 | Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds |  |
47
GREEDY RICHARD.
“I think I want some pies this morning,”
Said Dick, stretching himself and yawning;
So down he threw his slate and books,
And sauntered to the pastry-cook's.
Said Dick, stretching himself and yawning;
So down he threw his slate and books,
And sauntered to the pastry-cook's.
And there he cast his greedy eyes
Round on the jellies and the pies,
So to select, with anxious care,
The very nicest that was there.
Round on the jellies and the pies,
So to select, with anxious care,
The very nicest that was there.
At last the point was thus decided:
As his opinion was divided
'Twixt pie and jelly, being loth
Either to leave, he took them both.
As his opinion was divided
'Twixt pie and jelly, being loth
Either to leave, he took them both.
Now Richard never could be pleased
To stop when hunger was appeased,
But would go on to eat still more
When he had had an ample store.
To stop when hunger was appeased,
But would go on to eat still more
When he had had an ample store.
“No, not another now,” said Dick;
“Dear me, I feel extremely sick:
I cannot even eat this bit;
I wish I had not tasted it.”
“Dear me, I feel extremely sick:
I cannot even eat this bit;
I wish I had not tasted it.”
48
Then slowly rising from his seat,
He threw his cheesecake in the street,
And left the tempting pastry-cook's
With very discontented looks.
He threw his cheesecake in the street,
And left the tempting pastry-cook's
With very discontented looks.
Just then a man with wooden leg
Met Dick, and held his hat to beg;
And while he told his mournful case,
Looked at him with imploring face.
Met Dick, and held his hat to beg;
And while he told his mournful case,
Looked at him with imploring face.
Dick, wishing to relieve his pain,
His pockets searched, but searched in vain;
And so at last he did declare,
He had not left a farthing there.
His pockets searched, but searched in vain;
And so at last he did declare,
He had not left a farthing there.
The beggar turned with face of grief,
And look of patient unbelief,
While Richard now his folly blamed,
And felt both sorry and ashamed.
And look of patient unbelief,
While Richard now his folly blamed,
And felt both sorry and ashamed.
“I wish,” said he (but wishing's vain),
“I had my money back again,
And had not spent my last, to pay
For what I only threw away.
“I had my money back again,
And had not spent my last, to pay
For what I only threw away.
“Another time I'll take advice
And not buy things because they're nice;
But rather save my little store,
To give to those who want it more.”
And not buy things because they're nice;
But rather save my little store,
To give to those who want it more.”
| Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds | |