Welcome, O Stork! that dost wing
       &nbsp Thy flight from the far-away!
Thou hast brought us the signs of Spring,
       &nbsp Thou hast made our sad hearts gay.

Descend, O Stork! descend
       &nbsp Upon our roof to rest;
In our ash-tree, O my friend,
       &nbsp My darling, make thy nest.

To thee, O Stork, I complain,
       &nbsp O Stork, to thee I impart
The thousand sorrows, the pain
       &nbsp And aching of my heart.

When thou away didst go,
       &nbsp Away from this tree of ours,
The withering winds did blow,
       &nbsp And dried up all the flowers.

Dark grew the brilliant sky,
       &nbsp Cloudy and dark and drear;
They were breaking the snow on high,
       &nbsp And winter was drawing near.

From Varaca's rocky wall,
       &nbsp From the rock of Varaca unrolled,
the snow came and covered all,
       &nbsp And the green meadow was cold.
O Stork, our garden with snow
       &nbsp Was hidden away and lost,
Mid the rose-trees that in it grow
       &nbsp Were withered by snow and frost.