[Editor: This poem for children, by Eva Oakley, was published in Fairy Poems (1945).]
The Good Brownies
Some twenty smart Brownies went out, one fine day,
And sat down to rest, on some nice, new-mown hay;
Then, after a while they said, “My! That was good!”
And off they went, gaily, to gather some wood;
But when they crept back again, ’twas nearly dark,
For they had made up their minds, just for a lark,
To give a surprise to the poor folk around,
By gliding in through their gates without a sound,
And leaving for each some wood for a warm fire,
For Brownies, of doing good deeds, never tire.
The Fairy Queen sends for the Brownies.
I told you the Brownies had been very kind,
And brought, to the poor all the wood they could find.
Well! The Fairy Queen heard what the Brownies had done;
So, straight off, she sent round a note to each one,
And in it she said, “You must come here to tea;
We’ll make you as happy as happy can be.
A Fairy will sit with you, too, side by side,
And I shall then give her to you for a bride;
Then you will dwell with us in Fairyland Dell,
And bells will ring out, and the lights shine as well.
The Gnomes, Elves and Pixies, I’ve told to appear,
And white bob-tailed rabbits, to greet you, my dear;
And then, all together, good deeds we will do.
Remember! This evening, I’m expecting you.”
Source:
Eva Oakley, Fairy Poems, Melbourne: Austral Printing & Publishing Company, [1945], p. 5
Editor’s notes:
brownie = in British folklore, a brownie is a small brown elf, goblin, or household spirit who helps people by performing household chores (usually at night, and in exchange for small amount of food left out for them); can also refer to: a member of the Brownies (a female youth organisation, the junior branch of the Girl Guides); a small flat piece of dense rich chocolate cake, square or rectangular in shape, which often contains nuts (also called a chocolate brownie); a type of sweet bread made with currants and sugar
See: 1) “Brownies – sensitive house spirits”, Fairy Land: The world of Magical creatures
2) “Brownies make finicky (but useful) roomates”, Astonishing Legends
3) Carolyn Emerick, “When Brownies turn bad”, Owlcation, 15August 2016
See also:
“Brownie (folklore)”
gaily = to act or behave in a gay manner (happy, joyous, light-hearted, merry, bright, carefree); happily, lively, merrily; something decorated in a gay manner (well-decorated, bright, attractive, colourful, pretty, vivid, flamboyant, showy)
’twas = (archaic) a contraction of “it was”
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