Spring Wattle

The Wattle Fairies

by Christian Coutts

Some little yellow fairies

Were swinging on a tree

They were the dearest little things

That ever you could see

The fluffy hair all round them

Was soft as thistle down

But these wee fairies held on tight

To little stalks of brown

They swayed about so gently

While softest breezes blew

And every day, more fairies came

And so the family grew

Till all the trees were golden

Yes, every tiny spray

And every little yellow elf

Was happy as the day

At night those little fairies

Oft washed their hair with dew

But when the morning sun got up

He dried their hair right through

Did winds blow round them roughly

It was such jolly fun

They swung up high and then down low

And laughed till it was done

Now dears, I’ll whisper softly

Who were those sprites so airy?

The tree, it was a wattle tree

Each blossom was a fairy.

From a 1948 Australian school reader.

Image: Canberra Museum and Art Gallery exhibition, Wattle, Edwin Ride’s collection of objects featuring Australia’s floral emblem. The exhibition illustrates the development of wattle as a symbol of Australia over the last 150 years.