The Animals Rebellion

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Title: The Animals' Rebellion
Author: Clifton Bingham
Release Date: November 15, 2005 [eBook #17068]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ANIMALS' REBELLION***
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Have you seen
"The Animals' Trip to Sea"
and
"The Animals' Picnic"
by CLIFTON BINGHAM
illustrated by G. H. THOMPSON
NOW READY

THE?ANIMALS'?REBELLION
described by?CLIFTON BINGHAM
and pictured by?G. H. THOMPSON
London New York Ernest Nister Printed in Bavaria. E P Dutton & Co

The Animals' Rebellion.
The "Trip to Sea"[A] had long been made,?The "Picnic"[B] bills had all been paid;?But if you'll listen, I will tell?What made the animals rebel.
The Tiger was dissatisfied--?"Why should the Lion reign?" he cried;?"He's no more King of Beasts than I;?So let us all his rule defy!"
A secret meeting then he called:?And while the others stood appalled,?His wants and grievances explained,?And quickly some adherents gained.
The Fox his joy could not conceal--?"In guns," thought he, "I'll make a deal!"?The Owl, who all his speeches heard,?Took care to take down every word:
And ere the rising of the sun,?The Great Rebellion had begun!
[Footnote A: "The Animals' Trip to Sea."]?[Footnote B: "The Animals' Picnic."]
[Illustration: SECRET MEETING OF THE REBELS]
The Tiger's Petition
The King sat on his Throne one day,?His Crown upon his brow;?To him, in most obsequious way,?The Tiger made his bow.
His long petition he unrolled,?With names all written down;?The courtiers stared--their blood ran cold--?King Leo gave a frown.
"What have we here?" demanded he,?"And what does he require?"?The Elephant said, "Here I see?A traitor, royal sire!"
The Brown Bear murmured, "So do I--?He's right, without a doubt!"?The monarch cried, with flashing eye,?"Turn this intruder out!"
[Illustration: PRESENTING A PETITION TO THE KING]
At midnight, in an empty hut,?Deep in the forest old,?The Rebels met with doors close shut,?Their dark schemes to unfold.
"Friends!" Tiger cried, "no more we'll brook?This despot's cruel reign;?Our charter lies before us--look!?The plan of our campaign!"
Mr. Fox's Armoury.
Directly Brother Fox was told,?He ransacked all his stores,?And soon was making bags of gold?And selling guns in scores.
The Brown Bear bought a blunderbuss;?And when they saw the arm,?The Bunnies all cried, "Don't shoot us!?We've not done any harm!"
The Tiger thought revolvers best,?So he bought half a score;?"No guns I've had," said Fox, with zest,?"Went off so well before!"
"Don't fear, my Bunnies, you'll be shot,?Though each has bought a gun;?I'll whisper this," said Fox: "they've got?Blank cartridge ev'ry one!"
[Illustration: THE ARMORY]
Raising the Standard.
From lair to lair the news soon spread,?And one and all leapt out of bed,?And sallied forth, with loud hurrays,?The Standard of Revolt to raise.
The Bear looked fierce, the Crocodile?Put on his most bloodthirsty smile;?The Leopard and the Wolf were there,?And cheers resounded in the air.
The Tiger roared a lengthy speech,?And called, in loudest tones, on each?To do his best when came the fray,?Not be afraid, nor run away.
Cried he: "Now, onward to the field,?To make this tyrant monarch yield!"?"Charge, Leopard, charge--on, Tiger, on!"?Were the first words of Rebellion.
[Illustration: RAISING THE STANDARD OF REVOLT]
Next morn a Scout the Camp alarms,?The Lion's soldiers fly to arms.?"The enemy advance!" he cries,?"And means to take you by surprise!"?In Leo's Camp, on Zootown plains,?The utmost consternation reigns.
In Leo's Camp.
This startling news the peaceful Camp?With preparation fills,?Resounding with the soldiers' tramp,?The noise of many drills.
The Sergeants shout, the General storms;?All round one sees and hears?The trying on of uniforms,?The clank of swords and spears.
The Fox pretended, by and by,?To be deaf, dumb and lame;?But Jacko, with a placard "Spy,"?Quite spoilt his little game.
Field Marshal Hippo shouted out,?"Arrest him on the spot!"?If he had not escaped, no doubt?He'd promptly have been shot.
[Illustration: A SPY IN CAMP]
Preparing for the Fray.
Preparing for the coming fray,?The Camp was busy night and day;?The Rhino had his horn re-ground,?Because it had got blunt he found.
The Elephant had his tusks, too,?Re-sharpened till they looked like new;?In fact, the Ape's new grindstone strong?Was working nearly all day long.
All day the Camp was never still--?With marching to and fro, and drill;?And quite right too, since it appears?They hadn't been to war for years.
The oldest there had never known?Such preparations to be shown;?Indeed, they'd never had, somehow,?A great Rebellion until now.
[Illustration: PREPARING FOR THE FRAY]
Next day took place the Grand Review,?Before His Majesty,?The troops marched past in order true--?A splendid sight to see.
The speech he made filled all with pride,?As brave as brave could be:?"For Country and for King," he cried,?"On, on to victory!"
The Advance Guard.
Then marched