They took me out a-sailing— We anchored by the moon; The golden door was open wide, We saw a garden-ground inside Where it was light as noon. And fairy folk looked out and spoke: “Come in, come in and play!” We climbed a little silver stair— It was so beautiful in there I wished that I might stay. They took me out a-sailing— Oh, strange the tales I heard Of charmed adventures in the skies Beyond the gaze of human eyes, Beyond the flight of bird. The stars went out, I looked about, I saw the dewdrops gleam Among the cobwebs on the lawn As we came home at break of dawn... It was not all a dream. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A COMPLAINT You’ve stolen all our mushrooms! When friends come in to tea In Fairyland it is the rule To offer them a satin stool; The grass is often very wet And furniture is hard to get, As you must all agree. You’ve stolen all our mushrooms And left not one behind. If people came by night and day And took your prettiest chairs away And made them all into a stew Without so much as thanking you, Now would you call it kind? You’ve stolen all our mushrooms, And, if you don’t take care, We’ll go about the fields at night And paint the toadstools brown and white, And you’ll be punished for your greed By being very ill indeed— So you had best beware. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE FAIRIES GIVE THANKS To all kind folk who make delightful gardens Where we may live, Enjoying days and nights of busy leisure Amid devices fashioned for our pleasure, Our thanks we give. For dancing-lawns and gravelled jousting-places, For guardian trees, For ferny thickets strewn with moss-grown mountains And lily-pools and waterfalls and fountains— For all of these. Charged are we also by our little comrades The gentle birds, That we their messages of thanks should bring you, Since they from grateful hearts can only sing you Songs without words.