THE TALE OF THE FOREST
Glorious emperor is the forest,
Countless peoples live and grow,
Flourish ’neath his gracious shelter,
All to him allegiance owe.
Moon and stars, the sun above them,
On his blue escutcheon are,
Harts and hinds, his courtiers, wander
In his kingdom wide and far.
Messengers, the hares swift-footed,
Bear the news; while nightingales
Form an orchestra most wondrous,
And the springs are telling tales.
Swarms of wand’ring bees alight there
On the flowers, in the glade;
Ants, great armies, their food gather
Near the pathways, in the shade.
Let’s go to the king, belovèd,
Let’s like children be, let’s dream,
So that love, and joy, our whole life,
As a game to us may seem.
And thus happy, blithely living,
Being now again a boy,
I should think that nature made thee
Just for me, the sweetest toy.
