A pair of magic ear-rings...Margaret Tarrant

A pair of magic ear-rings were growing on a tree,

and someone picked the ear-rings,

as all the world could see,

a pair of cherry ear-rings, as magic as could be!

The Raspberry Fairies have a game they often like to play.

They count the seeds in a raspberry, in the "tinker tailor," way,

singing "moonbeam, starlight, sunshine, rain, dewdrop, snowflake, pebble in the lane?"

There's one little fairy, quiet and shy, she doesn't like the game,

she counts the seeds in the raspberries, and they always come the same.

Never "moonbeam," "starlight," "sunshine," "rain," she gets always "pebble in the lane!"

A fairy grew a-weary of the colour of her wings,
though they were pink and silver - sweet and dainty little things.
"I want a diff'rent colour, I would like a purply-blue,"
She said, and looked around about to see what she could do.
She picked some Whortleberries; and she thought a little while;
Then squeezed their juice out gently - and she gave a little smile.
"I'll dye my wings and make them come the colour that I wish,"
She said, and stirred the juice around inside a little dish.
She dipped her wings, and dyed them, in the Whortleberry stain,
and dried them in the moonlight; then flew back home again,
and all her seven sisters clapped their hands in great delight,
and went and dyed their wings as well, that very self-same night!

Look! The magic's working! hiding in the grass, can't you see a fairy? Did you see her pass?
All among the bushes Blackberries are ripe. Look! Another fairy, playing on a pipe!
Here's a little Goblin lying fast asleep; Blackberries he's gathered - left them in a heap.
See the tiny fairies stealing from his pile? Won't there be some trouble in a little while!

Pictures and poems from The wild fruit fairies by Marion St. John Webb, illustrated by Margaret Tarrant. Published by The Modern Art Society, London 1st edition, 1925.