by Eugene Field (1850 - 1895)
An Old Lullaby
Language: English
Hush, bonnie, dinna greet, Mother will rock her sweet, Balow, my boy! When that his toil ben done, Daddie will come anon, Hush thee, my little one, Balow, my boy! 'Gin thou dost sleep, perchance Fairies will come to dance, Balow, my boy! Oft hath thy mother seen Moonlight and mirkland queen Dance on thy slumb'ring e'en, Balow, my boy! Then droned a bumble bee Softly this song to thee: "Balow, my boy!" And a wee heather bell, Plucked from a fairy dell, Chimed thee this rune hersell: "Balow, my boy!" So, bonnie, dinna greet, Mother doth rock her sweet, Balow, my boy! Give me thy little hand, Mother will hold it, and Lead thee to Balow Land, Balow, my boy!
Notes: greet = weep
rune = spell
'gin = if
mirkland = dark land, i.e. shadows
Researcher for this page: Ken Edensor
rune = spell
'gin = if
mirkland = dark land, i.e. shadows
Authorship:
- by Eugene Field (1850 - 1895) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "An Old Lullaby", op. 553 (1959) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ken Edensor
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 121