StoryTitle("caps", "The Little Mud-Sparrows") ?>
SubTitle("caps", "Jewish Legend") ?>
StoryOrigin("center", SmallCapsText("Elizabeth Stuart Phelps") ) ?>
PoemStart() ?>
PagePoem(81, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "I like that old, kind legend", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Not found in Holy Writ,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And wish that John or Matthew", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Had made Bible out of it.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But though it is not Gospel,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " There is no law to hold", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The heart from growing better", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " That hears the story told:—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "How the little Jewish children", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Upon a summer day,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Went down across the meadows", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " With the Child Christ to play.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And in the gold-green valley,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Where low the reed-grass lay,", "") ?>
PagePoem(82, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "They made them mock mud-sparrows", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Out of the meadow clay.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "So, when these all were fashioned,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " And ranged in rows about,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Now,\" said the little Jesus,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " \"We'll let the birds fly out.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Then all the happy children", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Did call, and coax, and cry—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Each to his own mud-sparrow:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " \"Fly, as I bid you! Fly!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But earthen were the sparrows,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " And earth they did remain,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Though loud the Jewish children", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Cried out, and cried again.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Except the one bird only", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " The little Lord Christ made;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The earth that owned Him Master,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " —His earth heard and obeyed.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Softly He leaned and whispered:", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " \"Fly up to Heaven! Fly!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And swift, His little sparrow", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Went soaring to the sky,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And silent, all the children", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Stood, awestruck, looking on,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Till, deep into the heavens,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " The bird of earth had gone.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "I like to think, for playmate", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " We have the Lord Christ still,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And that still above our weakness", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " He works His mighty will,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "That all our little playthings", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Of earthen hopes and joys", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Shall be, by His commandment,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Changed into heavenly toys.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Our souls are like the sparrows", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Imprisoned in the clay,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Bless Him who came to give them wings", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", " Upon a Christmas Day!", "") ?>
PoemEnd() ?>