THE LITTLE TREE, ETC.

He pockets them all, and away does fare,
Leaving the little tree quite bare.

The little tree speaks up distressed:

"Those golden leaves how I lament! I'm quite ashamed before the rest,

Such lovely dress to them is lent.
Might I bring one more wish to pass,
I would have my leaves of the clearest glass."

The little tree sleeps again at dark,
And wakes with the early light;

And now its glass leaves you may mark;
There was a sight!

The little tree says: "Now I'm right glad,
No tree in the wood is so brightly clad."

There came up now a mighty blast,
And a furious gale it blew ;
It swept among the trees full fast,
And on the glass leaves it flew.
There lay the leaves of glass
All shivered on the grass.

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The little tree complains:

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My glass lies on the ground; Each other tree remains

With its green dress all round.

Might I but have my wish once more,

I would have of those good green leaves good store.”

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THE LITTLE TREE, ETC.

Again asleep is the little tree,
And early wakes to the light;

He is covered with green leaves fair to see,

He laughs outright;

And says: "I am now all nicely drest,
Nor need be ashamed before the rest."

And now, with udders full,.

Forth a wild she-goat sprung,

Seeking for herbs to pull,

To feed her young.

She sees the leaves, nor makes much talk,
But strips all clear to the very stalk.

The little tree again is bare,

And thus to himself he said: "No longer for my leaves I care,

Whether green, or yellow, or red. If I had but my needles again,

I would never more scold or complain."

The little tree slept sad that night,
And sadly opened his eye;

He sees himself in the sun's first light,
And laughs as if he would die.

And all the trees in a roar burst out;
But the little tree little cared for their flout.

What made the little tree laugh like mad?
And what set the rest in a roar?

THE APPLE TREE.

In a single night soon back he had
Every needle he had before.

And everybody may see them such;
Go out and look, but do not touch.

Why not, I pray ?
They prick, some say.

RÜCKERT, TRANS. BY DR. FROTHINGHAM.

THE APPLE-TREE.

OLD John had an apple-tree, healthy and green,
Which bore the best baldwins that ever were seen,

So juicy, and mellow, and red;

And when they were ripe, as old Johnny was poor,
He sold them to children that passed by his door
To buy him a morsel of bread.

Little Dick, his next neighbor, one often might see,
With longing eye viewing this nice apple-tree,
And wishing an apple would fall;

One day, as he stood in the heat of the sun,

He began thinking whether he might not take one,
And then he looked over the wall.

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And as he again cast his eye on the tree,

He said to himself, " O, how nice they would be,
So cool and refreshing to-day!

The tree is so full, and I'd only take one,

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WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S-NEST ?

And old John won't see, for he is not at home,
And nobody is in the way."

But stop, little boy, take your hand from the bough,
Remember, though old John cau't see you just now,
And no one to chide you is nigh,

There is ONE, who by night, just as well as by day,
Can see all you do, and can hear all you say,
From his glorious throne in the sky.

O then, little boy, come away from the tree,
Content, hot or weary, or thirsty to be,
Or anything rather than steal!

For the great God, who even through darkness can look, Writes down every crime we commit, in his book,

However we think to conceal.

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S-NEST?

TE-WHIT! te-whit! te-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?

JANE TAYLOR.

Not I, said the cow, moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do.
I gave for you a wisp of hay,

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S-NEST ?

And did not take your nest away.
Not I, said the cow, moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do.

Te-whit! te-whit! te-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs, I laid,
And the nice nest I made ?

Bob-a-link! bob-a-link!
Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree to-day?

Not I, said the dog, Bow-wow!

I would n't be so mean as that, now;

I gave hairs the nest to make,

But the nest I did not take.

Not I, said the dog, Bow-wow!

I wouldn't be so mean as that, now!

Te-whit! te-whit! te-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?

Bob-a-link! Bob-a-link!
Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away,
From the plum-tree to-day?

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