 | Snow-berries. A book for young folks |  |
167
A GOOSE AND A CROW.
Two geese, scarcely knowing
The east from the west,
Got on to the water
And rode off abreast,—
Geese, you know, are not famed
For their wisdom, at best.
The east from the west,
Got on to the water
And rode off abreast,—
Geese, you know, are not famed
For their wisdom, at best.
Well, these were perhaps
Neither greater nor less
Than their fellows,—each had on
A very white dress,
And both had short tails,
And a neck like an S.
Neither greater nor less
Than their fellows,—each had on
A very white dress,
And both had short tails,
And a neck like an S.
The morning was genial,
The water was still,
And each with her heart
On the end of her bill
Began telling secrets,
As geese sometimes will.
The water was still,
And each with her heart
On the end of her bill
Began telling secrets,
As geese sometimes will.
“All ganders are vulgar,”
One said, “all so low
That one can't respect them;
My dear, do you know
I am really going
To marry a crow!”
One said, “all so low
That one can't respect them;
My dear, do you know
I am really going
To marry a crow!”
168
“A crow!” cried the other one,
Slanting her eye:
“What! one of those black things
That swim in the sky?
How strange it would be
To go swimming so high!
Slanting her eye:
“What! one of those black things
That swim in the sky?
How strange it would be
To go swimming so high!
“But are you sure, darling,
(Though 't is n't for me
To question your wisdom,)
That you shall agree?
I've heard say that crows
Have their nests in a tree!”
(Though 't is n't for me
To question your wisdom,)
That you shall agree?
I've heard say that crows
Have their nests in a tree!”
“And what if they do, dear?
Should that make you doubt
My wisdom?” “No, darling,
My fears were about
The poor little goslings—
Might they not fall out?”
Should that make you doubt
My wisdom?” “No, darling,
My fears were about
The poor little goslings—
Might they not fall out?”
“Fall out of their own nest
Ah, where could you go
To find such a foolish fear?
Do you not know
That the carefullest bird
In the world is the crow?
Ah, where could you go
To find such a foolish fear?
Do you not know
That the carefullest bird
In the world is the crow?
“And when he shall have young
To quicken his care,
Do you think he will leave his nest
Out of repair?
Or, pray, do you think that
A crow is a bear?
To quicken his care,
169
Out of repair?
Or, pray, do you think that
A crow is a bear?
“Why, only this morning,
The one I propose
To marry (be sure,
He's the kindest of crows)
Assured me that I should do
Just as I chose!
The one I propose
To marry (be sure,
He's the kindest of crows)
Assured me that I should do
Just as I chose!
“And so if I don't like
My nest in a tree,
Inasmuch as he means
To defer thus to me,
I will come down and build
On the ground.” “If that he
My nest in a tree,
Inasmuch as he means
To defer thus to me,
I will come down and build
On the ground.” “If that he
“Continue his deference
When you are matched,”
Said the wiser goose, “and if when
Discords are hatched,
He shall have no sharp claws
Nor your eyes to be scratched!”
When you are matched,”
Said the wiser goose, “and if when
Discords are hatched,
He shall have no sharp claws
Nor your eyes to be scratched!”
“I see,” said the first goose,
Receiving amiss
The warning, “that you, madam,
Envy my bliss,—
Good morning,” The last word
Was almost a hiss.
Receiving amiss
The warning, “that you, madam,
Envy my bliss,—
170
Was almost a hiss.
They married, this stranger pair,
For better or worse,
And, being opposed
In their natures, of course,
They quarrelled,—she left him,
Brought suit for divorce,—
For better or worse,
And, being opposed
In their natures, of course,
They quarrelled,—she left him,
Brought suit for divorce,—
And charged him with saying
A goose was a goose,
Also with most cruel
Neglect and abuse,
And with being black,—all true,
But no sort of use!
A goose was a goose,
Also with most cruel
Neglect and abuse,
And with being black,—all true,
But no sort of use!
And so they are living,—
He high in his tree,
Misanthropic as ever
A crow was, and she
Decrying the courts
That won't grant a decree.
He high in his tree,
Misanthropic as ever
A crow was, and she
Decrying the courts
That won't grant a decree.
He says to his friends
He was not understood,—
Says he would n't get married
Again if he could;
And she says he lies,
For he knows that he would.
He was not understood,—
Says he would n't get married
Again if he could;
And she says he lies,
For he knows that he would.
| Snow-berries. A book for young folks | |