| Leprechaun Bride When the daephus blooms are full and their scent moves o'er the moor The elfin lass will close the doors to keep herself obscure She waits until the moon is cloaked by clouds then takes her flight To search the thicket's lowest growth for daephus petals, white A petal glows in darkness when an airy footstep wakes its rest Marking it to be received by the lass's wicker basket nest The maiden lifts the radiant leaf and plucks with tender move She breathes the scent of sweetness borne within each tiny groove The petal once its taken, fades its glow again to white When its placed inside her vessel by the small hand of the sprite She spends the darkness gathering till just before the dawn When she makes her way back silently before the night is gone Once inside her cottage, by flickering candle flames She sings a song of destiny and faithfulness proclaims She forms a ring with snowy blooms and dons her fragrant crown And with the rest, outside her door, she lays a pathway down She goes to sleep as sunshine sends its first of brilliant rays While the village starts to waken under dewdrops sparkling glaze As the maiden lays in slumber, the young men come to call But she will only waken if her true love's footsteps fall For one last time the petals glow when he who holds her heart Walks the pathway to her door, his troth to her impart The glowing crown awakens her, she opens up her door They step into the sunlight to walk the path once more Their presence is announcement, their marriage is affirmed When they speak a pledge before the crowd and with applause confirmed Leprechauns prepare a feast when the daephus path is seen To celebrate the union of a young man and his queen The day is spent in festival, mirth and dance and song The couple starts their new life amid the jubilant throng In the entry-yard the daephus grow along the springtime grass While somewhere in the thickets hunts another elfin lass. |
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