1870.

Price Sixpence.

THERE was a little boy, whose Papa and Mama gave him a little book like this, and sent him to school. It was a very fine morning; the sun shone, and the birdsTM sang on the trees.

Now this little boy did not much love his book, for he was but a silly little boy; and he had a wish to play, and not go to school. And he saw a bee flying about from flower to flower; so he said, "Pretty bee, will

you come and play with me?" But the bee said, "No, I must not be idle; I must go and gather honey." Then the little boy met a dog, and he said, "Dog,

will you play with me?" But the dog said, "No, I must not be idle; I am going to watch my master's flock, and I must make haste, lest any of them go astray."

Then the little boy went to a hay-rick, and he saw a bird pulling some hay out of the hay-rick, and he said, "Bird, will you come and play with me?" But the bird said, "No, I must not be idle; I must get some hay to make my nest with, and then I must get some moss and some wool." So the bird flew away.

Then the little boy said to himself, "What! is no one idle? then little boys must not be idle." So he went to school, and sat down to his lessons; and the master said he was a good boy.

I must
& get

some moss

and wool for my nest.

How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every open flower!

How skil-ful-ly she builds her cell!
How neat she spreads the wax,
And labours hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes!