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SICILIAN FOLK LULLABY, by                    
First Line: "a-la-lo, my son is a beauty"
Last Line: Should fate call her hence


A-la-lo, my son is a beauty!
His face is like a lily;
His name is a charm;
The angels bestowed it;
The priest gave his blessing,
With bell, book, and stole.

A-la-lo, the Sanctus has rung,
The priest at the altar
The Mass doth intone;
Sleep, baby, sleep with the Lord.

A-la-lo, good fortune await thee,
Shut closely thine eyelids and slumber;
'Tis the hour of repose,
And sleep must seal up thine eyes.
A-la-lo, my heart's own beloved
Will not sleep unless sung to;

A-la-lo, my sweetest of treasures,
Sleep wrap thee as long as I would,
As long as I would and God wills;
A-la-lo, this holy baby must slumber,
Till the church bells to-morrow,
At mid-day with clamour,
The country-side fill;
May sleep thee thus visit, A-la-lo.

Sleep, a ni-na-na, a nice long sleep,
Close thine eyes and fall asleep.
A sleep to last the whole night long;
God give thee joy and good luck,
Good luck and good fortune;
The mother who bore thee is by thy cradle;
She's by thy cradle to rock and to sing.
Till thou sleep'st she'll not desert thee;
To God's guard she will leave thee
Should Fate call her hence.





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