The shepherd knew the storm might last He kissed and charged his boy to stay Behind the craggy steep; And with his dog he went away An hour had scarcely passed, when back Called on his boy; while rock to rock No trace, no track, no sound was there! He gathered friends and neighbours round- Three days and nights they still sought on; The shepherd's son was surely gone, Never to come again. Meantime, the shepherd's dog was seen, When given its morning cake, With the whole cake, his teeth between, M The shepherd wondering what this meant- Up, up a high o'erhanging crag, A rocky ledge at length he gained, The bread the hungry infant took, The dog lay at his feet; The cake in two the child then broke, Such feasts of love are seldom seen As this poor shepherd saw within . 36. 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. WHEN the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, When the meadows laugh with lively green, With their sweet round mouths sing, "Ha, ha, he!" When the painted birds laugh in the shade, Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread: Come live and be merry, and join with me To sing the sweet chorus of "Ha, ha, he!" THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink ; A snow-white mountain lamb, with a maiden at its side. Nor sheep, nor kine were near; the lamb was all alone, The lamb, while from her hand he thus his supper took, Seem'd to feast with head and ears; and his tail with pleasure shook: "Drink, pretty creature, drink!" she said in such a tone That I almost received her heart into my own. 'Twas little Barbara Lewthwaite, a child of beauty rare! Right towards the lamb she look'd; and from that shady place I unobserved' could see the workings of her face; If Nature to her tongue could measured numbers bring,' Thus, thought I, to her lamb that little maid might sing: "What ails thee, Young one? what? Why pull so at thy cord ? Is it not well with thee ? well both for bed and board ? Thy plot of grass is soft, and green as grass can be; Rest, little Young one, rest; what is't that aileth thee? I unobserved, unseen. 2 If she could write in verse. "What is it thou wouldst seek? What is wanting to thy heart? Thy limbs are they not strong? and beautiful thou art! This grass is tender grass; these flowers they have no peers;3 And that green corn all day is rustling in thy ears. "If the sun be shining hot, do but stretch thy woollen chain; This beech is standing by, its covert thou canst gain; For rain and mountain-storms !—the like thou need'st not fear, The rain and storm are things that scarcely can come herc. "Rest, little Young one, rest; thou hast forgot the day “He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee home : A blessed day for thee !-then whither wouldst thou roam? A faithful nurse thou hast; the dam that did thee yean1 Upon the mountain-tops no kinder could have been. "Thou know'st that twice a day I have brought thee in this can Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran; And twice in the day, when the ground is wet with dew, "Thy limbs will shortly be twice as stout as they are now, Then I'll yoke thee to my cart like a pony in the plough! My playmate thou shalt be; and when the wind is cold Our hearth shall be thy bed, our house shall be thy fold. |