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Norse Lullaby by Eugene Field

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Norse Lullaby is a gentle poem that captures a parent singing their baby to sleep, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Poet
Eugene Field
Core theme
Childhood
The PoemFull text

Norse Lullaby

Eugene Field

The sky is dark and the hills are white As the storm-king speeds from the north to-night, And this is the song the storm-king sings, As over the world his cloak he flings: "Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;" He rustles his wings and gruffly sings: "Sleep, little one, sleep." On yonder mountain-side a vine Clings at the foot of a mother pine; The tree bends over the trembling thing, And only the vine can hear her sing: "Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep; What shall you fear when I am here? Sleep, little one, sleep." The king may sing in his bitter flight, The tree may croon to the vine to-night, But the little snowflake at my breast Liketh the song _I_ sing the best,-- Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep; Weary thou art, anext my heart Sleep, little one, sleep. BÉRANGER'S "MY LAST SONG PERHAPS" [JANUARY, 1814] When, to despoil my native France, With flaming torch and cruel sword And boisterous drums her foeman comes, I curse him and his vandal horde! Yet, what avail accrues to her, If we assume the garb of woe? Let's merry be,--in laughter we May rescue somewhat from the foe! Ah, many a brave man trembles now. I (coward!) show no sign of fear; When Bacchus sends his blessing, friends, I drown my panic in his cheer. Come, gather round my humble board, And let the sparkling wassail flow,-- Chuckling to think, the while you drink, "This much we rescue from the foe!" My creditors beset me so And so environed my abode, That I agreed, despite my need, To settle up the debts I owed; When suddenly there came the news Of this invasion, as you know; I'll pay no score; pray, lend me more,-- I--_I_ will keep it from the foe! Now here's my mistress,--pretty dear!-- Feigns terror at this martial noise, And yet, methinks, the artful minx Would like to meet those soldier boys! I tell her that they're coarse and rude, Yet feel she don't believe 'em so,-- Well, never mind; so she be kind, That much I rescue from the foe! If, brothers, hope shall have in store For us and ours no friendly glance, Let's rather die than raise a cry Of welcome to the foes of France! But, like the swan that dying sings, Let us, O Frenchmen, singing go,-- Then shall our cheer, when death is near, Be so much rescued from the foe!

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

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§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Norse Lullaby is a gentle poem that captures a parent singing their baby to sleep, surrounded by the beauty of nature. The storm-king and a mother pine tree both share their lullabies, but the speaker believes their own song is the one their child cherishes the most. This poem warmly celebrates the special bond between a parent and their newborn.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. The sky is dark and the hills are white / As the storm-king speeds from the north to-night,

    Editor's note

    Field opens with a wintry scene — dark sky, snow-white hills, a storm rolling in from the north. The storm takes on a persona as a "storm-king," a mighty figure who casts his cloak (the snowstorm) over the world. Remarkably, even this fierce king sings a lullaby: *Sleep, little one, sleep.* It’s a clever touch — if even a storm can be soft and soothing, the entire world is ready for a lullaby.

  2. On yonder mountain-side a vine / Clings at the foot of a mother pine;

    Editor's note

    Now Field shifts focus from the raging storm to a serene mountain scene. A delicate vine wraps around the base of a tall pine tree, which bends over it in a protective manner, singing gently. This image radiates maternal warmth — the pine embodies a mother, while the vine represents her child. The pine's lullaby carries an air of reassurance: *What shall you fear when I am here?* Nature is portrayed as a nurturing, sheltering presence.

  3. The king may sing in his bitter flight, / The tree may croon to the vine to-night,

    Editor's note

    The speaker steps forward and quietly outshines the storm-king and the mother pine. Their baby — affectionately named "little snowflake," a nod to the wintry backdrop — is cuddled against the speaker's chest. The term *anext* (an old-fashioned way of saying "next to") adds a cozy, folkloric charm to the stanza. The speaker's song triumphs not through volume or grandeur but because it resonates with a parent's love.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Gentle, soft, and quietly proud. The poem flows like a lullaby — the repeated refrain *Sleep, little one, sleep* slows the reader and brings a soothing rhythm. In the final stanza, there's a tender warmth: the speaker isn't bragging, just simply noting that their song is the one their child loves most.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The storm-king
The winter storm, given human traits, symbolizes nature's immense and indifferent strength. By having this intimidating figure sing a lullaby, Field implies that everything around us works together to provide rest and tranquility for a sleeping child.
The mother pine and the vine
The tall pine that shelters the small, clinging vine vividly represents parental protection. The vine's vulnerability and the pine's bending posture reflect the bond between a newborn and its caregiver.
The little snowflake
The term of endearment the speaker uses for their baby connects the child to the poem's wintry world. It also hints at something delicate, unique, and precious—just like each snowflake is one of a kind.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field was an American journalist and poet active in the latter half of the 19th century, and he's best remembered for his children's poetry. He contributed to newspapers in Denver and Chicago, and his poems for and about children — like *Wynken, Blynken, and Nod* and *Little Boy Blue* — made him one of the era's most popular poets. *Norse Lullaby* fits right into this tradition: it uses the imagery of Scandinavian winter and Norse mythology (such as the storm as a king and folkloric refrains) to craft a lullaby that evokes an old-world, fairy-tale charm. The poem was included in his 1889 collection *A Little Book of Western Verse*. Field was a devoted father, and his children's poems are often seen as reflecting genuine warmth and tenderness rather than just commercial appeal.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

What is the poem's rhyme scheme?

Each stanza features a pattern of rhyming couplets along with a repeated refrain. The first two lines rhyme (AABB), then the following lines lead into the refrain Sleep, little one, sleep, which wraps up every stanza. This repetition is deliberate — it captures the soothing, rhythmic nature of a real lullaby.

Who is the speaker of the poem?

The speaker, a parent of unspecified gender, sings to their baby. They notice the storm-king and the mother pine sharing their own lullabies, but they confidently declare that their song is the one their child loves the most.

What does "Norse" mean in the title, and how does it show up in the poem?

"Norse" is all about Scandinavian culture and mythology. The storm-king coming from the north hints at the mighty gods of wind and winter found in Norse mythology. The wintry scene of dark skies, white hills, and snow also brings to mind the Nordic landscape. The old-world, folkloric vibe of the refrain enhances that Scandinavian atmosphere, even though Field was an American poet.

What does "anext my heart" mean?

Anext is an old-fashioned or regional term that means "next to" or "close beside." Therefore, "anext my heart" means the baby is held against the speaker's chest, right next to their heart. Field uses this term to give the poem a timeless, folkloric feel that fits the Norse setting.

Why does Field compare the baby to a snowflake?

Calling the baby a "little snowflake" is a term of endearment that serves two purposes. It maintains the wintry imagery of the poem and implies that the child is delicate, beautiful, and one-of-a-kind — just like every snowflake is unique. It's a soft, poetic way of expressing "my precious child."

What is the effect of the repeated refrain?

The refrain Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep shows up in every stanza, giving the poem a soothing lullaby feel. Repetition is a key feature of lullabies in various cultures — that familiar phrase calms us simply by being repeated. For readers, it generates a slow, almost hypnotic rhythm that reflects the experience of falling asleep.

Is this poem suitable for children?

Yes, it was specifically crafted for that audience. Field was well-known for his children's poetry, and "Norse Lullaby" features simple imagery, a gentle tone, and a musical repetition that makes it accessible and enjoyable for kids. It's the sort of poem that parents might read to their children at bedtime.

What is the main message of the poem?

At its core, the poem conveys that a parent's love is the strongest lullaby there is. The storm-king may be powerful, and the pine tree may offer comfort, but neither can compare to the soothing song of a parent cradling their child. It's a gentle yet assured affirmation of parental love.

Citation

Cite this poem

MLA

Field, Eugene. "Norse Lullaby." Storgy, https://storgy.com/poems/norse-lullaby-eugene-field/.

APA

Field, E. (n.d.). Norse lullaby. Storgy. https://storgy.com/poems/norse-lullaby-eugene-field/

TeacherAP Lit Q1 scaffold — preview

Row A — Thesis

1 pt

In Eugene Field's 'Norse Lullaby,' three nested voices—storm-king, mother pine, and human speaker—compete for authority over the same sleeping child. Field uses this graduated structure of intimacy to argue that love's power is not cosmic …

  • Row B — Evidence + Commentary4 pts
  • Row C — Sophistication1 pt
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