 | Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds |  |
HONEST OLD TRAY.
Do not hurt the poor fellow, your honest old Tray!
What good will it do you to drive him away,
Or teaze him and force him to bite?
Remember how faithful he is to his charge,
And barks at the rogues when we set him at large,
And guards us by day and by night.
What good will it do you to drive him away,
Or teaze him and force him to bite?
Remember how faithful he is to his charge,
And barks at the rogues when we set him at large,
And guards us by day and by night.
89
Though you, by-and-by, will grow up to a man,
And Tray'll be a dog let him grow as he can,
Remember, my good little lad,
A dog that is honest, and faithful, and mild,
Is not only better than is a bad child,
But better than men that are bad.
And Tray'll be a dog let him grow as he can,
Remember, my good little lad,
A dog that is honest, and faithful, and mild,
Is not only better than is a bad child,
But better than men that are bad.
If you are a boy, and Tray is but a beast,
I think it should teach you one lesson at least,
You ought to act better than he;
And if without reason, or judgment, or sense,
Tray does as we bid him, and gives no offence,
How diligent Richard should be!
I think it should teach you one lesson at least,
You ought to act better than he;
And if without reason, or judgment, or sense,
Tray does as we bid him, and gives no offence,
How diligent Richard should be!
If I do but just whistle, as often you've seen,
He seems to say, “Master, what is it you mean?
My courage and duty are tried.”
And see, when I throw my stick over the pale,
He fetches it back, and comes wagging his tail,
And lays it down close to my side.
He seems to say, “Master, what is it you mean?
My courage and duty are tried.”
And see, when I throw my stick over the pale,
He fetches it back, and comes wagging his tail,
And lays it down close to my side.
90
Then honest old Tray, let him sleep at his ease,
While you from him learn to endeavour to please,
And obey me with spirit and joy:
Or else we shall find (what would grieve me to say)
That Richard's no better than honest old Tray,
And a brute has more sense than a boy.
While you from him learn to endeavour to please,
And obey me with spirit and joy:
Or else we shall find (what would grieve me to say)
That Richard's no better than honest old Tray,
And a brute has more sense than a boy.
| Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds | |