Mother-hen her wings now is sinking,
Rooster stands on one leg a-thinking:
"That gray goose,
High he flies and loose;
But just watch, you must admit,
Naught he has of rooster-wit.
Chickens in! To the coop away!
Gladly dismiss we the sun for today!"
Says the rooster.
"Dear me, it is good to be living,
When life no labor is giving!"
Says the song-bird.
MARIT'S SONG (FROM A HAPPY BOY)
"Dance!" called the fiddle,
Its strings loudly giggled,
The bailiff's man wriggled
Ahead for a spree.
"Hold!" shouted Ola
And tripped him to tumbling,
The bailiff's man humbling,
To maidens' great glee.
"Hop!" said then Erik,
His foot struck the ceiling,
The beams rang their pealing,
The walls gave a shriek.
"Stop!" said now Elling,
And seizing him collared,
He held him and hollered:
"You still are too weak!"
"Hei!" said then Rasmus,
Fair Randi embracing:
"Be quick now in placing
The kiss that you know!"
"Nay!" answered Randi.
A slapping she gave him,
And from her she drave him:
"Here take what I owe!"
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR (FROM A HAPPY BOY)
Love thy neighbor, to Christ be leal!
Crush him never with iron-heel,
Though in the dust he's lying!
All the living responsive await
Love with power to recreate,
Needing alone the trying.