Prologue to Looking Glass

Lewis Carroll Fairy Tales

Prologue to Looking Glass

Child of the pure unclouded brow

And dreaming eyes of wonder!

Though time be fleet, and I and thou

Are half a life asunder,

Thy loving smile will surely hail

The love-gift of a fairy-tale.

I have not seen thy sunny face,

Nor heard thy silver laughter;

No thought of me shall find a place

In thy young life's hereafter --

Enough that now thou wilt not fail

To listen to my fairy-tale.

A tale begun in other days,

When summer suns were glowing --

A simple chime, that served to time

The rhythm of our rowing --

Whose echoes live in memory yet,

Though envious years would say 'forget'

Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread,

With bitter tidings laden,

Shall summon to unwelcome bed

A melancholy maiden!

We are but older children, dear,

Who fret to find our bedtime near.

Without, the frost, the blinding snow,

The storm-wind's moody madness --

Within, the firelight's ruddy glow

And childhood's nest of gladness.

The magic words shall hold thee fast:

Thou shalt not heed the raving blast.

And though the shadow of a sigh

May tremble through the story,

For 'happy summer days' gone by,

And vanish'd summer glory --

It shall not touch with breath of bale

The pleasance of our fairy-tale.

The End

Grimm Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales
Arabian Nights Fairy Tales
Carlo Collodi Fairy Tales
Charles Perrault Fairy Tales
Alexander Pushkin Fairy Tales
Lewis Carroll Fairy Tales
Wilhelm Hauff Fairy Tales
Popular Fairy Tales ♥ Children's Stories
About UsContact UsPrivacy Policy
Copyright © 2009-2024 FairyTales.biz • All Rights Reserved.
Fairy Tales on Facebook Fairy Tales on Twitter