The sound of children’s laughter on the hill at dusk brings the nurse a deep, still calm — her heart is at rest, and everything else feels hushed. She calls them in, reminding them the sun has set and night dew is on its way. But the children argue back: it’s still day, the birds are flying, the hills are covered with sheep. She gives in without a fight: “Well, well, go and play till the light fades away, and then go home to bed.” The children leap and shout, their joy echoing across the hills. The mood is warm and serene. There’s no conflict here, only a gentle surrender to childhood’s insistence on living fully in the moment. The nurse’s affection glows quietly; she trusts the rhythm of the day, letting play linger until the very last light. It’s a portrait of a peaceful, sunlit evening where adult care and childish delight meet and briefly, wonderfully, agree.
Nurse's Song — Summary
When the voices of children are heard on the green, And laughing is heard on the hill, My heart is at rest within my breast, And everything else is still. "Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise; Come, come, leave off play, and let us away, Till the morning appears in the skies."
"No, no, let us play, for it is yet day, And we cannot go to sleep; Besides, in the sky the little birds fly, And the hills are all covered with sheep." "Well, well, go and play till the light fades away, And then go home to bed." The little ones leaped, and shouted, and laughed, And all the hills echoed.