William Allingham - The Fairies - poem

The Fairies
by William Allingham
read by Murray Lachlan Young


Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen,
We dare n't go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather.
Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
Of the black mountain-lake,
With frogs for their watch-dogs,
All night awake.
High on the hill-top
The old King sits;
He is now so old and gray
He's nigh lost his wits.
With a bridge of white mist
Columbkill he crosses,
On his stately journeys
From Slieveleague to Rosses;
Or going up with music,
On cold starry nights,
To sup with the Queen,
Of the gay Northern Lights.
They stole little Bridget
For seven years long;
When she came down again
Her friends were all gone.
They took her lightly back
Between the night and morrow;
They thought she was fast asleep,
But she was dead with sorrow.
They have kept her ever since
Deep within the lake,
On a bed of flag leaves,
Watching till she wake.
By the craggy hill-side,
Through the mosses bare,
They have planted thorn trees
For pleasure here and there.
Is any man so daring
As dig them up in spite?
He shall find the thornies set
In his bed at night.
Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen,
We dare n't go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather.

Audio created by Robert Nichol AudioProductions all rights reserved

Category:

Education

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• TheFairies
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• literature
• performing
• arts
• language
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[janeeytre]

Allingham would be thrilled over this. He wrote his poetry to be read aloud. This is one of his earliest poems. Very nice reading.

[JustAudio2008]

It was one of the poems that inspired Murray Lachlan Young to become a poet.

His mother read it to him when he was a little boy.

Check out 'MurrayLachlanYoung2' on Youtube -you can hear how he turned out as a poet in his own right.

Good poems never die.

[ray1bradbury]

I'm starting to like William Allingham. And I love this video! Beautiful painting, love the lady in blue on the left.

Thank you! :D 5/5

[JustAudio2008]

Thanks-the quickest feebback ever.

The power of the 'little folk'

[misswatson2009]

Omg this is in Willy wonka o_o "Down the rushy Glenn, we dare'nt go a hunting for fear of little men" That old man says it to charlie.

[XxHarmony63Xx]

@Frosty/ferg Yes it is! tell me more, where do you live. How are you related? Tell about your letters. Tell me tell me!!

[Frostyferg]

@XxHarmony63Xx Wow... It's a small world!

[XxHarmony63Xx]

To Frosty/ferg... it appears we're related, hello!

[XxHarmony63Xx]

This is lovely, I am an Allingham myself, this is a great great uncle of mine so I am feeling a bit of family pride as well. lol

[StabbyMcButterPants]

There were a few "the's" slipped into the poem now and then, but we'll forgive you this one time. :)

[StillWondering1]

@Frostyferg

Who are the letters to? Have you anything else? I'm writing about him. Would be grateful if you'd contact.

Cheers.

[JustAudio2008]

William Allingham was 1824-1889 -but I am not sure at what point this was written

[VDVShaun]

Do you know the age of this poem ?

[Frostyferg]

I'm related to this dude... I have some of his letters framed in my front room