Dream, little one, and in your dreams Float upward from this lowly place-- Float out on mellow, misty streams To lands where bideth Mary mild, And let her kiss thy little face, You little child--my little child! Sleep, little one, and take thy rest-- With angels bending over thee, Sleep sweetly on that Father’s breast Whom our dear Christ hath reconciled-- But stay not there--come back to me, Oh, little child--_my_ little child! GANDERFEATHER’S GIFT I was just a little thing When a fairy came and kissed me; Floating in upon the light Of a haunted summer night, Lo, the fairies came to sing Pretty slumber songs and bring Certain boons that else had missed me. From a dream I turned to see What those strangers brought for me, When that fairy up and kissed me-- Here, upon this cheek, he kissed me! Simmerdew was there, but she Did not like me altogether; Daisybright and Turtledove, Pilfercurds and Honeylove, Thistleblow and Amberglee On that gleaming, ghostly sea Floated from the misty heather, And around my trundle-bed Frisked, and looked, and whispering said-- Solemnlike and all together: “_You_ shall kiss him, Ganderfeather!” Ganderfeather kissed me then-- Ganderfeather, quaint and merry! No attenuate sprite was he, --But as buxom as could be;-- Kissed me twice, and once again, And the others shouted when On my cheek uprose a berry Somewhat like a mole, mayhap, But the kiss-mark of that chap Ganderfeather, passing merry-- Humorsome, but kindly, very! I was just a tiny thing When the prankish Ganderfeather Brought this curious gift to me With his fairy kisses three; Yet with honest pride I sing That same gift he chose to bring Out of yonder haunted heather. Other charms and friendships fly-- Constant friends this mole and I, Who have been so long together Thank you, little Ganderfeather! BAMBINO Bambino in his cradle slept; And by his side his grandam grim Bent down and smiled upon the child, And sung this lullaby to him,-- This “ninna and anninia”: “When thou art older, thou shalt mind To traverse countries far and wide, And thou shalt go where roses blow And balmy waters singing glide-- So ninna and anninia! “And thou shalt wear, trimmed up in points, A famous jacket edged in red, And, more than that, a peakéd hat, All decked in gold, upon thy head-- Ah! ninna and anninia! “Then shalt thou carry gun and knife, Nor shall the soldiers bully thee; Perchance, beset by wrong or debt, A mighty bandit thou shalt be-- So ninna and anninia!