THE WATTLE FAIRIES
wattle fair-ies swing-ing
fluff-y thistle stalks
breezes fam-i-ly through
rough-ly laughed whisper
sprites blos-som
Some little yellow fairies
Were swinging on a tree,
They were the dearest little things
That ever you could see.
A SPRAY OF WATTLE
The fluffy hair all round them
Was soft as thistle down;
But these wee fairies held on tight
To little stalks of brown.
They swayed about so gently
While softest breezes blew.
And, every day, more fairies came;
And so the family grew,
Till all the trees were golden—
Yes, every tiny spray,
And every little yellow elf
Was happy as the day.
At night those little fairies
Oft washed their hair with dew;
But, when the morning sun got up,
He dried their hair right through.
Did winds blow round them roughly,
It was such jolly fun;
They swung up high and then down low,
And laughed till it was done.
Now, dears, I'll whisper softly,
Who were those sprites so airy?
The tree, it was a wattle tree,
Each blossom was a fairy.
—CHRISTIAN B. COUTTS