"Balow" is a traditional lullaby term, akin to "lullay" or "hushaby," found in ancient Scottish and English cradle songs. It doesn’t have a specific literal meaning — it’s simply a soothing sound. Field uses it to ground the poem's refrain and add a genuine folk feel.

Who is the 'mirkland queene'?

"Mirkland" originates from the Scots word *mirk*, which translates to darkness or twilight. The mirkland queen is a fairy queen from the dark realm—a character rooted in Scottish folklore. She graces us with her presence under the moonlight, dancing on the eyelids of sleeping babies, embodying the enchanting world of dreams.

Is this actually an old English or Scottish lullaby, or did Field write it himself?

Field wrote it himself. The title and the old-fashioned spelling are a conscious artistic choice — he aimed for the poem to *sound* ancient and folk-like. The Scots dialect words and medieval-style spellings ("perchaunce," "daunce," "lyttel") reflect his creativity in crafting an old voice, rather than being a transcription of any actual historical lullaby.

What is 'balow land'?

"Balow land" is Field's term for the realm of sleep — it's a gentle, fairy-tale escape rather than just a state of unconsciousness. By referring to it as a "land," he creates the sense that sleep is a place where a mother can guide her child, making the final image of her taking his hand feel so reassuring.

Why does the poem mention the father?

The father makes a quick appearance in the first stanza to clarify why the mother is alone with the child at bedtime—he's still at work. This moment anchors the poem in a familiar home setting before the imagery shifts to something more magical, providing comfort to the child that the missing parent will come back.

What is the poem's rhyme scheme?

Each stanza has an **AAB** rhyme scheme, where the first two lines rhyme with each other, and the third line is consistently "Balow, my boy!" — this refrain stays the same. This snug, repetitive format mimics the gentle swaying of a cradle, giving the poem a musical quality rather than just a written piece.

What themes does the poem explore?

At its core, the poem explores the love shared between a mother and child, the warmth of home and family, and the enchanting mystery of childhood—the notion that a child's imagination is filled with fairies and magic. It also highlights nature as a nurturing presence, featuring the bee and the heather bell accompanying the mother in her lullaby.

The Annotated Edition

OLD ENGLISH LULLABY by Eugene Field

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~1 minOpen reading mode →

A mother sings her baby to sleep, assuring him that fairies will dance on his eyelids and that bees and heather bells will hum lullabies while his father wraps up his work for the day.

Poet: Eugene Field
Themes: childhood, family, love

The PoemFull text

OLD ENGLISH LULLABY

Eugene Field

Hush, bonnie, dinna greit; Moder will rocke her sweete,-- Balow, my boy! When that his toile ben done, Daddie will come anone,-- Hush thee, my lyttel one; Balow, my boy! Gin thou dost sleepe, perchaunce Fayries will come to daunce,-- Balow, my boy! Oft hath thy moder seene Moonlight and mirkland queene Daunce on thy slumbering een,-- Balow, my boy! Then droned a bomblebee Saftly this songe to thee: "Balow, my boy!" And a wee heather bell, Pluckt from a fayry dell, Chimed thee this rune hersell: "Balow, my boy!" Soe, bonnie, dinna greit; Moder doth rock her sweete,-- Balow, my boy! Give mee thy lyttel hand, Moder will hold it and Lead thee to balow land,-- Balow, my boy!

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A mother sings her baby to sleep, assuring him that fairies will dance on his eyelids and that bees and heather bells will hum lullabies while his father wraps up his work for the day. The poem uses a playful, old-fashioned Scots-English style to give it a timeless, folk-like feel, but at its core, it’s just a sweet, gentle bedtime song. By the final stanza, the mother takes the child's hand and gently guides him into the realm of sleep.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

Hush, bonnie, dinna greit; / Moder will rocke her sweete,--
Editor's note
The mother begins with gentle, calming words — *dinna greit* means "don't cry" in Scots. She comforts the child by reminding him that she is right there rocking him and mentions the father, who will come home when his work is finished. The phrase "Balow, my boy" resembles a classic lullaby sound, similar to "lullay" or "hushaby," and is repeated at the end of each stanza to echo the soothing rhythm of rocking.
Gin thou dost sleepe, perchaunce / Fayries will come to daunce,--
Editor's note
*Gin* means "if" in Scots. The mother presents sleep as a reward: close your eyes, and a fairy world unfolds. The "mirkland queene" is a queen of the dark or twilight realm — a character from Scottish folklore. The vision of moonlight and a fairy queen dancing over the baby's "slumbering een" (sleeping eyes) transforms falling asleep into a magical experience rather than something to resist.
Then droned a bomblebee / Saftly this songe to thee:
Editor's note
Nature itself joins the lullaby. The drone of a bumblebee — already one of the most soothing sounds — transforms into a gentle song sung *to* the child. Then, a tiny heather bell (a small Scottish wildflower) adds its own version of the refrain. Field layers these images to convey that the entire natural world is working together to help the baby drift off to sleep.
Soe, bonnie, dinna greit; / Moder doth rock her sweete,--
Editor's note
The final stanza closely mirrors the opening, nearly repeating it word for word, which creates a circular, rocking structure that reflects the comforting act of cradling. However, it introduces a new element: the mother reaches for her child's hand, promising to guide him herself into "balow land" — the land of sleep. This closing image is lovely, depicting sleep as a place the mother will journey to with her child, rather than somewhere he ventures alone.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Warm, quiet, and softly enchanting. Field maintains a steady, low emotional tone throughout—this isn’t a dramatic poem; it *embodies* calm. The old-fashioned spelling and Scots words lend it a timeless, folk-song feel, as if the lullaby has always been there and the mother is merely recalling it instead of creating it.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Balow: The repeated sound serves as both a melody and a sign. It echoes the gentle sway of a cradle, marking the boundary between being awake and drifting off to sleep. Each time it resurfaces, it gently encourages the child (and the reader) to relax a bit more and embrace rest.
Fairies and the Mirkland Queen: The fairy world symbolizes the dream state — that vibrant, imaginative inner life that unfolds as soon as a child shuts their eyes. It transforms sleep from being an end into a gateway to a more enchanting place.
The bumblebee's drone: The bee serves as a natural lullaby-maker, its gentle hum echoing a mother’s voice. By attributing a conscious song to the bee, Field implies that the instinct to comfort and protect a child is inherently part of nature.
The heather bell: A small wildflower from the Scottish moorland, the heather bell captures the essence of fragility and beauty—much like an infant. Its delicate chime is fleeting, reminiscent of that brief moment before falling asleep.
The mother's hand: In the final stanza, the mother’s hand serves as a guide into sleep. What starts as a simple gesture of comfort evolves into a symbol of protection and trust—the child doesn’t drift off alone; he is gently led there.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field was an American journalist and poet active in the late nineteenth century, best known for children's poems such as *Wynken, Blynken, and Nod* and *Little Boy Blue*. He wrote during a time when sentimental poetry about childhood and home life was incredibly popular in American newspapers and magazines, and he had a knack for expressing the emotional experiences of parents and young children. *Old English Lullaby* showcases a Victorian interest in folk traditions and medieval-sounding language — the Scots dialect and old spellings are his creative take on an "ancient" voice rather than an accurate reflection of any specific tradition. The poem was included in his 1889 collection *A Little Book of Western Verse*, and like much of his work, it was inspired by his own experiences as a father of eight, drawing heavily from family life for his poetry.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

It’s Scots for "don’t cry." *Dinna* is the Scots way of saying "do not," while *greit* (or sometimes *greet*) means to weep or cry. Field incorporates Scots phrases throughout to create a folk-song, old-world vibe in the poem.

Best Poems About Love

Account

Site

OLD ENGLISH LULLABY by Eugene Field

OLD ENGLISH LULLABY

What this poem is about

Recurring themes

Stanza by stanza, with notes

How this poem feels

Symbols & metaphors

Historical context

Questions readers ask

Poems in the same key

Nurse's Song

THE CHILDREN'S HOUR

Similar poems

More by Eugene Field

Themes in this poem