Lantern Festival, verses, songs and story

I would like to share with you a circle I used to do in Kindergarten, I personally re- adapted some bits and It might have been slightly different...enjoy it with your children.
 A Martinmas Circle 

When Mary goes walking The autumn winds blow 
The poplars they curtsey The larches bend low; 
The oaks and the beeches Their gold they fling down
 To make her a carpet To make her a crown.

Lying in the meadow grass
And gazing at the autumn sky,
“Dear Father Sun,” said George out loud,
“It will be winter by and by.”
“The nights will be long, dark, and cold.
Jack Frost will freeze the ground.
How shall I find the light
With so much darkness all around?”
Said Father Sun, “I’ll give you from my
Last autumn rays, a spark,
If you will make a little house
To hold it in the dark.”
With paper, paint, some windows
And a candle it was done!
George came out and held his lantern
Up to Father Sun.
Suddenly the windows lit,
The spark was dancing bright.
Carefully,
George carried home
His lantern in the twilight.       
                      
(Then we sing some lantern songs):

The sunlight fast is dwindling.
My little lamp needs kindling.
It’s beam shines far in darkest night,
Dear lantern guard me with your light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My lantern, my lantern, shining near and far,
shining like a moon, shining like a sun, 
shining like a silver star.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glimmer lantern glimmer, little stars a-shimmer.
over meadow, moore and dale,
flitter flatter elfin vale,
pee-wit, pee-wit, tick-a-tick-a-tick, roo- coo, roo- coo


(Then, spoken verse)
My lantern, my lantern,
Sun and moon and starlight.
In the darkened heaven high
Shine no stars within the sky.
Darkened is the path this night
With no moon or star as light.
My lantern, my lantern,
Sun and moon and starlight,
Friendly little lantern bright,
Be my sun and shield this night.
Be my moon and sun so high.
No light is in the sky.



(And, finally),
I go with my bright little lantern
My lantern is going with me.
In heaven the stars are shining,
On earth shines my lantern with me,
The cock does crow, the cat miaows
Lantern shines, la bimba- labamba-labim

(then, after we walked in a circle carrying our pretend lanterns
we put the lanterns down in the middle of the cirlce)

There over the light are stars,
Here under the light are we.
My light is out,
We’re going home,
Rabimmel, rabammel, rum!

(then, pretending to ride a horse)
St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin
Rode through wind and snow,
His horse carried him so quick-ly on
In comfort and warmth through the cold he did go
His thick cloak around him tight-ly drawn.
In the cold snow, in the cold snow, in the cold snow

There sat a poor old man
He wore only rags and called with choked breath,
“Oh help me please – please if you can
Or the bitter frost will mean my death.”
St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin
Reined his horse to his side
It stood quietly by as if it knew
How with his sword, St. Martin would divide (we do the action of sword cutting cloack in two)
His warm, thick cloak right in-to two.
St. Martin, St. Martin,
Gave one half to the man to put on
The grateful man turned, but before he spoke
Noble St. Martin had already gone
Wearing his half of the div-id-ed cloak.
(I give a 'cloak'- a silk scarf- to each child, then slowly and quietly walk to the snack table where the assistant carefuly placed bread rolls on the table which are to be cut in half and shared and eaten with a bowl of soup, on the actual festival day)

PS some parents asked me about the story and I think it is more suitable for 6 years olds +
x Susannah








More verses for us leaders, parents and anyone wishing to sing to their dearest children:
http://www.comefollowme.org/Music/Lyrics%20CFM%20V.%201.pdf