_1st Girl._ There goes a swallow to Venice--the stout seafarer! Seeing those birds fly makes one wish for wings. Let us all wish; you wish first! _2nd Girl._ I? This sunset To finish. _3rd Girl._ That old--somebody I know, Grayer and older than my grandfather, 5 To give me the same treat he gave last week-- Feeding me on his knee with fig-peckers, Lampreys and red Breganze-wine, and mumbling The while some folly about how well I fare, Let sit and eat my supper quietly: 10 Since had he not himself been late this morning, Detained at--never mind where--had he not-- "Eh, baggage, had I not!"-- _2nd Girl._ How she can lie! _3rd Girl._ Look there--by the nails! _2nd Girl._ What makes your fingers red? _3rd Girl._ Dipping them into wine to write bad words with 15 On the bright table: how he laughed! _1st Girl._ My turn. Spring's come and summer's coming. I would wear A long loose gown, down to the feet and hands, With plaits here, close about the throat, all day; And all night lie, the cool long nights, in bed; 20 And have new milk to drink, apples to eat, Deuzans and junetings, leather-coats--ah, I should say, This is away in the fields--miles! _3rd Girl._ Say at once You'd be at home--she'd always be at home! Now comes the story of the farm among 25 The cherry orchards, and how April snowed White blossoms on her as she ran. Why, fool, They've rubbed the chalk-mark out, how tall you were, Twisted your starling's neck, broken his cage, Made a dunghill of your garden! _1st Girl._ They destroy 30 My garden since I left them? Well--perhaps I would have done so--so I hope they have! A fig-tree curled out of our cottage wall; They called it mine, I have forgotten why, It must have been there long ere I was born: 35 _Cric_--_cric_--I think I hear the wasps o'erhead Pricking the papers strung to flutter there And keep off birds in fruit-time--coarse long papers, And the wasps eat them, prick them through and through.