Ernest Vincent Wright

“ Knowing no bounds, no rules, no law.
⁠But happy, content, and free.
He’s a fellow who loves to romp and play,
⁠Who often has stormed and raved;
But, like other boys, I think you’ll find
⁠He’s generally well-behaved.
“Every one loves her, she’s so refined;
⁠So gentle, so light and neat.”
The gentle South Wind is a maiden sweet,
⁠The friend of young lovers true.
She peeps through their arbor on moon-lit nights,
⁠And sings as they bill and coo. ”

“ When near the Earth these clouds arrive,
Half of the drops with spring and dive
Jump off; and dropping down through space
They start out on a lively race.
Each hurrying down for all he’s worth,
To be the first to reach the Earth. ”

“ Thus, early and late are these teachers at work,
⁠Each proud of his own special class:
And the pupils enjoy it I know, for they have
⁠No examinations to pass.
They all sing as loud or as long as they choose,
⁠And the teacher is simply to see
That the chickens don’t growl, or the bumble-bees bark,
⁠Or the dogs try to buzz like a bee. ”

“ WHEN the Summer days grow shorter
⁠And the Autumn holds its sway;
When the Flowers close up their houses,
⁠And the Birds have moved away;
Then, up in the Polar regions
⁠Where the towering icebergs rise,
Lots of little sleeping Fairies
⁠Stretch and yawn, and open their eyes.
They’re the Sprites who drive the Snowflakes ”

“ And sent over thousands of Sunbeams
⁠To light it and keep it aglow.
But the Fairy had fears that the colors
⁠Might fade in such powerful light,
So she only displays it in showers,
⁠When the Sun doesn’t shine very bright. ”

“ And all of the Fairies, both rich and poor,
⁠Are welcome within its door.
He works very hard for a Royal King,
⁠For there always appears to be
A legion of things to be done each day
⁠That no one can do but he. ”

“ Then each of the tribes chose a branch of the work,
⁠And promised to carry it through.
Two superintendents, called Daytime and Night,
⁠Were appointed to show them the way;
And one or the other is always around
⁠Wherever Dame Nature holds sway;
Then off they all scattered, each tribe to their work;
⁠And even to-day we can see
How well these wee Fairies have kept to their word;
⁠What helpers we’ve found them to be:
If it wasn’t for Fairies the World would be dark,
⁠And people unhappy and sad;
But they light up the World with their beautiful works,
⁠And keep us all merry and glad. ”

“ WHEN the world is calmly sleeping,
⁠Through the quiet summer nights,
From the Forest’s depths come creeping
⁠Swarms of tiny Nymphs and Sprites.
Moving slowly, all on tip-toe,
⁠At the Forest’s edge they stay. ”

“ Two boys and two girls form this strange quartet,
⁠Who never were known to rest.
One boy is called North Wind, the other one East,
⁠While the ladies are South and West.
They each have their home, though they’re miles apart,
⁠And each in a different clime ”

“ This little son, when Christmas time
⁠Draws nearer, day by day,
Goes driving all around the world
⁠In a tiny golden sleigh.
’Tis drawn by twenty wee white mice;
⁠And, scampering o’er the ground,
They stop at every chamber where
⁠A good boy’s to be found. ”

“ THERE’S another band of Fairies
⁠Who live high in the air,
Who never come down on the Earth,
⁠But stay forever there.
They’re called “The Fairies of the Clouds,”
⁠For all they have to do
Is make designs for different clouds
⁠That please and puzzle you. ”

“ They tickle each other and wiggle their heads,
⁠And a comical picture they make;
For they scamper in forty directions at once
⁠When they think you’re about to awake.
Quite often it happens the box will contain
⁠A mixture of several kinds ”