There’s a merry brown thrush sitting up in
      the tree,
  He’s singing to me!  He’s singing to me! 
  And what does he say, little girl, little boy? 
  “Oh, the world’s running over with joy! 
    Don’t you hear? don’t you see? 
    Hush! look! in my tree,
  I’m as happy as happy can be!”

  And the brown thrush keeps singing, “A nest
     do you see,
  And five eggs hid by me in the juniper tree? 
  Don’t meddle! don’t touch! little girl, little boy,
  Or the world will lose some of its joy! 
    Now I’m glad! now I’m free! 
    And I always shall be,
  If you never bring sorrow to me.”

  So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree,
  To you and to me, to you and to me.

—­LUCY LARCOM.

THE KING AND THE GOOSEHERD

ACT I

(King in plain clothes had gone out for a walk in the park.  He sat under a tree to read a book and fell asleep.  When he waked up he walked on, forgetting his book.  He sees a lad looking after a flock of geese and calls him.)

KING:  Boy, I left a book lying under a tree in the park.  Will you please get it for me?  If you do, I will give you a gold piece.

BOY:  Give me a gold piece to go to the park, indeed!  You must have a pocketful of gold pieces.  Or you must think me more stupid than I am.

KING:  Stupid!  Who thinks you stupid?

BOY:  Why, who would be so foolish as to give me a gold piece just for running half a mile for a book?  No, no, you are joking.  You couldn’t make me believe that.

KING:  Well, you know “seeing is believing.”  Look! here is the gold piece for you.

BOY:  But it is in your hand.  If I saw it in my own hand, that would be a different matter.

KING (laughing):  You are certainly not stupid, my boy; but you may have it in your own hand.  Here it is.

(Boy stands still, looking worried,)

KING:  Well, why don’t you go?

BOY:  I only wish I could.  But what would become of the geese while I am away?  If they strayed into the meadow over yonder, I should have to pay trespass-money—­more than the gold piece—­and lose my place besides.

KING:  I’ll tell you what we’ll do.  You go for the book, and I’ll herd the geese.

BOY (laughing):  You herd the geese—­a pretty gooseherd you would make!  You are too fat and too old.

KING (to himself, shaking with laughter):  Well, Well, “fat and old.”  What next, I wonder!

BOY:  Why, you couldn’t mind the geese.  Just look at the “court gander” there—­the one with the black head and wings.  He is the ringleader whenever there is any mischief.  He would lead you a pretty dance.

KING:  Never mind the geese.  I’ll answer for them, and I promise to pay all damages if they get away.