Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Germany: Vols. XVII–XVIII. 1876–79.
The Flax-Spinners Song
By From the GermanN
Ho! ho! ho!
And now the poor man’s heart is strong,
And now ascends his swelling song,
The grateful heart’s o’erflow.
Ho! ho! ho!
They ’ll dig a pond, and heave it in,
Then beat and bruise it short and thin;
Hallo! hallo! hallo!
Rack! rack! rack!
The gleaner, he will scrape and glean,
Till not a single sheaf is seen,
Then throw it on the pack.
Hash! hash! hash!
He draws it out so fine and fair—
He forms the woof with speed and care,
And lays it on the rash.
Groll! groll! groll!
The woofs are set, and man and wife,
They spin, as if they spun for life,
They spin full many a roll.
Ho! ho! ho!
She ’ll spin by night, she ’ll spin by day;
Her bridal dress she ’ll spin away,
Fine as her hair, I know.
Ho! ho! ho!
Who does his duty daily, he
Must always bright and happy be,
Whether in weal or woe.
Ho! ho! ho!
And many a mighty prince’s son
Who wears the linen we have spun,
Our joy may never know.