[Illustration]

  ‘At’s been a-shootin’ ducks:  An’ so
  He skeerd them out the boat, you know,
  An’ ist jumped in—­an’ Snake he tried
  To jump in, too, but failed outside
  Where all the water wuz; an’ so
  The Bear grabs one the things you row
  The boat wiv an’ ist whacks the head
  Of the old Snake an’ kills him dead!—­

An’ when he’s killed him dead, w’y, nen The old Snake’s drownded dead again!  Nen Bear set in the boat an’ bowed His back an’ rowed—­an’ rowed—­an’ rowed—­ Till he’s safe home—­so tired he can’t Do nothin’ but lay there an’ pant An’ tell his childern, “Bresh my coat!” An’ tell his wife, “Go chain my boat!” An’ they’re so glad he’s back, they say “They knowed he’s comin’ thataway To ist surprise the dear ones there!” An’ Jim an’ Jo they dried his hair

[Illustration]

  An’ pulled the burrs out; an’ their ma
  She ist set there an’ helt his paw
  Till he wuz sound asleep, an’ nen
  She tell’ him she won’t scold again—­
      Never—­never—­never—­
      Ferever an’ ferever!

* * * * *

[Illustration:  SOME SONGS AFTER MASTER SINGERS]

SOME SONGS AFTER MASTER SINGERS

I

SONG

[W.S.]

  With a hey! and a hi! and a hey-ho rhyme! 
      O the shepherd lad
      He is ne’er so glad
  As when he pipes, in the blossom-time,
      So rare! 
  While Kate picks by, yet looks not there. 
      So rare! so rare!
  With a hey! and a hi! and a ho!
  The grasses curdle where the daisies blow!

  With a hey! and a hi! and a hey-ho vow! 
      Then he sips her face
      At the sweetest place—­
  And ho! how white is the hawthorn now!—­
      So rare!—­
  And the daisied world rocks round them there. 
      So rare! so rare!
  With a hey! and a hi! and a ho!
  The grasses curdle where the daisies blow!

* * * * *

[Illustration:  “WHILE KATE PICKS BY, YET LOOKS NOT THERE.”]

* * * * *

II

TO THE CHILD JULIA

[R.H.]

  Little Julia, since that we
  May not as our elders be,
  Let us blithely fill the days
  Of our youth with pleasant plays. 
  First we’ll up at earliest dawn,
  While as yet the dew is on
  The sooth’d grasses and the pied
  Blossomings of morningtide;
  Next, with rinsed cheeks that shine
  As the enamell’d eglantine,
  We will break our fast on bread
  With both cream and honey spread;
  Then, with many a challenge-call,
  We will romp from house and hall,
  Gypsying with the birds and bees
  Of the green-tress’d garden trees. 
  In a bower of leaf and vine
  Thou shalt be a lady fine
  Held in duress by the great
  Giant I shall personate. 
  Next, when many mimics more
  Like to these we have played o’er,