Where dips the rocky highland Of sleuth wood in the lake There lies a leafy island Where flapping herons wake The drowsy water rats There we've hid our fairy vats Full of berries And of reddest stolen cherries.
Come away oh human child To the waters and the wild With a faery hand in hand For the world's more full of weeping Than you can understand
Where the wave of moonlight glosses The dim grey sands with light By far off furthest rosses We foot it all the night Weaving olden dances Mingling hands and mingling glances Till the moon has taken flight To and fro we leap And chase the frothy bubbles Whilst the world is full of troubles And is anxious in its sleep.
Where the wandering water gushes From the hills above glen car In pools among the rushes That scarce could bathe a star We seek for slumbering trout And whispering in their ears Give them unquiet dreams Leaning softly out From ferns that drop their tears Over the young streams
Away with us he's going The solemned eyed He'll hear no more the lowing Of the calves on the warm hillside Or the kettle on the hob Sing peace unto his breast Or see the brown mice bob Round and round the oatmeal chest
For he comes, the human child To the waters and the wild With a faery hand in hand For the world's more full of weeping Than you can understand.