A Book for Kids | Page 8

the big
Blue-gum knew, and all you and I know, is that the Little Red House
winked.
And when I saw him last, his smile was as broad as ever, and he was
still winking.

THE PIEMAN
I'd like to be a pieman, and ring a little bell,
Calling out, "Hot pies!
Hot pies to sell!"
Apple-pies and Meat-pies, Cherry-pies as well,

Lots and lots and lots of pies-- more than you can tell.
Big, rich
Pork-pies! Oh, the lovely smell!
But I wouldn't be a pieman if ...
I wasn't very well.
Would you?
THE TRIANTIWONTIGONGOLOPE
There's a very funny insect that you do not often spy,
And it isn't
quite a spider, and it isn't quite a fly;
It is something like a beetle, and
a little like a bee,
But nothing like a wooly grub that climbs upon a
tree.
Its name is quite a hard one, but you'll learn it soon, I hope. So
try:
TriTri
-anti-wontiTriantiwontigongolope.
It lives on weeds and wattle-gum, and has a funny face;
Its appetite is
hearty, and its manners a disgrace.
When first you come upon it, it
will give you quite a scare, But when you look for it again, you find it
isn't there.
And unless you call it softly it will stay away and mope.

So try:
TriTri
-anti-wontiTriantiwontigongolope.
It trembles if you tickle it or tread upon its toes;
It is not an early riser,
but it has a snubbish nose.
If you snear at it, or scold it, it will scuttle

off in shame, But it purrs and purrs quite proudly if you call it by its
name, And offer it some sandwiches of sealing-wax and soap.
So try:
TriTri
-anti-wontiTriantiwontigongolope
.
But of course you haven't seen it; and I truthfully confess That I haven't
seen it either, and I don't know its address. For there isn't such an insect,
though there really might have been If the trees and grass were purple,
and the sky was bottle green. It's just a little joke of mine, which you'll
forgive, I hope. Oh, try!
TriTri
-anti-wontiTriantiwontigongolope.
THE CIRCUS
Hey, there! Hoop-la! the circus is in town!
Have you seen the
elephant? Have you seen the clown?
Have you seen the dappled horse
gallop round the ring?
Have you seen the acrobats on the dizzy swing?

Have you seen the tumbling men tumble up and down?
Hoop-la!
Hoop-la! the circus is in town!
Hey, there! Hoop-la! Here's the circus troupe!
Here's the educated,
dog jumping through the hoop.
See the lady Blondin with the parasol
and fan,
The lad upon the ladder and the india-rubber man.
See the
joyful juggler and the boy who loops the loop.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Here's the circus troupe!
YOU AND I
They say the eagle is a bird
That sees some splendid sights
When
he soars high into the sky
Upon his dizzy flights:
He sees the

ground for miles around
Our house, and Billy Johnson's;
But we
cannot be eagles, for
That would, of course, be nonsense.
But you ad I, some summer day,
Providing we're allowed,
Will go
up in an aeroplane
And sail right through a cloud.
But, if they say
we may not go,
We'll stay upon the ground
With other things that
have no wings,
And watch them walk around.
They say the bottom of the sea
Is beautiful to view;
They say the
fish, whene'er they wish,
Can sail and see it, too;
The shining pearls,
the coral curls,
The sharks, the squids, the schnappers,
And fish
with fins (though not in tins)
And fish with funny flappers.
But you and I, some sunny day,
When weather's in condition,
Will
go there in a submarine,
Providing we've permission.
But if they say we may not go
We must respect their wishes;
And
you and I will just keep dry
Because we are not fishes.
The earh is quite a jolly place,
And we don't care for flying;
And
thngs that creep down in the deep
Are sometimes rather trying.
So,
if they'll grant a holiday
Or even only half,
We'll lie upon some
grassy place,
And think of things, and laugh.
GOING TO SCHOOL
Did you see them pass to-day, Billy, Kate and Robin,
All astride upon
the back of old grey Dobbin?
Jigging, jogging off to school, down the
dusty track--
What must Dobbin think of it-- three upon his back?

Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kate,
Billy holding on behind,
his legs out straight.
Now they're coming back from school, jig, jog, jig.
See them at the
corner where the gums grow big;
Dobbin flicking off the flies and
blinking at the sun--

Having three upon his back he thinks is splendid

fun:
Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kate,
Little Billy up
behind, his legs out straight.
HIST!
Hist! . . . . . . Hark!
The night is very dark,
And we've to go a mile
or so
Across the Possum Park.
Step . . . . . . light,
Keeping to the right;
If we delay, and lose our
way,
We'll be out half the night.
The clouds are low and gloomy.
Oh!
It's just begun to mist!
We haven't any overcoats
And--
Hist! . . . .