Twilight colors springtime's sky,
The moons are climbing slowly high,
And something secret's gone awry...

...squeak!

...squeak!

Out upon the grassy hill,
The evening's quiet, all is still,
But then there comes a signal-trill--

...squeak!

...squeak!

Through the meadow, through the dale,
Small figures wriggle without fail,
Sparkling eyes and slender tail--

...squeak!

...squeak!

In clustered groups they sit and wait.
Eyes bright, they all anticipate
The thing announced upon this date--

...squeak!

...squeak!

And then between the blades of grass
There comes a begemmed mousen lass--
They all bow down to see her pass.

...squeak!

...squeak!

Her fur is white, her gaze is bold,
Her crown's a ring of pearl and gold,
An oak-twig scepter her paws hold.

...squeak!

...squeak!

A hush falls o'er the mousen crowd.
Their Queen stands regal, head held proud.
She speaks-- her voice is clear, not loud.

...squeak!

...squeak!

'Tonight, a husband I will claim
To share my rule, to bear my name,
To share in power, strength, and fame--'

...squeak!

...squeak!

The noble mice-lords rise up now,
Salute her, and, in union, bow,
Each hoping inward 'me, somehow!'

...squeak!

...squeak!

But there is one who may not rise.
He watches her with tear-bright eyes
And grief far vaster than the skies.

...squeak!

...squeak!

Within her tiny mousen heart
True love has wrought its secret art--
She thinks, 'I'll die if we must part--'

...squeak!

...squeak!

She walks along the mice-lords' row--
She must not let her feelings show.
She is a Queen, the pain must go--

...squeak!

...squeak!

All present wonder whom she'll choose,
Save one, grief-lost for love he'll lose.
The sky is filled with twilight's hues--

...squeak!

...squeak!

And, finally, her slow step turns
(Though it's not he for whom she yearns.)
She clings to silence, silence burns--

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mouse-lord cannot help but stare--
His heart leaps wild as she stops there,
Her heart is racked with love's despair.

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mouse-crowd gives a mighty cheer--
And down the Queen's cheek slips a tear.
The mouse-lord sees. His path is clear.

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mouse-lord kneels, too grieved to stand.
'Though I am e'er at thy command,
I cannot take thy marriage-hand.'

...squeak!

...squeak!

She falters back-- the crowd falls still.
The mouse lord says, 'Love must not kill,
and, if we wed, I fear love will....'

...squeak!

...squeak!

Defying her could leave him dead.
He drops his gaze, he bows his head,
Any other would have fled--

...squeak!

...squeak!

'Of all lord-mice, you are my choice--'
The crowd hears anguish in her voice
And murmurs then, with troubled voice.

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mouse-lord looks across the crowd
And sees a mouse-lad all grief-bowed.
'But what of commoner love-vowed?'

...squeak!

...squeak!

And there upon the spring-green grass,
A common mouse wed queen-high lass,
A controversy sure to last....

...squeak!

...squeak!

But now, while moons hang bright on high,
The mouse-folk's cheering fills the sky,
And, this time, love will thrive, not die.

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mouse-lord keeps his life and pride.
For her own part, the queenly bride
Declares him councillor at her side.

...squeak!

...squeak!

The mice slip homeward one by one--
Save two, who stay to see the sun
And joy in dreams just now begun.

...squeak!

...squeak!