Chapter V

NOTE FROM MR. RUFUS FOX TO HIS COUSIN REYNARD.

DEAR COUSIN:

This is just to say
Why dinner was postponed to-day,--
The goose had failed us, that was all;
Excuse, I beg, this hurried scrawl.
Will write to-morrow to explain--
Just now my paw is in such pain
That when I try to write it shocks
My nerves.

Yours truly,
RUFUS FOX.

P. S.--I’d thank you if you sent
A bottle of that liniment
You spoke of several days ago--
The kind for “dog-bites,” don’t you know.

Once a naughty fay
Chanced to sprain her wing;
“At her tricks,” they say--
“Naughty little thing!”

Said the little fay
As she lay in pain,
“No more tricks I’ll play
When I’m well again.”

Time heals everything.
Can this be our fay,
She who sprained her wing
Just the other day?

Can she be this fair
Thrifty little thing,
Sewing up a tear
In a beetle’s wing?

Yes,--alas! but oh,
_Not_ a thrifty elf;
Of course she has to sew
What she tore herself!

(_A Floury Tale._)]

The Princess’ hair hath golden sheen,
And her cheek is lily-pale;
But none may look in her eyes, I ween
And live to tell the tale.

From out the south, and eke the north,
And from the east and west,
Full many a gallant knight rides forth
Upon the fatal quest.

For a cruel spell on the Princess lies
No mortal can undo
Till one shall look into her eyes
And tell their color true.

And some of them swear her eyes are green,
And some that they are black,
And many a knight rides forth, I ween,
But never a one rides back.

For a cruel spell on the Princess lies,
And whoso will may try
His fate, and look into her eyes;
But whoso quails must die.

* * * * *

The miller’s son is a dusty youth,
And dusty curls hath he.
Quoth he, “I’ll go myself, forsooth,
And set this Princess free.”

The miller’s son he hath no spear
Nor sword nor coat-of-mail,
But an honest heart that knows not fear--
Heaven grant he may not fail!

The miller’s son at the portal knocks,
At the Princess’ feet he bends,
And he tosses aside his floury locks
And a floury cloud ascends.

The Princess’ face in a mist of white
Is veiled as with a veil,
Her eyes are dimmed of their deadly light,
And the miller doth not quail.

The Princess’ hair hath golden sheen,
Her cheek is red, red rose,
And her eyes?

* * * * *

Go ask the Prince--
I mean
The miller’s son--he knows.

Nell’s Fairy-tale.

The fairy tale was ended, the wicked Queen had fled;
The Prince had saved the Princess and cut off the monster’s head;
The people all were joyful, and the Princess and the Prince
Were married and--so ran the tale--“lived happy ever since.”
Nell closed the book of fairy tales and mused: “I wonder why
There are no fairies nowadays? I only wish that I
Could be a fairy princess like the Princess Goldenhair.”
Here Nell dropped off to sleep, and then she started in her chair,
When, of its own accord, the book popped open, and behold!
Out crept a wee elf-princess all arrayed in cloth of gold;
She sighed a little tired sigh and then Nell heard her say,
In a tiny tired little voice, that sounded far away:
“Oh, dear! how very nice it is for once to get outside.
You’ve no idea how flat it is, my dear, until you’ve tried,
To be shut up in a story-book with Dragons, Queens, and Kings,
And always have to do and say the same old, senseless things;
You think it would be very fine, but really it’s no joke!
_I’d_ rather be a girl, like _you_!--”
Then little Nell awoke,
“Poor Princess Goldenhair,” said she,--“unhappy little elf,
I’m rather glad, upon the whole, that I am just myself!”

The Unfortunate Giraffe.

There was once a Giraffe who said, “What
Do I want with my tea strong or hot?
For my throat’s such a length,
The tea loses its strength,
And is cold ere it reaches the spot.”

Stockings or Scales.

If I were asked of all things what I most would like to be,
I’d choose to be a mermaid and live below the sea.
How nice, instead of walking, to swim around like little whales,
And to wear, instead of stockings, many shiny pairs of scales,
Which don’t need changing every time that nurse says they are wet.
And then to have no shoes that always come untied!--and yet--

And yet, although it must be nice to swim around in scales,
To attend a school of porpoises and play at tag with whales,
To be on friendly speaking terms with jellyfish and eels,
And never to be sent to bed or told I’m late for meals;
Still, when I think of Christmas Eve my resolution fails,
_How could I hang my stockings up if I had only scales?_

They were three robbers; aye,
And they robbed a red, red rose;
And they came from out the sky,
And they went where no man knows.

One came when the day was young,
And rent the curtain gray
Of mist that round her hung,
And he stole her pearls away;

One came when the day was old,
And a sable coat he wore,
And a belt of dusty gold,
And he robbed her treasure-store.

One came when the day was dead,
And no man saw him pass;
And he caught her petals red
And threw them upon the grass.

Three robbers bold were they,
And they robbed a red, red rose;
And they came and went away,
And whither--
no man knows.

A Woodland Episode.]

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA: MISS BIRD, and MRS. CHIPMUNK.

_Scene_: The woods. _Time_: Last November.

MISS BIRD.--Why, Mrs. Chipmunk! how do you do?

MRS. CHIPMUNK.-- I’m quite well, thanks, Miss Bird; and you?

MISS B.--I’m sorry to say my health is poor,
So my doctor has ordered a southern tour.
_Couldn’t_ you manage to come along?
It would do you good--

MRS. C.-- Yes, I’m far from strong,
And it’s just what I’d most like to do
If I’d only a pair of wings--

MISS B.-- Pooh! Pooh!
There are trains for people who cannot fly.

MRS. C.--Yes, but the fares are so dreadfully high!
So really I mustn’t think of that--

MISS B.--If only you’d wings like your cousin Bat.

MRS. C.--_If only!_ but then I haven’t, you see.
Besides, I’ve rented a hole in a tree,
On the first-floor branch just four trees west
Of the oak where you built your last year’s nest.

MISS B.--A charming neighborhood! just the thing
For a winter home--

MRS. C.-- Well, I hope, next spring,
When you’re here again, you will try to call.

MISS B.--You are very kind--

MRS. C.-- Oh, not at all!

MISS B.--Good-by, Mrs. Chipmunk.

MRS. C.-- Oh, _must_ you fly?
Then, a pleasant journey!

MISS B.-- Good-by!

MRS. C.-- _Good_-by!

THE PROFESSOR.
Tell me, little violet white,
If you will be so polite,
Tell me how it came that you
Lost your pretty purple hue?
Were you blanched with sudden fears?
Were you bleached with fairies’ tears?
Or was Dame Nature out of blue,
Violet, when she came to you?

THE VIOLET.
Tell me, silly mortal, first,
Ere I satisfy your thirst
For the truth concerning me--
Why you are not like a tree?
Tell me why you move around,
Trying different kinds of ground,
With your funny legs and boots
In the place of proper roots?

Tell me, mortal, why your head,
Where green branches ought to spread,
Is as shiny smooth as glass,
With just a fringe of frosty grass?
Tell me--Why, he’s gone away!
Wonder why he wouldn’t stay?
Can he be--well, I declare!--
Sensitive about his hair?

“Oh, dear! is summer over?”
I heard a rosebud moan,
When first her eyes she opened,
And found she was alone.

“Oh, why did summer leave me,
Little me, belated?
Where are the other roses?
I think they _might_ have waited!”

Soon the little rosebud
Saw to her surprise
Other roses opening,
So she dried her eyes.

Then I heard her laughing
Gaily in the sun,
“I thought the summer over;
Why, it’s only just begun!”

Under a toadstool
Crept a wee Elf,
Out of the rain
To shelter himself.

Under the toadstool,
Sound asleep,
Sat a big Dormouse
All in a heap.

Trembled the wee Elf,
Frightened, and yet
Fearing to fly away
Lest he get wet.

To the next shelter--
Maybe a mile!
Sudden the wee Elf
Smiled a wee smile,

Tugged till the toadstool
Toppled in two.
Holding it over him
Gaily he flew.

Soon he was safe home
Dry as could be.
Soon woke the Dormouse--
“Good gracious me!

Where is my toadstool?”
Loud he lamented.
--And that’s how umbrellas,
First were invented.

A crocodile once dropped a line
To a Fox to invite him to dine;
But the Fox wrote to say
_He was dining, that day,_
_With a Bird friend_, and begged to decline.

She sent off at once to a Goat.
“Pray don’t disappoint me,” she wrote;
But he answered too late,
_He’d forgotten the date,_
_Having thoughtlessly eaten her note_.

The Crocodile thought him ill-bred,
And invited two Rabbits instead;
But the Rabbits replied,
_They were hopelessly tied_
_By a previous engagement_, and fled.

Then she wrote in despair to some Eels,
And begged them to “drop in” to meals;
But the Eels left their cards
_With their coldest regards_,
And took to what went for their heels.

Cried the Crocodile then, in disgust,
“My motives they seem to mistrust.
Their suspicions are base,
Since they don’t know their place,--
I suppose if I _must_ starve, I _must_!”

THE PROFESSOR.

Pray tell me, sweet Forget-me-not,
Oh, kindly tell me where you got
Your curious name?
I’m most desirous to be told
The legend or romance of old
From whence it came.

FORGET-ME-NOT.

Indeed, good sir, it seems to me,
If you have books on Botany
Upon your shelf,
You’d better far consult those books--
He learns a thing the best who looks
It up himself.

THE PROFESSOR.

I’ve works on Botany a few,
But though I’ve searched them through and through,
Never a word
Can I discover in the same
About your interesting name.

FORGET-ME-NOT.

Why, how absurd!

THE PROFESSOR.

Quite so! And now what can I do?
I shall be most obliged if you
Will make it plain.

FORGET-ME-NOT.

Another time. One moment more,
And you’ll be drenched!
It’s going to pour:
I felt just now no less than four
Big drops of rain.

[_Exit_ PROFESSOR.]

FORGET-ME-NOT.

(_Aside_) Indeed, I’d tell him if I knew;
But it would never, never do
If I explained
That, long ago, I quite forgot
Why I was called Forget-me-not
(It’s well it rained)!

The Birds’ Farewell.

MY DEAR LITTLE MAID:

We must bid you good-by,
For November is here, and it’s time we should fly
To the South, where we have an engagement to sing,
But, remember this, dear, we’ll return in the spring.
And if, while abroad, we hear anything new,
We’ll learn it, and sing it next summer to you
In the same little tree on the lawn, if you’ll let us.
So, good-by, little maiden! Please do not forget us.
We’re sorry to leave you--too sorry for words,
And we’ll always remain,
Yours sincerely, “THE BIRDS.”
P. S.--Please don’t mind if this letter sounds flat,
And present our respectful regards to your cat.

[Sidenote: The Poet offereth to deliver a Fly from the Spider’s web.]

“Really, Fly, you ought to know
Better, surely, than to go
Into Mr. Spider’s net.
Luckily _I’m_ here to set
You free”; but ere I could have stirred,
Mr. Spider’s voice I heard
Crying in an angry tone:
“Better let my lunch alone!

[Sidenote: Even Spiders’ rights must be respected.]

“One would think, for all _you_ care,
Spiders could subsist on air.
Listen to this tale and see
If you don’t agree with me!”

* * * * *

I sat down without a word,
Following is the tale I heard:

THE TALE.

[Sidenote: The Spider spinneth a yarn to instruct the Poet and divert him that he may forget about the Fly.]

A Prince who sought
His lost Bride, caught
In the toils of a witch,--woe betide her!--
When riding one night
Through a forest, caught sight
Of a Spi in the web of a Flyder.

(As perhaps you surmise,
I have tried to disguise,
The names, with the best of intention:
For I make it my plan,
Whenever I can,
To avoid any personal mention.)

Said the Prince to the Spi,
“Supposing that I
Should deliver you out of this hatefulness,
Will you pay me in kind,
And help me to find
My Bride?--Can I count on your gratefulness?”

Said the Spi, “Without doubt,
If you _will_ let me out
From the web of the terrible Flyder,
By all means--oh, yes!
You shall find your Princess,
For I will myself be your guider!”

[Sidenote: The Flyder does not see it in the same light as the Prince.]

One jerk! He was free,
And his buzzing and glee
Drove the Prince to the verge of distraction.
The Flyder, meanwhile,
Wore a cynical smile,
And a look of--well--_not_ satisfaction.

The Prince paid no heed,
But mounted his steed,
And started the Princess to find.
The Spi led the way,
But little dreamed they
_That the Flyder had mounted behind_!

He found her, it’s true,
And the wicked witch, too,
Who fled when he up and defied her;
But while being wed,
Hanging over her head,
The Princess caught sight of the Flyder!

[Sidenote: Showing the terrible consequences of meddling with the domestic affairs of a Flyder.]

At the terrible sight,
Her reason took flight,
Till she was completely bereft of it,
When she drained a tureen
Full of cold Paris green,
And the Prince swallowed all that was left of it!

[Sidenote: Setting forth how a Poet and a Fly were both taken in by a Spider’s yarn, and how that a diverting tale may speed a good dinner.]

Listening to the Spider, I
Quite forgot poor Mr. Fly
And his pitiable plight
Till the tale was finished quite,
Then, alas! too late I knew,
_Mr. Fly was finished, too_.

Highly Connected.

“I’m a very little cat,
I know, and thin at that;
But cast your eye upon this poster fine--
The big chap on that ball,
He’s just a King, that’s all--
And, by the way, a relative of mine!”

There was a little miser elf who had a precious store
Of silver motes from moonbeams and priceless grains of ore,
And shiny dust of marigold, and glittering jeweled eyes
Of burnished stars and spangles from the wings of butterflies,
And bales of wondrous gossamer and green-gold beetles’ wings,
And many other marvelous and rare and costly things.
But, alas! with all his golden dust and jewels rich and rare,
This little elf was never free from misery and care.

The wealth that might have conjured up all good things at his beck
Was just a golden millstone that hung around his neck.
He never had one moment’s peace, his treasure out of sight,
Though he buried it for safety in a different place each night;
Each night the thought of robbers made him close his eyes in vain,
And just as soon as it was light he’d dig it up again.

One night (it was a woodland place in which he chanced to bide)--
As usual he sought a place in which his gold to hide.
He had not long been seeking before he chanced to see
A thing he’d never seen before--a curious kind of tree:

The stem was smooth and straight, and on the top there grew a sort
Of dome or hat--let’s call it an umbrella-tree, for short.
“The very place!” exclaimed the elf. “So strange a tree, ’tis clear,
Is just the thing to mark the spot. I’ll hide my treasure here.”

No sooner said than done; and then, his treasure buried deep,
Upon a bed of moss near by he laid him down to sleep.
For once the elf enjoyed a night from dreams and terrors free;
And, waking, sought with bounding step his tall umbrella-tree.

“Ah, here it is!” he cried; and sure enough, before his sight
It stood. “But what is this?” Another like it to the right!
“Which can it be?” He rubbed his chin. “What underneath the sun
Has happened? Why, I could have sworn last night there was but one.
Which can it be that marks the spot in which my treasure lies?”
And looking round, another tree of the same shape and size,
Another and another still met his astonished eyes.

Then the dreadful truth burst on him, and he stood transfixed with
fright
In a forest of umbrella-trees all grown up in a night.

* * * * *

When walking in the autumn woods, dear reader, and you pass
A toadstool lying on its side among the leaves and grass,
Think of the little miser elf, for ’tis a sign that he
Still digs for his lost treasure underneath the umbrella-tree.

The Point of View.

On the top of the world, where there’s lots of snow,
As all the geographies say,
A small Eskimo, just to make the time go,
Was building a Snow Man one day.

Now it happened by chance that two Polar Bears
Came strolling along that way:
“Perhaps it is none of our affairs,
But what are you making?” said they.

“A Snow Man, of course,” said the Eskimo;
The Bears gave a comical stare;
Said they, “If you _must_ make a person of snow,
Why on earth don’t you make a Snow Bear?”

He sat himself down for a moment to think
Of some suitable sort of reply,
When a Penguin, two Foxes, a Seal, and a Mink,
And a Walrus came wandering by.

They stopped just a casual look to take,
A casual word to say,
And each had a trifling suggestion to make
In a patronizing way.

The Walrus said, “Really, it isn’t half bad,
And shows lots of promise, you know;
Yet I think, for my part, though perhaps it’s a fad,
A Snow Walrus were more apropos.”

The Foxes, the Seal, and the Mink were afraid
They knew little of art, so they said,
But they thought he would show better taste if he made
A Fox, Seal, or Mink in its stead.

The Penguin said nothing, nor listened, but when
They’d finished, he ventured to say,
“It doesn’t look _much_ like a Penguin, but then
Perhaps when completed, it may.”

They turned then to go; but the Eskimo--
Alas! he was seen no more;
The heat of his anger and shame and chagrin
Had melted the snow where the crust was thin,
And he’d sunk, so to speak, through the floor.

Heroes.

I built a castle on the shore,
And left to guard it three or four
Lead soldiers of the bravest sort,
And ordered them to hold the fort
Till I should come once more.

But when I came again next day,
I found the sea had washed away
My castle built upon the sand.
Alas! the gallant little band
Of soldiers, where were they?

Buried in sand, erect, and square,
They held the fort with martial air;
And when I’d said a little speech,
I dug them out and made them each
A general then and there.

Very dark the autumn sky,
Dark the clouds that hurried by;
Very rough the autumn breeze
Shouting rudely to the trees.

Listening, frightened, pale, and cold,
Through the withered leaves and mold
Peer’d a violet all in dread--
“Where, oh, where is spring?” she said.

Sighed the trees, “Poor little thing!
She may call in vain for spring.”
And the grasses whispered low,
“We must never let her know.”

“What’s this whispering?” roared the breeze,
“Hush! a violet!” sobbed the trees,
“Thinks it’s spring--poor child, we fear
She will die if she should hear!”

Softly stole the wind away,
Tenderly he murmured, “Stay!”
To a late thrush on the wing,
“Stay with her one day and sing!”

Sang the thrush so sweet and clear
That the sun came out to hear,
And, in answer to her song,
Beamed on violet all day long.

And the last leaves here and there
Fluttered with a spring-like air,
Then the violet raised her head--
“Spring has come at last!” she said.

Happy dreams had violet
All that night--but happier yet,
When the dawn came dark with snow,
Violet never woke to know.

A TRAGEDY.]

SCENE: _The vicinity of the Cuckoo Clock. Cuckoo discovered in the act of telling three o’clock. Parrot watching from a perch near by._

CUCKOO: Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

PARROT: Hark, there she goes!
To hear her any parrot would suppose
She owned the earth, conceited little thing,
She really seems to fancy she can sing,
Yet, though you’ll scarce believe, that little bird
Rules the whole blessed household with a word.
She only has to call “Cuckoo!” and lo!
The family at once to luncheon go.
When she screams “Cuckoo!” twice it is the rule
For all the kids to hurry back to school--
And when _six_ times they know it is a sign
That Cuckoo thinks it’s time for them to dine.
And so it goes through all the livelong day,
She tells them what to do and they obey.
But as for me, they treat me like a doll
And mimic me and call me “Pretty Poll,”
And ask me several million times a day,
“Does Polly want a cracker?”--by the way,
I’ve yet to see that cracker--oh, sometimes
I gnash my beak, or mutter nursery rhymes
Or anything! for fear I should let slip
The wicked words they taught me on the ship,
Those naughty sailors, when long, long ago
They brought me from the land where spices grow
And palm-trees wave, and Cuckoos do not rule
And tell folks when to bed and when to school
And when to go to dinner.
Never mind!
_My_ time will come. As that vain bird will find
Unto her sorrow. Yes, the die is cast!
Next time the Cuckoo squawks will be her last.

Next time she tries--

CUCKOO (_striking four o’clock_): Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

PARROT: Come, now, have done! we’ve heard enough from you!
Prepare to die! your little reign is o’er,
Over this house you’ll tyrannize no more!
What! won’t you come? then I’ll soon show you how!
There! stop that racket; heavens, what a row!

(_Smashes the Cuckoo to bits, causing the machinery to run down._)

Help, stop it, some one!

(_It stops._)

Well, upon my word,
You’re tough for such a very little bird,
I thought you’d never die! and now, my dear,
The family will very soon be here,
And when they see how little’s left of you
They’ll be so glad they won’t know what to do--
To think the Cuckoo’s killed and they are free
To work or play or sleep or take their tea
Just when they please--and, best of all, how jolly
To feel they owe it all to “Pretty Polly”!

(_Curtain._)

The Elf and the Bee.

“Oh, Bumblebee! Bumblebee!
_Don’t_ fly so near!
Or you will tumble me
Over, I fear!”

“Oh, funny Elf! Funny Elf!
Don’t be alarmed!
I’m looking for honey, Elf.
You sha’n’t be harmed.”

“Then tarry,
Oh, tarry, Bee!
Fill up your sack;
And carry, oh, carry me
Home on your back!”

A Fable.

It was a hungry pussy cat
Upon Thanksgiving morn,
And she watched a thankful little mouse
That ate an ear of corn.

“If I ate that thankful little mouse,
How thankful he should be,
When he has made a meal himself,
To make a meal for me!

“Then, with his thanks for having fed
And his thanks for feeding me--
With all _his_ thankfulness inside--
How thankful _I_ shall be!”

Thus mused the hungry pussy cat
Upon Thanksgiving Day.
But the little mouse had overheard,
And declined (with thanks) to stay.

In a fairy forest known
To the fairy-folk alone,
Where the grasses meet and spread
Like a green roof overhead,
Where the dandelion-tree
Towers tall as tall can be,
And the ferns lift up their high
Fairy ladders to the sky,
For the elves to climb upon--
Here are merry goings-on.

From the forest far and near
All the fairy-folk are here,
For to-day there is to be
Music ’neath the daisy-tree.

And the creatures of the wood,
One and all, have been so good
And obliging as to say,
They will gladly come and play
For the elves a serenade,
In the fairy forest glade.
All the little birds have come;
And the bumblebees that hum;
And the gnats that twang the lute;
And the frogs that play the flute;
And the kind of frog whose toots
Seem to come from out his boots;
And the great big green and yellow
Frog that plays upon the ’cello;
And the katydid, in green,
Who is oftener heard than seen;
With the little ladybird
Who is oftener seen than heard;
And the cricket, never still
With his lively legs and trill.
And, in short, each forest thing
That can hum, or buzz, or sing,
Each and all have come to play
For the little elves to-day.

Now the crawfish takes the stand
To conduct the fairy band.
First there is a moment’s pause,
Then the leader lifts his claws,
Waves his wand, and--one, two, three!
All at once, from gnat and bee,
Frog, and katydid, and bird

Such a melody is heard
That the elves and fairies wee,
Clapping little hands with glee,
Make their mushroom seat to sway
In a very risky way.
And the creatures in delight
Play away with all their might,
Feeling very justly proud
That the elves applaud so loud.

Now the sun is getting low,
And the elves to bed must go
Ere the sleepy flowers close
In whose petals they repose;
For if they were late they might
Have to stay outside all night.
So the last good-byes are said;
Every one goes home to bed;
And the creatures as they fly
Play a fairy lullaby,
Growing faint and fainter still,
Fainter and more faint, until
All is silent--and the shade
Creeps upon the fairy glade.

Transcriber’s Note:

Obvious printer errors corrected silently.

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.