Bambino in his cradle slept; <br /> And by his side his grandam grim <br />Bent down and smiled upon the child, <br /> And sung this lullaby to him,-- <br /> This 'ninna and anninia': <br /> <br />'When thou art older, thou shalt mind <br /> To traverse countries far and wide, <br />And thou shalt go where roses blow <br /> And balmy waters singing glide-- <br /> So ninna and anninia! <br /> <br />'And thou shalt wear, trimmed up in points, <br /> A famous jacket edged in red, <br />And, more than that, a peakèd hat, <br /> All decked in gold, upon thy head-- <br /> Ah! ninna and anninia! <br /> <br />'Then shalt thou carry gun and knife, <br /> Nor shall the soldiers bully thee; <br />Perchance, beset by wrong or debt, <br /> A mighty bandit thou shalt be-- <br /> So ninna and anninia! <br /> <br />'No woman yet of our proud race <br /> Lived to her fourteenth year unwed; <br />The brazen churl that eyed a girl <br /> Bought her the ring or paid his head-- <br /> So ninna and anninia! <br /> <br />'But once came spies (I know the thieves!) <br /> And brought disaster to our race; <br />God heard us when our fifteen men <br /> Were hanged within the market-place-- <br /> But ninna and anninia! <br /> <br />'Good men they were, my babe, and true,-- <br /> Right worthy fellows all, and strong; <br />Live thou and be for them and me <br /> Avenger of that deadly wrong-- <br /> So ninna and anninia!'<br /><br />Eugene Field<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/bambino-corsican-lullaby/
