THE WEEKDAY SONG

  

The hunchback hobbled homeward

At twilight one fine day,

And spied a band of fairies

A-dancing in his way

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

“Come dance with us, O hunchback!”

They shouted from their ring.

“Come sing the Song of Weekdays

Permitted us to sing

      On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.”

 

The hunchback joined their circle,

And hand in hand he danced,

The fairy queen his partner,

Exalting in a trance

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

The fays were so delighted

The hunchback danced so well,

They took the hump that stooped him

And blessed him with a spell

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

Though crooked he had joined in,

He parted from them straight;

And no one recognized him

When he came home so late

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

The night was young; the fairies

Commenced again their reel,

All in the merry moonlight,

In all their joy revealed

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

Along then came a tailor,

A bold and handsome man

Who stepped up to the dancers,

And pushed into their band

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

He gave the queen a sly wink,

And rudely wrapped his arm

About her fairy shoulders,

And chanted with the charm

     Of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

And so this foolish person

Cavorted with the fays,

Until he added Thursday,

Friday, and Saturday

       To Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

Then everything got ugly.

The fairies held him down

And clapped the hump upon him

The hunchback had disowned

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

Now you who hear this story

It may be, are forewarned:

The Humble are made perfect,

The Vain become deformed,

     On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

 

 

From an incident recorded in “The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries,” by W. Y. Evans-Wentz