 | When life is young |  |
27
THE NAUGHTY LITTLE EGYPTIAN
Long, long ago, in Egypt land,
Where the lazy lotus grew,
And the pyramids, though vast and grand,
Were rather fresh and new,
There dwelt an honored family,
Called Scarabéus Phlat,
Whose duty 't was all faithfully
To tend The Sacred Cat.
Where the lazy lotus grew,
And the pyramids, though vast and grand,
Were rather fresh and new,
There dwelt an honored family,
Called Scarabéus Phlat,
Whose duty 't was all faithfully
To tend The Sacred Cat.
They brought the water of the Nile
To bathe its honored feet;
They gave it oil and camomile
Whene'er it deigned to eat.
With gold and precious emeralds
Its temple sparkled o'er,
And golden mats lay thick upon
The consecrated floor.
To bathe its honored feet;
They gave it oil and camomile
Whene'er it deigned to eat.
With gold and precious emeralds
Its temple sparkled o'er,
And golden mats lay thick upon
The consecrated floor.
And Scarabéus Phlat himself—
A man of cheerful mood—
Held not his trust from love of pelf,
For he was very good.
He thought the Cat a catamount
In strength and majesty;
And ever on his bronzèd face
He wore a look of glee.
A man of cheerful mood—
Held not his trust from love of pelf,
For he was very good.
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In strength and majesty;
And ever on his bronzèd face
He wore a look of glee.
And Mrs. Scarabéus Phlat
Was smiling, bright, and good;
For she, too, loved The Sacred Cat,
As it was meet she should.
Never a grumpy syllable
Came from this joyous pair;
And all the neighbors envied them
Their very jolly air.
Was smiling, bright, and good;
For she, too, loved The Sacred Cat,
As it was meet she should.
Never a grumpy syllable
Came from this joyous pair;
And all the neighbors envied them
Their very jolly air.
When Scarabéus went to find
The Sacred Cat its store,
The pretty wife he left behind
Stood smiling at the door.
He knew that quite as smilingly
She 'd welcome his return,
And brightly on the altar stone
The tended flame would burn.
The Sacred Cat its store,
The pretty wife he left behind
Stood smiling at the door.
He knew that quite as smilingly
She 'd welcome his return,
And brightly on the altar stone
The tended flame would burn.
The Sacred Cat was different quite;
No jollity he knew;
But, spoiled and petted day and night,
Only the crosser grew.
Yet still they served him faithfully,
And thought his snarling sweet;
And still they fed him lusciously,
And bathed his sacred feet.
No jollity he knew;
But, spoiled and petted day and night,
Only the crosser grew.
Yet still they served him faithfully,
And thought his snarling sweet;
And still they fed him lusciously,
And bathed his sacred feet.
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So far, so good. But hear the rest:
This couple had a child,
A little boy, not of the best,—
Rameses, he was styled.
This little boy was beautiful,
But soon he grew to be
So like The Cat in manners,—oh!
'T was wonderful to see!
This couple had a child,
A little boy, not of the best,—
Rameses, he was styled.
This little boy was beautiful,
But soon he grew to be
So like The Cat in manners,—oh!
'T was wonderful to see!
He might have copied Papa Phlat,
Or Mama Phlat, as well;
And why he did n't think of that
No mortal soul could tell.
It was n't want of discipline,
Nor lack of good advice,
But just because he did n't care
To be the least bit nice.
Or Mama Phlat, as well;
And why he did n't think of that
No mortal soul could tell.
It was n't want of discipline,
Nor lack of good advice,
But just because he did n't care
To be the least bit nice.
Besides, he noticed day by day
How ill The Cat behaved,
And how (whatever they might say)
His parents were enslaved;
And how they worshiped silently
The naughty Sacred Cat.
Said he, “They'll do the same by me,
If I but act like that.”
How ill The Cat behaved,
And how (whatever they might say)
His parents were enslaved;
And how they worshiped silently
The naughty Sacred Cat.
Said he, “They'll do the same by me,
If I but act like that.”
At first the parents said: “How blest
Are we, to find The Cat
Glow, humanized, within the breast
Of a Scarabéus Phlat!”
But soon the neighbors, pitying,
Whispered: “'T is very sad!
There 's no mistake,—that little one
Of Phlat's is very bad!”
Are we, to find The Cat
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Of a Scarabéus Phlat!”
But soon the neighbors, pitying,
Whispered: “'T is very sad!
There 's no mistake,—that little one
Of Phlat's is very bad!”
He snarled, he squalled from night till morn,
And scratched his mother's eyes,
The Sacred Cat, himself, looked on
In envious surprise.
And here the record suddenly
Breaks off. No more we know,
Excepting this: That happy pair
Soon wore a look of woe.
And scratched his mother's eyes,
The Sacred Cat, himself, looked on
In envious surprise.
And here the record suddenly
Breaks off. No more we know,
Excepting this: That happy pair
Soon wore a look of woe.
Yes, then, and ever afterward,
A look of pain they wore.
No more the wife stood smilingly
A-waiting at the door.
No more did Scarabéus Phlat
Display a jolly face;
But on his brow such sadness sat
It gloomied all the place.
A look of pain they wore.
No more the wife stood smilingly
A-waiting at the door.
No more did Scarabéus Phlat
Display a jolly face;
But on his brow such sadness sat
It gloomied all the place.
So, children, take the lesson in,
And due attention give:
No matter when, or where, or how,
Mothers and fathers live,
No matter be they Brown or Jones,
Or Scarabéus Phlat,
It grieves their hearts to see their child
Act like a naughty cat.
And Sacred Cats are well enough
To those who hold them so;
But—oh, take warning of the boy
In Egypt long ago!
And due attention give:
No matter when, or where, or how,
Mothers and fathers live,
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Or Scarabéus Phlat,
It grieves their hearts to see their child
Act like a naughty cat.
And Sacred Cats are well enough
To those who hold them so;
But—oh, take warning of the boy
In Egypt long ago!
| When life is young | |