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A book for boys and girls

or, Country Rhimes for Children. By J. B. [John Bunyan]
Bunyan, John (1628-1688)

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[section]
  
TO THE READER.
 I. 
I. Upon the Ten Commandments.
 II. 
II The awakened Childs Lamentation.
 III. 
III Meditations upon an Egg.
 IV. 
IV. Upon the Lord's Prayer.
 V. 
V Meditation upon Peep of day.
 VI. 
VI. Upon the Flint in the Water.
 VII. 
VII. Upon the Fish in the Water.
 VIII. 
VIII. Upon the Swallow.
 IX. 
IX. Upon the Bee.
 X. 
X. Upon the Creed.
 XI. 
XI. Upon a low'ring Morning.
 XII. 
XII. Upon over-much Niceness.
 XII. 
XII. Meditations upon the Candle.
 XIV. 
XIV. Upon the Sacraments.
 XV. 
XV. Upon the Suns Reflection upon the Clouds in a fair Morning.
 XVI. 
XVI. Upon Apparel.
 XVII. 
XVII. The Sinner and the Spider.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. Meditatiens upon day before Sun-rising,
 XIX. 
XIX. Of the Mole in the Ground.
 XX. 
XX. Of the Cuckow.
 XXI. 
XXI. Of the Boy and Butter-Fly.
expand sectionXXII. 
XXII. Of the Fly at the Candle.
expand sectionXXIII. 
XXIII. Upon the Lark and the Fowler
expand sectionXXIV. 
XXIV. Of the fatted Swine.
 XXV. 
XXV. On the rising of the Sun.
expand sectionXXVI. 
XXVI. Upon the promising Fruitfulness of a Tree.
expand sectionXXVII. 
XXVII. On the Post-boy.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII. Upon the Horse in the Mill.
expand sectionXXIX. 
XXIX. Upon a Ring of Bells.
 XXX. 
XXX. Upon the Thief.
 XXXI. 
XXXI. Of the Child with the Bird at the Bush.
 XXXII. 
XXXII. Of Moses and his Wife.
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII. Upon the barren Fig-tree in God's Vineyard
 XXXIIII. 
XXXIIII. Of the Rose-bush.
expand sectionXXXV. 
XXXV. Of the going down of the Sun.
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI. Upon the Frog.
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII. Upon the whipping of a Top.
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII. Upon the Pismire.
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX. Upon the Beggar.
 XL. 
XL. Upon an Instrument of Musick in an unskilful Hand.
 XLI. 
XLI. Upon the Horse and his Rider.
 XLII. 
XLII. Upon the Sight of a Pound of Candles falling to the Ground.
expand sectionXLIII. 
XLIII. Of Fowls flying in the Air.
 XLIV. 
XLIV. Upon a Penny Loaf.
 XLV. 
XLV. Upon the Vine-tree.
expand sectionXLVI. 
XLVI. The Boy and Watch-maker.
 XLVII. 
XLVII. Upon the Boy and his Paper of Plumbs.
 XLVIII. 
XLVIII. Upon a Looking-glass.
 XLIX. 
XLIX. Upon a Lanthorn.
 L. 
L. Of the Love of Christ.
 LI. 
LI. Of the Horse and Drum.
 LII. 
LII. On the Kackling of a Hen.
 LIII. 
LIII. Upon an Hour-Glass.
 LIV. 
LIV. Upon the Chalk-stone.
 LV. 
LV. Upon a Stinking Breath.
 LVI. 
LVI. Upon Death.
 LVII. 
LVII. Upon the Snail.
 LVIII. 
LVIII. Of the Spouse of Christ.
 LIX. 
LIX. Upon a Skilful Player on an Instrument.
 LX. 
LX. Upon Fly-blows.
 LXI. 
LXI. Of Man by Nature
expand sectionLXII. 
LXII. Of Physick.
 LXIII. 
LXIII. Upon a Pair of Spectacles.
 LXIV. 
LXIV. Upon our being so afraid of small Creatures.
 LXV. 
LXV. Upon our being afraid of the Apparition of Evil Spirits.
 LXVI. 
LXVI. Upon the Disobedient Child.
 LXVII. 
LXVII. Upon the Boy on his Hobby-horse.
 LXVIII. 
LXVIII Upon the Image in the Eye.
 LXIX. 
LXIX. Upon the Weather cock.
expand sectionLXX. 
LXX. Upon a Sheet of white Paper.
 LXXI. 
LXXI. Upon the Boy dull at his Book.
 LXXII. 
LXXII. Upon Time and Eternity.
 LXXIII. 
LXXIII. Upon Fire.
 LXXIV. 
LXXIV. Of Beauty.

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40

XXXI. Of the Child with the Bird at the Bush.

My little Bird, how canst thou sit;
And sing amidst so many Thorns!
Let me but hold upon thee get;
My Love with Honour thee adorns.
Thou art at present little worth;
Five farthings none will give for thee.
But prethee little Bird come forth,
Thou of more value art to me.
'Tis true, it is Sun-shine to day,
To morrow Birds will have a Storm;
My pretty one, come thou away,
My Bosom then shall keep thee warm.
Thou subject art to cold o'nights,
When darkness is thy covering,
At day's thy dangers great by Kites,
How canst thou then sit there and sing?
41

Thy food is scarce and scanty too,
'Tis Worms and Trash which thou dost eat;
Thy present state I pity do,
Come, I'll provide thee better meat.
I'll feed thee with white Bread and Milk,
And Suger-plumbs, if them thou crave;
I'll cover thee with finest Silk,
That from the cold I may thee save.
My Father's Palace shall be thine,
Yea in it thou shalt sit and sing;
My little Bird, if thoul't be mine,
The whole year round shall be thy Spring.
I'll teach thee all the Notes at Court;
Unthought of Musick thou shalt play;
And all that thither do resort,
Shall praise thee for it ev'ry day.
I'll keep thee safe from Cat and Cur,
No manner o'harm shall come to thee;
Yea, I will be thy Succourer,
My Bosom shall thy Cabbin be.
But lo, behold, the Bird is gone;
These Charmings would not make her yield:
The Child's left at the Bush alone,
The Bird flies yonder o'er the Field.

Comparison.

This Child of Christ an Emblem is;
The Bird to Sinners I compare:
The Thorns are like those Sins of his,
Which do surround him ev'ry where.
42

Her Songs, her Food, and Sun-shine day,
An Emblem's of those foolish Toys,
Which to Destruction lead the way,
The fruit of worldly, empty Joys.
The Arguments this Child doth chuse,
To draw to him a Bird thus wild,
Shews Christ familiar Speech doth use,
To make's to him be reconciled.
The Bird in that she takes her Wing,
To speed her from him after all:
Shews us, vain Man loves any thing,
Much better than the Heav'nly Call.
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