Aleksey Tolstoy
Where boughs above the pool are swinging...

Where boughs above the pool are swinging.
Where the hot summer sunshine burns,
The dragon-flies in airy winging
Lead on the dance’s merry turns.

“Come hither, child, come nigh and hear us;
For we shall teach you how to fly!
Come hither, child, come hither, near us,
And leave your mother slumb’ring by.

“Beneath us all the rushes tremble;
All is so warm and happy here.
Our backs the turquoise-stone resemble.
Our glassy wings are crystal-clear.

“The songs we know to sing are many.
And we have loved you long ago.
Look at the bank more soft than any.
Look at the sandy floor below!”

Translated by unknown author