The Alder by the River

The al­der by the riv­er

Shakes out her pow­dery curls;

The wil­low buds in sil­ver

For lit­tle boys and girls.

The lit­tle birds fly ov­er

And oh

how sweet they sing!

To tell the hap­py child­ren

That once again ’tis spring.

Who is it brings the flow­ers

Adorning earth anew?

’Tis God! ah

hap­py child­ren

He makes them all for you!

The ver­dant grass comes creep­ing

So soft be­neath their feet;

The frogs be­gin to rip­ple

A mu­sic clear and sweet;

And but­ter­cups are com­ing

And scar­let co­lum­bine;

And in the sun­ny mea­dows

The dan­de­li­ons shine.

And just as ma­ny dai­sies

As their soft hands can hold

The lit­tle ones may ga­ther

All fair in white and gold;

Here blows the warm red clov­er

There peeps the vio­let blue!

O hap­py

hap­py child­ren

God makes them all for you!