The fly-away horse

Oh, a wonderful horse is the Fly-Away Horse -Perhaps you have seen him before;Perhaps, while you slept, his shadow has swept

Through the moonlight that floats on the floor.For it's only at night, when the stars twinkle bright,5That the Fly-Away Horse, with a neighAnd a pull at his rein and a toss of his mane,Is up on his heels and away!The Moon in the sky,As he gallopeth by,10Cries: "Oh! what a marvelous sight!"And the Stars in dismayHide their faces awayIn the lap of old Grandmother Night.

It is yonder, out yonder, the Fly-Away Horse15Speedeth ever and ever away -Over meadows and lanes, over mountains and plains,Over streamlets that sing at their play;And over the sea like a ghost sweepeth he,While the ships they go sailing below,20And he speedeth so fast that the men at the mastAdjudge him some portent of woe."What ho there!" they cry,As he flourishes byWith a whisk of his beautiful tail;25And the fish in the seaAre as scared as can be,From the nautilus up to the whale!

And the Fly-Away Horse seeks those faraway landsYou little folk dream of at night -30Where candy-trees grow, and honey-brooks flow,And corn-fields with popcorn are white;And the beasts in the wood are ever so goodTo children who visit them there -What glory astride of a lion to ride,35Or to wrestle around with a bear!The monkeys, they say:"Come on, let us play,"And they frisk in the cocoanut-trees:While the parrots, that cling40To the peanut-vines, singOr converse with comparative ease!

Off! scamper to bed - you shall ride him tonight!For, as soon as you've fallen asleep,With a jubilant neigh he shall bear you away45Over forest and hillside and deep!But tell us, my dear, all you see and you hearIn those beautiful lands over there,Where the Fly-Away Horse wings his faraway courseWith the wee one consigned to his care.50Then grandma will cryIn amazement: "Oh, my!"And she'll think it could never be so;And only we twoShall know it is true -55You and I, little precious! shall know!