Four Songs

Long ago sweetheart mine,
Roses bloomed as ne'er before,
Long ago the world was young
For us sweetheart.

Fields of velvet, azure skies,
Whisp'ring trees and murm'ring stream;
Long ago Life spread his wings
For us sweetheart.

And now that night is near
Must God's harvest e'en be reaped,
Yet our love, our love shall live
For aye sweetheart!

The Swan bent low to the Lily,
Mid wav'ring shadows green,
And the songs he murmur'd softly,
Know'st thou what they mean?

I could tell thee truly,
But Oh, I may not dare;
Look in my eyes and tell me,
What said the Lily fair?

A maid sings light, and a maid sings low,
With a merry, merry laugh in her eyes of sloe,
I tell thee lad have a care, nor dare,
Lest thou lose thy heart in the fair one's snare,
And doth she pout, and doth she sigh,
Ne'er go too close, nor dry her eye,
I tell thee lad have a care, she's fair,
She'll surely laugh thy prayer to air,
For a maid loves light, and a maid loves so,
That a merry, merry laugh will answer thy woe,
I tell thee lad, have a care, nor dare,
Lest thou lose thy heart in the fair one's snare.

As the gloaming shadows creep
Through the forest deep
Fra Nightingale sings sweet
Sings sweet through the forest deep
As through the trees the moonbeams sweep,
Lo! a maid with eager feet
Seeks in vain her love to greet.
Ah sweet, why moan, why moan and weep?
For aye the gloaming shadows creep
And hearts will cease to beat
Still Fra Nightingale sings sweet,
Sings sweet when love is deep.