The National Nursery Book Part 7

"LET US EAT HER UP;"

And Mother Bear growled, "LET US EAT HER UP;"

And Tiny Bear squeaked,

"LET US EAT HER UP."

[Ill.u.s.tration: GOLDEN HAIR ESCAPES FROM THE BEARS.]

The noise they made woke Golden Hair, and you may imagine how frightened she was when she saw the three bears. She started out of bed, and jumped at once out of the window. The bears rushed after her, and Father Bear caught her golden hair in his teeth, but she left a lock behind, and still ran on. Then the three bears all jumped out after her, but they fell one on the top of the other and rolled over and over, and while they were picking themselves up, little Golden Hair ran home, and they were not able to catch her.

But I do not think she had acted rightly (though she did not deserve to be eaten up); it was very wrong to break little Bear's chair and eat his milk, and I think Golden Hair will have to take great care to keep out of the reach of the THREE BEARS.

PUNCH AND JUDY.

Mr. Punch and his wife Led a terrible life, Very much like a dog and a cat; Till, one summer morn A baby was born, A darling all dimples and fat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH, JUDY, AND THE BABY.]

Mrs. Judy was proud, And the nurses allowed That they never had seen such a child; And the proud mother thought When her baby she brought To her husband, "It must make him mild."

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH AND THE BABY.]

Mr. Punch was quite pleased; The poor baby he seized, And danced up and down in great joy.

"Oh, my Judy," he cried, "With a father's just pride, I look on our beautiful boy."

But the baby soon cried; Punch's temper was tried, And in a great pa.s.sion he flew; He shook the poor child, And, with rage growing wild, The babe o'er the balcony threw.

Judy, greatly displeased, A thick stick at once seized, And began her stern husband to beat; "O you monster," she cried, As her weapon she plied, "You deserve the same ending to meet."

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH AND JUDY.]

On his arms and his head Her blows fell like lead; She wonder'd such treatment he stood!

Beating and battering, She made such a clattering, It sounded like chopping up wood.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH KILLS JUDY.]

Of his beating quite tired, Punch's patience expired; He s.n.a.t.c.hed the stick out of her hands, And gave Judy a blow Which, alas, laid her low, And above her a conqueror stands.

Then he danced and he sang, And such nonsense began, That we laughed, though we couldn't tell why; For in such a sad case It were much more our place For Judy's misfortunes to cry.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH AND THE CONSTABLE.]

But the constable see!-- "Are you come here for me?"

Cries Punch, as he dances about.

"Yes, yes; come to jail, 'Tis a terrible tale,"

Said the constable, "you must come out,

"And be tried for your life, For thus killing your wife; In prison, meantime, you'll abide."

"Oh no, I won't go,"

Cried Punch, and a blow He gave the poor man in his side.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH, TOBY, AND THE CLOWN.]

Now Punch had a pet Whom we must not forget, A dog known as Toby by name; A clown from a show One day came to know If Punch would not sell him the same.

But Punch would not part From his dog, for his heart (Though a wooden one) to him was true.

He cried, "Give me a kiss, Dear Toby, I wis I never will sever from you."

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH AND THE DOCTOR.]

But Jack Ketch comes at last; Punch's frolics are past, There is no one his cause to befriend; His nonsense and fun Are all, alas, done; He has come to a very bad end!

If he were not of wood It would not be good To laugh at the harm he has done; But 'twas only pretence, And there was not much sense In his crimes, or his grief, or his fun.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PUNCH AND JACK KETCH.]

For a great many years, Punch's laughter and tears, Have amused both the child and the man; So I think at the last, For the sake of the past We will keep him as long as we can.

THE PETS.

_THE SHEEP._

The sheep is a very useful animal. Its wool, sheared off, makes us cloth and flannel, and all kinds of woollen goods; and its flesh, called mutton, is a chief part of our food. When sheep are little they are called lambs, and are very playful, pretty creatures.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SHEEP.]

Sheep soon learn to know the voice of their shepherd, and will follow it. In Eastern countries the shepherd walks before his flock, and they are led by his voice. There are dogs called sheep-dogs, which take care of the flocks, and protect the sheep, and keep them together. In some countries these dogs have often to fight with wolves, which attack the sheep and carry them off whenever they can; but the dogs are quite able to keep the wolf away when they are trained to do so.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RABBITS.]

On the Scottish hills the sheep-dog is often obliged to seek his charge in the snow-drifts, and to help get out a poor sheep or lamb which has got buried in it. Sheep love green meadows and pure water. You remember, I dare say, the beautiful Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd, therefore I shall lack nothing."

_RABBITS._

Are the favourite pets of boys. They are merry little creatures, and it is an amusing sight to watch them running over the green turf about their warren, when they are free. They have many enemies, however, such as dogs, foxes, and weasels. But, in spite of their enemies, rabbits live a merry life together.

There are a great many different kinds of tame rabbits; some are white, with pink eyes and long ears. Rabbits have many young ones. One pair will have fifty-six little rabbits in a year. So it is lucky many other creatures feed on them. If they were left to increase, they would soon eat up every stalk of corn and all the green herbs.

The native country of the rabbit is Spain. In the Orkney Islands, where there are great numbers of rabbits, the wild ones are of a grey colour, and in winter time almost white.