The Cock then blew his horn,

To let the neighbors know, This was Robin's wedding-day,

And they might see the show. And first came parson Rook,

With his spectacles and band, And one of Mother Hubbard's books He held within his hand.

Then followed him the Lark,
For he could sweetly sing,
And he was to be clerk

At Cock Robin's wedding.
He sang of Robin's love

For little Jenny Wren; And when he came unto the end, Then he began again.

Then came the bride and bridegroom;

Quite plainly was she dressed, And blushed so much, her cheeks were

As red as Robin's breast. But Robin cheered her up:

"My pretty Jen," said he, "We're going to be married

And happy we shall be."

The Goldfinch came on next,
To give away the bride;
The Linnet, being bride's maid,
Walked by Jenny's side;
And, as she was a-walking,

She said, "Upon my word,

I think that your Cock Robin Is a very pretty bird.”

The Bullfinch walked by Robin,
And thus to him did say,
"Pray, mark, friend Robin Redbreast,
That Goldfinch, dressed so gay;
What though her gay apparel
Becomes her very well,

Yet Jenny's modest dress and look
Must bear away the bell."

The Blackbird and the Thrush,
And charming Nightingale,
Whose sweet jug sweetly echoes
Through every grove and dale;
The Sparrow and Tom Tit,

And many more, were there:
All came to see the wedding
Of Jenny Wren, the fair.

"O then," says parson Rook,

"Who gives this maid away?" "I do," says the Goldfinch,

"And her fortune I will pay: Here's a bag of grain of many sorts, And other things beside; Now happy be the bridegroom, And happy be the bride!"

"And will you have her, Robin, To be your wedded wife?" "Yes, I will," says Robin,

"And love her all my life." "And will you have him, Jenny,

Your husband now to be?" "Yes, I will," says Jenny,

"And love him heartily."

Then on her finger fair

Cock Robin put the ring; "You're married now," says parson

Rook,

While the Lark aloud did sing: "Happy be the bridegroom,

And happy be the bride!

And may not man, nor bird, nor beast, This happy pair divide."

The birds were asked to dine;

Not Jenny's friends alone,

But every pretty songster

That had Cock Robin known. They had a cherry pie,

Besides some currant wine, And every guest brought something,

That sumptuous they might dine.

Who will bear the pall?

"We," said the Wren,

Both the Cock and the Hen; "And we will bear the pall."

Who will toll the bell?

"I," said the Bull, "Because I can pull." And so, Cock Robin, farewell.

All the birds of the air

Fell to sighing and sobbing When they heard the bell toll For poor Cock Robin.

143

The following tale was edited (1885) for children by John Ruskin from a version "written principally by a lady of ninety (Mrs. Sharp.)" Ruskin himself added the third, fourth, eighth, and ninth stanzas, because "in the old books no account is given of what the cats learned when they went to school, and I thought my younger readers might be glad of some notice of such particulars." But he thought his rhymes did not ring like the real ones, of which he said: "I aver these rhymes to possess the primary value of rhyme- that is, to be rhythmical in a pleasant and exemplary degree." The book was illustrated with quaint woodcuts for each stanza after the edition of 1823, with additional drawings for the four new stanzas by Kate Greenaway, one of the most famous illustrators of children's books. Ruskin commends the result "to the indulgence of the Christmas fireside, because it relates nothing that is sad, and portrays nothing that is ugly."

DAME WIGGINS OF LEE, AND
HER SEVEN WONDERFUL CATS

Dame Wiggins of Lee
Was a worthy old soul,
As e'er threaded a nee-
dle, or wash'd in a bowl;