Spring is hope—Fal lal la!
Summer’s joy—Fal lal la!
Spring and Summer never cloy,
Fal la!
Autumn, toil—Fal lal la!
Winter, rest—Fal lal la!
Winter, after all, is best—
Fal la!
Spring and summer pleasure you,
Autumn, ay, and winter, too—
Every season has its cheer;
Life is lovely all the year!
Fal la!
THE USHER’S CHARGE
Now, Jurymen, hear my advice—
All kinds of vulgar prejudice
I pray you set aside:
With stern judicial frame of mind—
From bias free of every kind,
This trial must be tried!
Oh, listen to the plaintiff’s case:
Observe the features of her face—
The broken-hearted bride!
Condole with her distress of mind—
From bias free of every kind,
This trial must be tried!
And when amid the plaintiff’s shrieks,
The ruffianly defendant speaks—
Upon the other side;
What he may say you need not mind—
From bias free of every kind,
This trial must be tried!
THE GREAT OAK TREE
There grew a little flower
’Neath a great oak tree:
When the tempest ’gan to lower
Little heeded she:
No need had she to cower,
For she dreaded not its power—
She was happy in the bower
Of her great oak tree!
Sing hey,
Lackaday!
Let the tears fall free
For the pretty little flower and the great oak tree!
When she found that he was fickle,
Was that great oak tree,
She was in a pretty pickle,
As she well might be—
But his gallantries were mickle,
For Death followed with his sickle,
And her tears began to trickle
For her great oak tree!
Sing hey,
Lackaday!
Let the tears fall free
For the pretty little flower and the great oak tree!
Said she, “He loved me never,
Did that great oak tree,
But I’m neither rich nor clever,
And so why should he?
But though fate our fortunes sever,
To be constant I’ll endeavour,
Ay, for ever and for ever,
To my great oak tree!”
Sing hey,
Lackaday!
Let the tears fall free
For the pretty little flower and the great oak tree!