A little black thing among the snow,
       Crying! 'weep! weep!' in notes of woe!
       'Where are thy father and mother? Say!' -
       'They are both gone up to the church to pray.
       'Because I was happy upon the heath,
       And smiled among the winter's snow,
       They clothed me in the clothes of death,
       And taught me to sing the notes of woe.
       'And because I am happy and dance and sing,
       They think they have done me no injury,
       And are gone to praise God and His priest and king,
       Who made up a heaven of our misery.'