 | Berries & Blossoms |  |
50
THE BEE AND THE LILY.
Buzz! went the Bee, with a merry din.
“Who's there?” cried the Lily, her cup within.
“Your gossip, the Bee, with a tale so funny,
To hum in your ear while you brew your honey;
But you must not repeat it, for love or money!”
Buzz! went the rogue, with a merry din,
As the Lily open'd and let him in.
“Who's there?” cried the Lily, her cup within.
“Your gossip, the Bee, with a tale so funny,
To hum in your ear while you brew your honey;
But you must not repeat it, for love or money!”
Buzz! went the rogue, with a merry din,
As the Lily open'd and let him in.
“Why, Lily, I vow it's a palace, quite,
This kitchen of yours, so warm and white,
And such fine honey!—Now, might I venture
To sniff, for a moment, to ... taste, to sip
A morsel, merely to moisten my lip,
Without incurring, thereby, your censure?”
“Oh!” said the Lily, “pray eat your fill.”
So the Bee set to with a right good will;
He flutter'd and buzz'd, he tried and tasted;
Nothing was miss'd and nothing wasted;
He ate and he ate—it was really funny
To see him swallow such heaps of honey.
He swallow'd it all; and, when cups and platters,
And saucers and jars, and other matters,
Were emptied, at last, and not a drop
Remain'd,—“Well, now,” said the Lily, “stop,
And be sober and steady, my gossip dear,
While you whisper, cosily, in my ear,
That tale you promised, so rare and new.”
“Buzz!” said the Bee, and away he flew.
This kitchen of yours, so warm and white,
And such fine honey!—Now, might I venture
To sniff, for a moment, to ... taste, to sip
A morsel, merely to moisten my lip,
Without incurring, thereby, your censure?”
“Oh!” said the Lily, “pray eat your fill.”
So the Bee set to with a right good will;
51
Nothing was miss'd and nothing wasted;
He ate and he ate—it was really funny
To see him swallow such heaps of honey.
He swallow'd it all; and, when cups and platters,
And saucers and jars, and other matters,
Were emptied, at last, and not a drop
Remain'd,—“Well, now,” said the Lily, “stop,
And be sober and steady, my gossip dear,
While you whisper, cosily, in my ear,
That tale you promised, so rare and new.”
“Buzz!” said the Bee, and away he flew.
| Berries & Blossoms | |