Martinmas to Ladyday 
Sun, sun shine, 
Warm on White Baby’s bed, 
Greencoat Baby come up see 
Jack Frost won’t catch ’ee ! 
Peep, peep, peep, 
Out of dry leaves and moss 
White Babies run all over the brae, 
Jack Frost he’s gone away ! 
March 23. — In spite of the fall of snow, which lay two 
whole days, our flowers and buds are still coming on. The 
snow has been gone some little time; it fell on the thirteenth, 
and it does not seem to have done much harm. The way 
in which the snowwreaths linger in sheltered corners 
reminds me of a pretty Russian legend I am fond of, the 
Story of Snygurka : 
Poor and lonely, a childless life 
A moujik led with his gentle wife, 
Round other men’s boards fair children flocked, 
Other men’s wives full cradles rocked. 
Only, alas, to poor Ivan’s home 
No little lad or lass had come ; 
Alone to the field or wood he went, 
Alone the long hours poor Masha spent. 
Somewhat apart their small izba stood 
Upon the edge of a great pinewood, 
The village children many a day 
In a joyous troop came there to play. 
And when once they made a Snow child, 
The childless couple look’d and smiled, 
And said, when the children homeward went, 
“ With all God sends should we be content. 
Let us no more repine and moan, 
But take the Snow child to be our own.” 
Softly a tear from Masha’s eyes 
Dropt down, and oh ! the glad surprise ! 
The little snow figure smiled and stirred, 
The snowflakes fell, as from a bird 
New hatched, the eggshell falls away, 
A little girl stood there fair as May ! 
With hair as gold as the fresh flax flowers, 
Eyes blue as the sky after summer showers, 
13 
