The Riverside song book/To Mother Fairie

by Alice Cary

Layout 2

TO MOTHER FAIRIE.

Alice Cary. Unknown.

(Air: What’s a’ the steer, Kimmer?)

Recitativo

1. Good old moth - er Fair - ie, Sit - ting by your

2. To chase a - way the shad-ows That make her moan and

Recitativo

fire, Have you an - y lit - tle folk

weep, To sing her lov - ing lul - la - bies, And

You would like to hire? I want no chub - by drudg- es To

kiss her eyes a - sleep; And when in dreams she reach- es For

milk, and churn, and spin, Nor old and wrink-led Brown-ies, With

pleas - ures dead and gone, To hold her was - ted fin - gers. And

gris - ly beards, and thin: But pa - tient lit - tle

make the rings stay on. They must be ver - y

peo - ple, With hands of bus - y care, And

cun - ning To make the fu - ture shine Like

gen - tle speech, and lov - ing hearts; Say, have you such to spare?

leaves, and flow’rs, and strawber-ries, A grow - ing on one vine;

I know a poor, pale bod - y, Who can - not sleep at night,

So good old moth-er Fai - rie. Since now my need you know,

And I want the lit - tle peo-ple To keep her cham - ber bright.

Tell me, have you a - ny folk, Who are wise e- nough to go?