The King of China's Daughter

The King of China's Daughter,

She never would love me,

Though I hung my cap and bells upon

Her nutmeg tree.

For oranges and lemons,

The stars in bright blue air

(I stole them long ago, my dear)

Were dangling there.

The Moon did give me silver pence,

The Sun did give me gold,

And both together softly blew

And made my porridge cold;

But the King of China's daughter

Pretended not to see

When I hung my cap and bells upon

The nutmeg tree.

The King of China's daughter

So beautiful to see

With her face like yellow water, left

Her nutmeg tree.

Her little rope for skipping

She kissed and gave it me --

Made of painted notes of singing-birds

Among the fields of tea.

I skipped across the nutmeg grove, --

I skipped across the sea;

But neither sun nor moon, my dear,

Has yet caught me.