My mom used to sing this song to my much younger brothers, and I've sung it to my kids hundreds of times.
I usually rock Seth in the chair while I sing, and Riley is already snug under her covers. They sleep in the same bedroom.
One night just before the move, Riley started singing too. Really singing. But she wasn't just singing the melody I always sing. She was adding incredible harmonies.
We knew Riley could sing. Her pitch is perfect. But she was never taught the harmonies before. She's never heard a recording of the song. Hot Toddy and I wouldn't know the harmonies if they bit us.
"Riley that was so beautiful. Is that what you hear in your head when Mommy sings?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said, smirking as she wiggled deeper into her covers, as if she let me in on one of her beautiful little secrets.
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Dutch Lullaby)by Eugene Field (1850-1895)
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Sailed off in a wooden shoe
Sailed on a river of crystal light, Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?" The old moon asked the three."
We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'T was all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
I usually rock Seth in the chair while I sing, and Riley is already snug under her covers. They sleep in the same bedroom.
One night just before the move, Riley started singing too. Really singing. But she wasn't just singing the melody I always sing. She was adding incredible harmonies.
We knew Riley could sing. Her pitch is perfect. But she was never taught the harmonies before. She's never heard a recording of the song. Hot Toddy and I wouldn't know the harmonies if they bit us.
"Riley that was so beautiful. Is that what you hear in your head when Mommy sings?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said, smirking as she wiggled deeper into her covers, as if she let me in on one of her beautiful little secrets.
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Dutch Lullaby)by Eugene Field (1850-1895)
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Sailed off in a wooden shoe
Sailed on a river of crystal light, Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?" The old moon asked the three."
We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'T was all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
13 comments:
Beautiful, Michelle. Simply beautiful.
I am continually inspired by your openness to the unique gifts your children possess. You are honestly a one-of-a-kind parent, Michelle!
Love to you and yours.
So beautiful! What a delicious little secret to have.
She hears you in her head......what a great gift to both of you.
Aaah, that song was on a lullabye tape a dear friend gave me when I had Mia. Thanks for bringing me back to the beautiful days when Mia was an infant, unscathed by autism.
Kim S.
((sigh))
XO
Beautiful, so sweet!
I don't know that song. Tender Shepherd was our ritual song and I cry tender tears when I think of it or sing it these days.
gorgeous.
This is beautiul, an dI have never heard it before. I wish I could hear you all sing it. Funny little R. Maybe she will end up opening her mouth one day, and just knocking people over with an amazing gift! I wish i could sing.
:)
And that is exactly Riley's life purpose, to not sing the all-too common melody, but to harmonize with it, bringing much deeper beauty.
LOVE your comment Carrie!
Isn't that funny! I've just posted about the same thing![vaguely, anyway]
What is stranger [for me] is that I left out the 'y' spelling as I thought it would confuse people, even though I much prefer it.
Best wishes
Let me add to the chorus singing, "Beautiful!" Thank you for sharing.
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