 | Birds, Bees and Blossoms |  |
81
THE WATER SPIDER.
Down in my diving bell I go.
Look and you'll see it glitter below:
A little globe, as silver bright;
A water star, a liquid light.
Who can make a silver bell
Save me, and live in it as well?
I take in air and down I drop—
There's always plenty at the top;
And there I go when I want more.
I've but to open my house door,
Let in the air, then down again;
My silver bell keeps off the rain.
And though in water stands my house,
I'm dry and warm as any mouse.
I spin in the water too,
A web the wet cannot get through;
And such a roof weave of my thread
As keeps me quite dry overhead;
Though it's a fathom deep or more—
Was such a roof e'er made before?
My own materials, too, I find;
My glittering skein I but unwind,
And of it make myself a home,
Whose roof is a round silver dome.
Look and you'll see it glitter below:
A little globe, as silver bright;
A water star, a liquid light.
Who can make a silver bell
Save me, and live in it as well?
I take in air and down I drop—
There's always plenty at the top;
And there I go when I want more.
I've but to open my house door,
Let in the air, then down again;
My silver bell keeps off the rain.
And though in water stands my house,
I'm dry and warm as any mouse.
I spin in the water too,
A web the wet cannot get through;
And such a roof weave of my thread
As keeps me quite dry overhead;
Though it's a fathom deep or more—
Was such a roof e'er made before?
My own materials, too, I find;
My glittering skein I but unwind,
And of it make myself a home,
Whose roof is a round silver dome.
Underneath the water deep,
All winter long I lie and sleep;
But if into my house you break,
I'm pretty quickly wide awake;
For when the wet comes in one's bed,
And rises high above one's head,
Runs in one's ears, and nose, and eyes,
I rather think it's time to rise.
When up, I feel a little “pickish,’
And, though the water's rather thickish,
Should any insect fall in my way,
I very quickly on him prey.
I form my nest in little cells,
Down where the water lily dwells,
And in it lay my yellow eggs;
And when my young ones feel their legs,
They find that in their watery home
There's ample space enough to roam;
Ample space to play and dive,
And all they eat they catch alive.
All winter long I lie and sleep;
But if into my house you break,
I'm pretty quickly wide awake;
82
And rises high above one's head,
Runs in one's ears, and nose, and eyes,
I rather think it's time to rise.
When up, I feel a little “pickish,’
And, though the water's rather thickish,
Should any insect fall in my way,
I very quickly on him prey.
I form my nest in little cells,
Down where the water lily dwells,
And in it lay my yellow eggs;
And when my young ones feel their legs,
They find that in their watery home
There's ample space enough to roam;
Ample space to play and dive,
And all they eat they catch alive.
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