I praise the lovely nymphs, maids ever fair who dance
and play, friends of the beasts, companions of the gods,
in all the wild world we see you, see your might
in the work of the wind, hear your voice in sweet birdsong.
Blessed ones, in the wilderness you make your home;
each tree, each stone, each winding river, in all of these
we find you. The field of flowers, gaudy, rich with scent;
the free-growing forest, artful yet unwrought;
the shady grove framed by arching oaks; the moss
that clings to stump and stone, all these you touch, all these
you shape with skillful hand and artist’s eye. Lovely ones,
gracious ones whose gifts are well-sought, I honor you.