Songs from Books Part 20

And there ought to be a corner for me (And I know there is one for you) When we get the hump-- Cameelious hump-- The hump that is black and blue!

The cure for this ill is not to sit still, Or frowst with a book by the fire; But to take a large hoe and a shovel also, And dig till you gently perspire;

And then you will find that the sun and the wind, And the Djinn of the Garden too, Have lifted the hump-- The horrible hump-- The hump that is black and blue!

I get it as well as you-oo-oo-- If I haven't enough to do-oo-oo!

We all get hump-- Cameelious hump-- Kiddies and grown-ups too!

_How the Camel got his Hump._

I am the Most Wise Baviaan, saying in most wise tones, 'Let us melt into the landscape--just us two by our lones.'

People have come--in a carriage--calling. But Mummy is there....

Yes, I can go if you take me--Nurse says _she_ don't care.

Let's go up to the pig-styes and sit on the farmyard rails!

Let's say things to the bunnies, and watch 'em skitter their tails!

Let's--oh, _anything_, daddy, so long as it's you and me, And going truly exploring, and not being in till tea!

Here's your boots (I've brought 'em), and here's your cap and stick, And here's your pipe and tobacco. Oh, come along out of it--quick!

_How the Leopard got his Spots._

I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.

I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west; But after they have worked for me, _I_ give them all a rest.

_I_ let them rest from nine till five, For I am busy then, As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea, For they are hungry men.

But different folk have different views; I know a person small-- She keeps ten million serving-men, Who get no rest at all!

She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs, From the second she opens her eyes-- One million Hows, two million Wheres, And seven million Whys!

_The Elephant's Child._

This is the mouth-filling song of the race that was run by a Boomer.

Run in a single burst--only event of its kind-- Started by Big G.o.d Nqong from Warrigaborrigarooma, Old Man Kangaroo first, Yellow-Dog Dingo behind.

Kangaroo bounded away, his back-legs working like pistons-- Bounded from morning till dark, twenty-five feet at a bound.

Yellow-Dog Dingo lay like a yellow cloud in the distance-- Much too busy to bark. My! but they covered the ground!

n.o.body knows where they went, or followed the track that they flew in, For that Continent hadn't been given a name.

They ran thirty degrees, from Torres Straits to the Leeuwin (Look at the Atlas, please), then they ran back as they came.

S'posing you could trot from Adelaide to the Pacific, For an afternoon's run--half what these gentlemen did-- You would feel rather hot, but your legs would develop terrific-- Yes, my importunate son, you'd be a Marvellous Kid!

_The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo._

I've never sailed the Amazon, I've never reached Brazil; But the _Don_ and _Magdalena_, They can go there when they will!

Yes, weekly from Southampton, Great steamers, white and gold, Go rolling down to Rio (Roll down--roll down to Rio!).

And I'd like to roll to Rio Some day before I'm old!

I've never seen a Jaguar, Nor yet an Armadill-- O dilloing in his armour, And I s'pose I never will,

Unless I go to Rio These wonders to behold-- Roll down--roll down to Rio-- Roll really down to Rio!

Oh, I'd love to roll to Rio Some day before I'm old!

_The Beginning of the Armadilloes._

China-going P. and O.'s Pa.s.s Pau Amma's playground close, And his Pusat Tasek lies Near the track of most B.I.'s.

N.Y.K. and N.D.L.

Know Pau Amma's home as well As the Fisher of the Sea knows 'Bens,' M.M.'s, and Rubattinos.

But (and this is rather queer) A.T.L.'s can _not_ come here; O. and O. and D.O.A.

Must go round another way.

Orient, Anchor, Bibby, Hall, Never go that way at all.

U.C.S. would have a fit If it found itself on it.

And if 'Beavers' took their cargoes To Penang instead of Lagos, Or a fat Shaw-Savill bore Pa.s.sengers to Singapore, Or a White Star were to try a Little trip to Sourabaya, Or a B.S.A. went on Past Natal to Cheribon, Then great Mr. Lloyds would come With a wire and drag them home!

You'll know what my riddle means When you've eaten mangosteens.

_The Crab that Played with the Sea._

p.u.s.s.y can sit by the fire and sing, p.u.s.s.y can climb a tree, Or play with a silly old cork and string To 'muse herself, not me.

But _I_ like _Binkie_ my dog, because He knows how to behave; So, _Binkie's_ the same as the First Friend was, And I am the Man in the Cave!

p.u.s.s.y will play man-Friday till It's time to wet her paw And make her walk on the window-sill (For the footprint Crusoe saw); Then she fluffles her tail and mews, And scratches and won't attend.

But _Binkie_ will play whatever I choose, And he is my true First Friend!

p.u.s.s.y will rub my knees with her head Pretending she loves me hard; But the very minute I go to my bed p.u.s.s.y runs out in the yard, And there she stays till the morning-light; So I know it is only pretend; But _Binkie_, he snores at my feet all night, And he is my Firstest Friend!

_The Cat that Walked by Himself_

There was never a Queen like Balkis, From here to the wide world's end; But Balkis talked to a b.u.t.terfly As you would talk to a friend.

There was never a King like Solomon, Not since the world began; But Solomon talked to a b.u.t.terfly As a man would talk to a man.

_She_ was Queen of Sabaea-- And _he_ was Asia's Lord-- But they both of 'em talked to b.u.t.terflies When they took their walks abroad!

_The b.u.t.terfly that Stamped._

THE LOOKING-GLa.s.s