]
How the doors rattle, and the branches sway!
How the doors rattle, and the branches sway!
Christina Rossetti
They have scarcely finished their meal,
when a knock is heard at the door. January hangs a
guard in front of the fire, and opens to February, who
appears with a bunch of snowdrops in her hand. ]
_January. _
Good-morrow, sister.
_February. _
Brother, joy to you!
I've brought some snowdrops; only just a few,
But quite enough to prove the world awake,
Cheerful and hopeful in the frosty dew
And for the pale sun's sake.
[She hands a few of her snowdrops to January, who retires
into the background. While February stands arranging
the remaining snowdrops in a glass of water on the
window-sill, a soft butting and bleating are heard outside.
She opens the door, and sees one foremost lamb, with
other sheep and lambs bleating and crowding towards
her. ]
_February. _
O you, you little wonder, come--come in,
You wonderful, you woolly soft white lamb:
You panting mother ewe, come too,
And lead that tottering twin
Safe in:
Bring all your bleating kith and kin,
Except the horny ram.
[February opens a second door in the background, and the
little flock files through into a warm and sheltered compartment
out of sight. ]
The lambkin tottering in its walk
With just a fleece to wear;
The snowdrop drooping on its stalk
So slender,--
Snowdrop and lamb, a pretty pair,
Braving the cold for our delight,
Both white,
Both tender.
[A rattling of doors and windows; branches seen without,
tossing violently to and fro.
]
How the doors rattle, and the branches sway!
Here's brother March comes whirling on his way
With winds that eddy and sing.
[She turns the handle of the door, which bursts open, and
discloses March hastening up, both hands full of violets
and anemones. ]
_February. _
Come, show me what you bring;
For I have said my say, fulfilled my day,
And must away.
_March. _
[Stopping short on the threshold. ]
I blow an arouse
Through the world's wide house
To quicken the torpid earth:
Grappling I fling
Each feeble thing,
But bring strong life to the birth.
I wrestle and frown,
And topple down;
I wrench, I rend, I uproot;
Yet the violet
Is born where I set
The sole of my flying foot,
[Hands violets and anemones to February, who retires into
the background. ]
And in my wake
Frail wind-flowers quake,
And the catkins promise fruit.
I drive ocean ashore
With rush and roar,
And he cannot say me nay:
My harpstrings all
Are the forests tall,
Making music when I play.
And as others perforce,
So I on my course
Run and needs must run,
With sap on the mount
And buds past count
And rivers and clouds and sun,
With seasons and breath
And time and death
And all that has yet begun.
[Before March has done speaking, a voice is heard approaching
accompanied by a twittering of birds. April comes
along singing, and stands outside and out of sight to finish
her song. ]
_April. _
[Outside.
when a knock is heard at the door. January hangs a
guard in front of the fire, and opens to February, who
appears with a bunch of snowdrops in her hand. ]
_January. _
Good-morrow, sister.
_February. _
Brother, joy to you!
I've brought some snowdrops; only just a few,
But quite enough to prove the world awake,
Cheerful and hopeful in the frosty dew
And for the pale sun's sake.
[She hands a few of her snowdrops to January, who retires
into the background. While February stands arranging
the remaining snowdrops in a glass of water on the
window-sill, a soft butting and bleating are heard outside.
She opens the door, and sees one foremost lamb, with
other sheep and lambs bleating and crowding towards
her. ]
_February. _
O you, you little wonder, come--come in,
You wonderful, you woolly soft white lamb:
You panting mother ewe, come too,
And lead that tottering twin
Safe in:
Bring all your bleating kith and kin,
Except the horny ram.
[February opens a second door in the background, and the
little flock files through into a warm and sheltered compartment
out of sight. ]
The lambkin tottering in its walk
With just a fleece to wear;
The snowdrop drooping on its stalk
So slender,--
Snowdrop and lamb, a pretty pair,
Braving the cold for our delight,
Both white,
Both tender.
[A rattling of doors and windows; branches seen without,
tossing violently to and fro.
]
How the doors rattle, and the branches sway!
Here's brother March comes whirling on his way
With winds that eddy and sing.
[She turns the handle of the door, which bursts open, and
discloses March hastening up, both hands full of violets
and anemones. ]
_February. _
Come, show me what you bring;
For I have said my say, fulfilled my day,
And must away.
_March. _
[Stopping short on the threshold. ]
I blow an arouse
Through the world's wide house
To quicken the torpid earth:
Grappling I fling
Each feeble thing,
But bring strong life to the birth.
I wrestle and frown,
And topple down;
I wrench, I rend, I uproot;
Yet the violet
Is born where I set
The sole of my flying foot,
[Hands violets and anemones to February, who retires into
the background. ]
And in my wake
Frail wind-flowers quake,
And the catkins promise fruit.
I drive ocean ashore
With rush and roar,
And he cannot say me nay:
My harpstrings all
Are the forests tall,
Making music when I play.
And as others perforce,
So I on my course
Run and needs must run,
With sap on the mount
And buds past count
And rivers and clouds and sun,
With seasons and breath
And time and death
And all that has yet begun.
[Before March has done speaking, a voice is heard approaching
accompanied by a twittering of birds. April comes
along singing, and stands outside and out of sight to finish
her song. ]
_April. _
[Outside.
