THE BUSY BEE

WOW doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day From every opening flower!

How skilfully she builds her cell!
How neat she spreads the wax!
And labors hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.

In works of labor or of skill
I would be busy, too;

For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.

In books, or work, or healthful play, my first years be past;

Let

That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.

ISAAC WATTS.

THE GOLDEN RULE

BE you to others kind and true,

As you'd have others be to you.

NEW ENGLAND PRIMER.

To do to others as I would

That they should do to me,

Will make me honest, kind, and good,
As children ought to be.

ANONYMOUS.

THREE LITTLE KITTENS

THREE little kittens lost their mittens, And they began to cry,

Three little kittens found their mittens,

And they began to cry,

O mother dear,

See here, see here!

See! we have found our mittens.

What! found your mittens,

You little kittens,

Then you may have some pie."

Purr, purr, purr;

Oh, let us have the pie.

Purr, purr, purr.

THREE LITTLE KITTENS

The three little kittens put on their mittens,

And soon ate up the pie.

O mother dear,

We greatly fear

That we have soiled our mittens.

"Soiled your mittens!

You naughty kittens!" Then they began to sigh, Mew, mew, mew. Then they began to sigh,

Mew, mew, mew.

The three little kittens washed their mittens.

And hung them out to dry.

O mother dear,

Look here, look here!

See! we have washed our mittens.

"Washed your mittens!
Oh, you're good kittens.

But I smell a rat close by.

"Hush! Hush!" Mew, mew,

We smell a rat near by.

Mew, mew, mew.

ANONYMOUS.

41

THE NEW MOON

EAR mother, how pretty

The moon looks to-night!
She was never so cunning before;
The two little horns

Are so sharp and so bright,

I hope she'll not grow any more.

If I were up there,

With you and my friends,

I'd rock in it nicely you'd see;

I'd sit in the middle

And hold by both ends;

Oh, what a bright cradle 'twould be!

I would call to the stars

To keep out of the way,

Lest we should rock over their toes;

And then I would rock

Till the dawn of the day,

And see where the pretty moon goes.

And then we would stay

In the beautiful skies,

And through the bright clouds we would roam;

We would see the sun set,

And see the sun rise,

And on the next rainbow come home.

ELIZA LEE FOLLEN.