The fairies have their cradles
High up the summer trees,
They're lined with soft green mosses, 
And swayed by every breeze.
All day they lie a-sleeping,
But when the white stars glow, 
The fairies take their children
To see the world below.

The mermaids have their cradles
Deep down the ocean dells,
They're lined with dainty seaweed, 
And tiny pearly shells.
And when the night-seas glisten,
And winds no longer roar,
The mermaids bring their children
On moonlit waves to shore.

The people- grown-up people—
Have cradles too, it seems, 
And some have babies in them, 
And some have only dreams!
The world is full of children, 
And songs of Youth are sung 
To lift our hearts to Heaven, 
To keep the whole world young!