The Art of Lennart Helje

Are you familiar with the Swedish painter and illustrator  Lennart Helje?
He paints Christmas elves and animals in snowy landscapes. He also paints
Tomten who are mythological creatures from Nordic folklore often associated
 with the winter solstice and the Christmas season.   I hope you enjoy looking at a
 few of his pieces today.

I have no illustration for today's poem but it seemed an appropriate selection.
I remember the teacher reading this poem to the class when I was in grade one. 
I've loved it ever since.

Poem

Up the airy mountain,
   Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting
   For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
   Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
   And white owl’s feather!

Down along the rocky shore
   Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
   Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
   Of the black mountain-lake,
With frogs for their watchdogs,
   All night awake. 

There are more verses to this poem if you're interested. These are the only ones I'm familiar with.

Thanks for visiting today,


Granny M.