On the Tree Top Part 3

But a steady old chap Is John S. Crow, And for months has stood at his post; For corn you know Takes time to grow, And 'tis long between seed and roast.

And it had to be watched And guarded with care From the time it was put in the ground, For over there, And everywhere, Sad thieves were waiting around.

Sad thieves in black, A cowardly set, Who waited for John to be gone, That they might get A chance to upset The plans of the planter of corn.

They were no kin to John, Though they bore his name And belonged to the family Crow; He'd scorn to claim Any part of the fame That is theirs wherever you go.

So he has stuck to the field And watched the corn, And been watched by the crows from the hill; Till at length they're gone, And so is the corn-- They away, and it to the mill.

Now the work is done, And it's time for play, For which John is glad I know; For though made of hay, If he could he would say, "It's stupid to be a scarecrow."

But though it is stupid, And though it is slow, To fill such an humble position; To be a _good_ scarecrow Is better I know Than to scorn a lowly condition.

SILVER LOCKS AND THE BEARS.

Versified by Mrs. Clara Doty Bates.

Silver Locks was a little girl, Lovely and good; She strayed out one day And got lost in the wood, And was lonely and sad, Till she came where there stood The house which belonged to the Bears.

She pulled the latch string, And the door opened wide; She peeped softly first, And at last stepped inside; So tired her little feet Were that she cried, And so hungry she, sobbed to herself.

She did not know Whether to stay or to go; But there were three chairs Standing all in a row, And there were three bowls Full of milk white as snow, And there were three beds by the wall.

But the Father Bear's chair Was too hard to sit in it, And the Mother Bear's chair Was too hard to sit in it; But the Baby Bear's chair Was so soft in a minute She had broken it all into pieces.

And the Father Bear's milk Was too sour to drink, And the Mother Bear's milk Was too sour to drink; But the Baby Bear's milk Was so sweet, only think, When she tasted she drank it all up.

And the Father Bear's bed Was as hard as a stone, And the Mother Bear's bed Was as hard as a stone; But the Baby Bear's bed Was so soft she lay down, And before she could wink was asleep.

By and by came the scratch Of old Father Bear's claw, And the fumbling knock Of old Mother Bear's paw, And the latch string flew up, And the Baby Bear saw That a stranger had surely been there.

Then Father Bear cried, "Who's been sitting in my chair?"

And Mother Bear cried, "Who's been sitting in _my_ chair?"

And Baby Bear smiled, "Who's been sitting in my chair, And broken it all into pieces?"

Then Father Bear growled, "Who's been tasting of my milk?"

And Mother Bear growled, "Who's been tasting of _my_ milk?"

And Baby Bear wondered, "Who's tasted of my milk, And tasting has drank it all up?"

And Father Bear roared, "Who's been lying on my bed?"

And Mother Bear roared, "Who's been lying on _my_ bed?"

And Baby Bear laughed, "Who's been lying on my bed?

O, here she is, fast asleep!"

The savage old Father Bear cried, "Let us eat her!"

The savage old Mother Bear cried, "Let us eat her!"

But the Baby Bear said, "Nothing ever was sweeter.

Let's kiss her, and send her home!"

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK.

Versified by Mrs. Clara Doty Bates.

A lazy and careless boy was Jack,-- He would not work, and he would not play; And so poor, that the jacket on his back Hung in a ragged fringe alway; But 'twas s.h.i.+lly-shally, dilly-dally, From day to day.

At last his mother was almost wild, And to get them food she knew not how; And she told her good-for-nothing child To drive to market the brindle cow.

So he strolled along, with whistle and song, And drove the cow.

A man was under the wayside trees, Who carried some beans in his hand--all white.

He said, "My boy, I'll give you these For the brindle cow." Jack said, "All right."

And, without any gold for the cow he had sold, Went home at night.

Bitter tears did the mother weep; Out of the window the beans were thrown, And Jack went supperless to sleep; But, when the morning sunlight shone, High, and high, to the very sky, The beans had grown.

They made a ladder all green and bright, They twined and crossed and twisted so; And Jack sprang up it with all his might, And called to his mother down below: "_Hitchity-hatchet, my little red jacket, And up I go!_"

High as a tree, then high as a steeple, Then high as a kite, and high as the moon, Far out of sight of cities and people, He toiled and tugged and climbed till noon; And began to pant: "I guess I shan't Get down very soon!"

At last he came to a path that led To a house he had never seen before; And he begged of a woman there some bread; But she heard her husband, the Giant, roar, And she gave him a shove in the old brick oven, And shut the door.

And the Giant sniffed, and beat his breast, And grumbled low, "_Fe, fi, fo, fum!_"

His poor wife prayed he would sit and rest,-- "I smell fresh meat! I will have some!"

He cried the louder, "_Fe, fi, fo, fum!_ I will have some."

He ate as much as would feed ten men, And drank a barrel of beer to the dregs; Then he called for his little favorite hen, As under the table he stretched his legs,-- And he roared "Ho! ho!"--like a buffalo-- "Lay your gold eggs!"

She laid a beautiful egg of gold; And at last the Giant began to snore; Jack waited a minute, then, growing bold, He crept from the oven along the floor, And caught the hen in his arms, and then Fled through the door.

But the Giant heard him leave the house, And followed him out, and bellowed "Oh-oh!"

But Jack was as nimble as a mouse, And sang as he rapidly slipped below: "_Hitchity-hatchet, my little red jacket, And down I go!_"

And the Giant howled, and gnashed his teeth.

Jack got down first, and, in a flash, Cut the ladder from underneath; And Giant and Bean-stalk, in one dash,-- No s.h.i.+lly-shally, no dilly-dally,-- Fell with a crash.

This brought Jack fame, and riches, too; For the little gold-egg hen would lay An egg whenever he told her to, If he asked one fifty times a day.

And he and his mother lived with each other In peace alway.

LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD.