Here we go,
      Steady and slow,
Plodding awhile behind;
      Faster we hie,
      Till away we fly,
Swift as the northern wind.

      Blithe and gay,
      We speed our way,
Over the ice-bound river;
      From side to side,
      Like a bird we glide,
Or a dart from an Indian's quiver.

      Look out! look out
      Mind what you're about,
And skilfully guide your feet;
      Take care! take care!
      Or ere you're aware,
Your head will be cracking the sleet.

      There, down he goes--
      I pity his woes,
For he falls like a bar of lead;
      Now he can tell,
      I ween, pretty well,
Whether ice is as hard as his head.

      Ha! ha! you see
      He's as merry as we
And he's up and off again.
      Now for a race,
      With a quicker pace,
Over the glassy plain.

      Blithe and gay,
      We speed our way,
Over the ice-bound river;
      From side to side,
      Like a bird we glide,
Or a dart from an Indian's quiver.

      Away we fly
      And the wind outvie,
And our spirits keep time with the flight;
      Thus the day
      Glides away,
And sweetly blends with night.

      Thanks we'll give,
      While we live,
That our hearts are free from sorrow;
      And though we play
      With such glee to-day,
We'll study the better to-morrow.

      From side to side,
      Like a bird we glide,
Till the twilight time is o'er;
      And when at last,
      Our sport is past,
We'll glide like a bird to the shore.

      And now we go
      Over the snow,
To our happy homes away,
      Tripping along,
      With mirth and song,
Till we come--to the end of our lay.