Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Switzerland and Austria: Vol. XVI. 1876–79.

Switzerland: Payerne

The Song of the Spinning-wheel

By Popular Swiss Song

JUST as we spin, of old ’t is said

Queen Bertha used to twine the thread,—

I spin.

And with our wheels and merry song

Winter’s dark hours flow blithely on.

We spin, my girl and I.

When my neighbor comes at night

With her niece around the light,—

I spin.

Round the blazing fire we gather,

And we sing and spin together.

We spin, my girl and I.

While I twist the whistling thread

The daily task is quickly said,—

I spin.

And then my little happy boy

Frisks round my wheel in careless joy.

We spin, my girl and I.

We may gossip as we spin,

But to backbite is a sin,—

I spin.

They who slander soon shall find

Coarse and rough the thread they wind.

We spin, my girl and I.

Twist it neither slack nor tight,

Keep between and ’t will be right,—

I spin.

Girls who think of lovers go

Always over fast or slow.

We spin, my girl and I.

Oil your wheel, that turning round

It may make no creaking sound,—

I spin.

Oil of patience is the oil!

Sweetener that of every toil!

We spin, my girl and I.

Maid whose wheel turns gratingly

Day and night shall lonely be,—

I spin.

Of her temper ’t is a proof

Frightened love will keep aloof.

We spin, my girl and I.

Spin, spin from morn till night,

Maidens, do your task aright,—

I spin.

And in time some lover true

Shall twine a thread of love for you!

We spin, my girl and I.

Spin, girls, then spin ever,

Spin long, spin well together,—

I spin.

Gently go, and steadily too,

You for us and we for you.

We spin, my girl and I.