The hungry spider sat and watched
The happy little flies;

It saw all round about its head

It had so many eyes.

Round about and round about,
And round about they go;
Across the web and back again,
Now high again, now low.

"I am hungry, very hungry,"
Said the spider to the fly;
"If you would come into my house,
We'd eat some, you and I."

But round about and round about,
And round about once more;
Across the web and back again,
They flitted as before.

For all the flies were much too wise
To venture near the spider;
They flapped their little wings and flew
In circles rather wider.

Round about and round about,

And round about went they;
Across the web and back again,
And then they flew away.

-Selected.

THE WANDERINGS OF THE BIRDS.

AUTUMN has come, so bare and gray,

The woods are brown and red,

The flowers all have passed away,

The forest leaves are dead.

The little birds at morning dawn,

Clothed in warm coats of feather, Conclude that they away will roam, To seek for milder weather.

The robin gives his last sweet strain,
His mate responding, follows;
And then away they lead the train
Of bluebirds, wrens, and swallows.

The cuckoo, thrush, and yellowbird,

The wild goose, teal, and sparrow,
Martin, and chippy, all are heard
To sing their parting carol.

The oriole hastens in his flight,
The swallow skims the water;
The whip-poor-will and bobby white
Join in the blackbirds' chatter.

Tribe after tribe with leaders fair,

All spread their wings for flight.
Away, away, high in the air;
Nor care for day and night.

The fig-tree and the orange bowers,
They soon will find so sweet;
The sunny clime of fruits and flowers
They with warm hearts will greet.

But when the voice of spring they hear,
They'll sing their "chick-a-dee,"

And back they'll come our hearts to cheer,

હ.

Tu-whit, tu-whit, tu-whee."

-Songs for Little Ones at Home.

THE SPARROW'S NEST.

NAY, only look what I have found!

A sparrow's nest upon the ground;
A sparrow's nest, as you may see,
Blown out of yonder old elm-tree.

And what a medley thing it is!
I never saw a nest like this,
So neatly wove with decent care,
Of silvery moss and shining hair.

But put together, odds and ends,
Picked up from enemies and friends;
See, bits of thread, and bits of rag,
Just like a little rubbish bag!

See, hair of dog and fur of cat,
And rovings of a worsted mat,

And shreds of silks, and many a feather
Compacted cunningly together.

Well, here has hoarding been and living,
And not a little good contriving,

Before a home of peace and ease

Was fashioned out of things like these!

Think, had these odds and ends been brought To some wise man renowned for thought, Some man, of men the very gem,

Pray, what could he have done with them?

If we had said: "Here, sir, we bring
You many a worthless little thing,
Just bits and scraps, so very small

That they have scarcely size at all;

And out of these, you must contrive
A dwelling large enough for five;

Neat, warm, and snug; with comfort stored;
Where five small things may lodge and board.

How would the man of learning vast
Have been astonished and aghast,

And vowed that such a thing had been
Ne'er heard of, thought of, much less seen!

Ah! man of learning, you are wrong;
Instinct is, more than wisdom, strong;
And He who made the sparrow, taught
This skill beyond your reach of thought.

And here in this uncostly nest,
These little creatures have been blest;
Nor have kings known in palaces
Half their contentedness in this

Poor simple dwelling as it is!

-Mary Howitt.

THERE

In gardens and in fields;

Its stalk is straight, its leaves are long,
And precious fruit it yields.

The fruit, when young, is soft and white,
And closely wrapped in green,

And tassels hang from every ear,
Which children love to glean.