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第31章

the home book of verse-1-第31章

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But he begged for mercy; and said; 〃No more!

Pray do not send me to Singapore

On a Shutter; and then I will shut the door!〃



〃You will?〃 said his parents; 〃then keep on shore!

But mind you do!  For the plague is sore

Of a fellow that never will shut the door;

Godfrey Gordon Gustavus Gore!〃



William Brighty Rands '1823…1882'





THE BEST FIRM



A pretty good firm is 〃Watch & Waite;〃

And another is 〃Attit; Early & Layte;〃

And still another is 〃Doo & Dairet;〃

But the best is probably 〃Grinn & Barrett。〃



Walter G。 Doty '1876…





A LITTLE PAGE'S SONG

(13th Century)



God's lark at morning I would be!

I'd set my heart within a tree

Close to His bed and sing to Him

Right merrily

A sunrise hymn。



At night I'd be God's troubadour!

Beneath His starry walls I'd pour

Across the moat such roundelays

He'd love me sure …

And maybe praise!



William Alexander Percy '1885…





HOW THE LITTLE KITE LEARNED TO FLY



〃I never can do it;〃 the little kite said;

As he looked at the others high over his head;

〃I know I should fall if I tried to fly。〃

〃Try;〃 said the big kite; 〃only try!

Or I fear you never will learn at all。〃

But the little kite said; 〃I'm afraid I'll fall。〃



The big kite nodded: 〃Ah well; goodby;

I'm off;〃 and he rose toward the tranquil sky。

Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight;

And trembling he shook himself free for flight。

First whirling and frightened; then braver grown;

Up; up he rose through the air alone;

Till the big kite looking down could see

The little one rising steadily。



Then how the little kite thrilled with pride;

As he sailed with the big kite side by side!

While far below he could see the ground;

And the boys like small spots moving round。

They rested high in the quiet air;

And only the birds and the clouds were there。

〃Oh; how happy I am!〃 the little kite cried;

〃And all because I was brave; and tried。〃



Unknown





THE BUTTERFLY AND THE BEE



Methought I heard a butterfly

Say to a laboring bee;

〃Thou hast no colors of the sky

On painted wings like me。〃



〃Poor child of vanity! those dyes;

And colors bright and rare;〃

With mild reproof; the bee replies;

〃Are all beneath my care。〃



〃Content I toil from morn till eve;

And; scorning idleness;

To tribes of gaudy sloth I leave

The vanity of dress。〃



William Lisle Bowles '1762…1850'





THE BUTTERFLY



The butterfly; an idle thing;

Nor honey makes; nor yet can sing;

As do the bee and bird;

Nor does it; like the prudent ant;

Lay up the grain for times of want;

A wise and cautious hoard。



My youth is but a summer's day:

Then like the bee and ant I'll lay

A store of learning by;

And though from flower to flower I rove;

My stock of wisdom I'll improve;

Nor be a butterfly。



Adelaide O'Keefe '1776…1855'





MORNING



The lark is up to meet the sun;

The bee is on the wing;

The ant her labor has begun;

The woods with music ring。



Shall birds and bees and ants be wise;

While I my moments waste?

Oh; let me with the morning rise;

And to my duties haste。



Why should I sleep till beams of morn

Their light and glory shed?

Immortal beings were not born

To waste their time in bed。



Jane Taylor '1783…1824'





BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES



Buttercups and daisies;

Oh; the pretty flowers;

Coming ere the spring time;

To tell of sunny hours;

While the trees are leafless;

While the fields are bare;

Buttercups and daisies

Spring up here and there。



Ere the snow…drop peepeth;

Ere the crocus bold;

Ere the early primrose

Opes its paly gold; …

Somewhere on the sunny bank

Buttercups are bright;

Somewhere midst the frozen grass

Peeps the daisy white。



Little hardy flowers;

Like to children poor;

Playing in their sturdy health

By their mother's door。

Purple with the north…wind;

Yet alert and bold;

Fearing not; and caring not;

Though they be a…cold!



What to them is winter!

What are stormy showers!

Buttercups and daisies

Are these human flowers!

He who gave them hardships

And a life of care;

Gave them likewise hardy strength

And patient hearts to bear。



Mary Howitt '1799…1888'





THE ANT AND THE CRICKET



A silly young cricket; accustomed to sing

Through the warm; sunny months of gay summer and spring;

Began to complain; when he found that at home

His cupboard was empty and winter was come。

Not a crumb to be found

On the snow…covered ground;

Not a flower could he see;

Not a leaf on a tree:

〃Oh; what will become;〃 says the cricket; 〃of me?〃



At last by starvation and famine made bold;

All dripping with wet and all trembling with cold;

Away he set off to a miserly ant;

To see if; to keep him alive; he would grant

Him shelter from rain:

A mouthful of grain

He wished only to borrow;

He'd repay it to…morrow:

If not; he must die of starvation and sorrow。



Says the ant to the cricket; 〃I'm your servant and friend;

But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend;

But tell me; dear sir; did you lay nothing by

When the weather was warm?〃 Said the cricket; 〃Not I。

My heart was so light

That I sang day and night;

For all nature looked gay。〃

〃You sang; sir; you say?

Go then;〃 said the ant; 〃and dance winter away。〃

Thus ending; he hastily lifted the wicket

And out of the door turned the poor little cricket。

Though this is a fable; the moral is good:

If you live without work; you must live without food。



Unknown





AFTER WINGS



This was your butterfly; you see; …

His fine wings made him vain:

The caterpillars crawl; but he

Passed them in rich disdain。 …

My pretty boy says; 〃Let him be

Only a worm again!〃



O child; when things have learned to wear

Wings once; they must be fain

To keep them always high and fair:

Think of the creeping pain

Which even a butterfly must bear

To be a worm again!



Sarah M。 B。 Piatt '1836…1919'





DEEDS OF KINDNESS



Suppose the little Cowslip

Should hang its golden cup

And say; 〃I'm such a little flower

I'd better not grow up!〃

How many a weary traveller

Would miss its fragrant smell;

How many a little child would grieve

To lose it from the dell!



Suppose the glistening Dewdrop

Upon the grass should say;

〃What can a little dewdrop do?

I'd better roll away!〃

The blade on which it rested;

Before the day was done;

Without a drop to moisten it;

Would wither in the sun。



Suppose the little Breezes;

Upon a summer's day;

Should think themselves too small to cool

The traveller on his way:

Who would not miss the smallest

And softest ones that blow;

And think they made a great mistake

If they were acting so?



How many deed of kindness

A little child can do;

Although it has but little strength

And little wisdom too!

It wants a loving spirit

Much more than strength; to prove

How many things a child may do

For others by its love。



Epes Sargent '1813…1880'





THE LION AND THE MOUSE



A lion with the heat oppressed;

One day composed himself to rest:

But while he dozed as he intended;

A mouse; his royal back ascended;

Nor thought of harm; as Aesop tells;

Mistaking him for someone else;

And travelled over him; and round him;

And might have left him as she found him

Had she not … tremble when you hear …

Tried to explore the monarch's ear!

Who straightway woke; with wrath immense;

And shook his head to cast her thence。

〃You rascal; what are you about?〃

Said he; when he had turned her out;

〃I'll teach you soon;〃 the lion said;

〃To make a mouse…hole in my head!〃

So saying; he prepared his foot

To crush the trembling tiny brute;

But she (the mouse) with tearful eye;

Implored the lion's clemency;

Who thought it best at last to give

His little prisoner a reprieve。



'Twas ne

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