The Four Princesses

Four Princesses lived in a Green Tower—

A bright green tower in the middle of the sea;

And no one could think—oh, no one could think—

Who the Four Princesses could be.

One looked to the North, and one to the South,

And one to the East, and one to the West;

They were all so pretty, so very pretty,

You could not tell which was the prettiest.

Their curls were golden—their eyes were blue,

And their voices were sweet as a silvery bell;

And four white birds around them flew,

But where they came from—who  could tell?

Ah, who could tell? for no one knew,

And not a word could you hear them say.

But the sound of their singing, like church bells ringing,

Would sweetly float as they passed away.

For under the sun, and under the stars,

They often sailed on the distant sea;

There, in their Green Tower and Roses Bower—

They lived again—a mystery.

—Kate Greenaway.