A little black thing in 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 make up a heaven of our misery."