The sails are reefed and the nets are drawn, And, over his pot of beer, The fisher, against the morrow’s dawn, Lustily maketh cheer; He mocks at the winds that caper along From the far-off clamorous deep-- But we--we love their lullaby song Of “Sleep, little tulip, sleep!” Old dog Fritz in slumber sound Groans of the stony mart-- To-morrow how proudly he’ll trot you round, Hitched to our new milk-cart! And you shall help me blanket the kine And fold the gentle sheep And set the herring a-soak in brine-- But now, little tulip, sleep! A Dream-One comes to button the eyes That wearily droop and blink, While the old mill buffets the frowning skies And scolds at the stars that wink; Over your face the misty wings Of that beautiful Dream-One sweep, And rocking your cradle she softly sings: “Sleep, little tulip, sleep!” INTRY-MINTRY Willie and Bess, Georgie and May-- Once, as these children were hard at play, An old man, hoary and tottering, came And watched them playing their pretty game. He seemed to wonder, while standing there, What the meaning thereof could be-- Aha, but the old man yearned to share Of the little children’s innocent glee As they circled around with laugh and shout And told their rime at counting out: “Intry-mintry, cutrey-corn, Apple-seed and apple-thorn; Wire, brier, limber, lock, Twelve geese in a flock; Some flew east, some flew west, Some flew over the cuckoo’s nest!” Willie and Bess, Georgie and May-- Ah, the mirth of that summer-day! ’Twas Father Time who had come to share The innocent joy of those children there; He learned betimes the game they played And into their sport with them went he-- How _could_ the children have been afraid, Since little they recked whom he might be? They laughed to hear old Father Time Mumbling that curious nonsense rime Of “Intry-mintry, cutrey-corn, Apple-seed and apple-thorn; Wire, brier, limber, lock, Twelve geese in a flock; Some flew east, some flew west, Some flew over the cuckoo’s nest!”