by Gabriel Gillett.
Originally published in The Savoy (Leonard Smithers) vol.1 #5 (Sep 1896).
"O petites fées ."
O tiny fays with the long gold hair,
You sang, as I slept, with a tender grace;
O tiny fays with the long gold hair,
In a spell-bound forest, a charmèd place.
In a forest enchanted with spells untold
Compassionate gnomes as I slept the while
Offer'd me gently a sceptre of gold,
A sceptre of gold as I slept the while.
I know they are dreams and deceits of sleep
The sceptres of gold and the forest songs;
Yet still like a credulous child I weep,
And my heart for the rest of the woodland longs:
And I care not now tho' I know the songs
Are only the dreams and deceits of sleep.