“Summer is icumen in;

Lhude sing cuccu!

Groweth sed, and bloweth med,

And springeth the wude nu—

Sing cuccu!”

It was easy to put this into modern English, and Betty knew what it meant:

“Summer is a-coming in;

Loud sings cuckoo!

Groweth seed, and bloweth mead,

And springeth the wood new.