3

The twigs and branches shine
With glittering lights divine,

The eye descries a host!
Say, who hath made thy bed?
Thy coverlet who spread?

And jewelled robe of frost?

4

The God who reigns above

That wintry garb hath wove,

He slumbers not nor sleepeth!

Calmly then slumber take

Till he shall bid thee wake,

And new life o'er thee creepeth.

5

Soon shall returning spring

Its welcome treasures bring

And renovated powers; Where'er its breath shall light, Earth shall again shine bright

With garlands of gay flowers!

(An Autumnal Song.-Von Hoffman.)

I

FAST now each branch is losing
Its leaves from tree and bush;

The sad world seems reposing
In the grave's silent hush.
Ah! whither have you roved,
Ye little birds beloved?

But now so blithely singing!

The frost your foe has proved; Far from us you are winging!

2

Each rock and hedge seems drear,

In melancholy clad;

Longer the nights appear,

The days more short and sad.

Gone are the songsters now

From these dark realms of snow,

Elsewhere to seek the light;

There once again, I trow,

They revel in delight.

3

And, when like one that weeps,

Leaves drop from tree and bush,

And mourning nature sleeps

In the grave's silent hush;

Shall we too droop and sigh?

Ah! no; within thee try

Perpetual spring to nourish,

So shalt thou care defy,

And joy around thee flourish !

The Fisherman.

(From Brsseldt.)

I

A FISHERMAN sat all day long beside a little

brook,

But all in vain! for useless still dangled his empty

hook;

At last it bobs! lo! wriggling there a tiny fish he

sees;

Bright golden red it was in hue, and not at all at

ease.

2

"Dear fisherman!" it thus implores with gentle

soothing speech,

"Restore me this once to the waves, I do of you beseech!"

"O little fish! that cannot be; 'tis useless to

complain;

It were too great a risk for me to let you go again!"

3

"Yet think, kind sir, how small I am-scarce

worth your while to cook;

I'd ne'er be missed! Ah! then restore me once more to the brook!"

"Well! since thou art so delicate, and of an age so tender,

I'll give you now a brief respite, and to the waves surrender;

4

"But when thou shalt be large and fat, be not thy pledge forgot!

Present thyself again to me here at this very spot!"

Right joyful sprang the little fish into the cooling

flood,

And friskily swam to and fro in most ecstatic

mood!