140 May — The Birds Welcome to the Sun, 



on the second or third reading, and such poetry as this 

 is worth reading a hundred times : — 



' The cushat crouds and pykkis on the rise,* 

 The sterling changes divers steunnys nise,f 

 The sparrow chirpis in the walles cleft, 

 Gold spink and linnet fordynnand the lyft.$ 

 The cuckoo galis,§ and so twitteris the quail 

 While rivers reirdit ; || schaws and every dale, 

 And tender twistis tremble on the trees, 

 For birdes song and bemyng of the bees, 

 And all small fowlis singin on the spray, — 

 * Welcome thou lord of light and lampe of day, 

 Welcome thou fosterer of herbis grene, 

 Welcome quickener of freshest flouris shene, 

 Welcome support of every root and vein, 

 Welcome comfort of al kind frute and grein, 

 Welcome depainter of the blooming meads, 

 Welcome the life of every thing that spreads, 

 Welcome restorer of all kind bestial, 

 Welcome be thy bright bemes gladding all." ' 



What is pleasant in these passages of the quaint old 

 poets is their hearty love for the birds themselves and 

 full participation in their gladness. The sylvan feeling 

 of the bird-catcher is of a very different character ; he, 

 too, rejoices in the woods ; he, too, likes to hear the birds 

 sing, for if they sing they exist, and if they exist they 

 may be ensnared, and afterwards sold or roasted as 

 poverty or gluttony may suggest. The mistletoe is in 

 full berry in the month of May, and its berries, which 



* The dove crows and picks on the bush, 

 t Tuneful voices. J Heaven. § Cries. || Sounded. 



