Reprinted with permission from
Dolls of Friendship, 2nd Edition,
copyright 1997, Sidney L. Gulick, 3d

 
 
Welcome Song

 
The Welcome Song was written by Dr. T. Takano, Japanese poet, and set to music at the Tokyo Academy of Music. It was lustily sung by hundreds of thousands at all the school receptions, and later printed and sent to every school that received a doll. Here is Dr. Gulick's translation of it into English:

Welcome to you, pretty American Dolls!
Happy are we, happy as can be,
To see your dainty little faces shine
With love of far-off friends beyond the sea.

Dear American Dolls, though you have come
A long, long way o'er ocean lanes unknown,
Lonely you must not be, nor pine for home---
For this, our land of flowers, is now your own.

You seem to us, pretty American Dolls,
Like little brothers, little sisters true.
Fair, sweet, and gentle-hearted as you are,
We will all love you and be nice to you.

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