaper divider