The Colour

Those lines are partly made up, partly 

remembered from a Wessex folk-rhyme - T.H.

"What shall I bring you?

Please will white do

Best for your wearing

The long day through?"

" White is for weddings,

Weddings, weddings,

White is for weddings,

And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you?

Please will red do

Best for your wearing

The long day through?"

" Red is for soldiers,

Soldiers, soldiers,

Red is for soldiers,

And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you?

Please will blue do

Best for your wearing

The long day through?"

" Blue is for sailors,

Sailors, sailors,

Blue is for sailors,

And that won't do.

"What shall I bring you?

Please will green do

Best for your wearing

The long day through?"

" Green is for mayings,

Mayings, mayings,

Green is for mayings,

And that won't do."

"What shall I bring you

Then? Will black do

Best for your wearing

The long day through?"

" Black is for mourning,

Mourning, mourning,

Black is for mourning,

And black will do."

A quote from a Hardy novel

“Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings had not darkened because of her grief, nor sickened because of her pain." (Tess of the D'Urbervilles)

-o0o-