 | Rhymes and jingles by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
98
THE SUN AND THE STARS
One day, when the sun was going down,
He said to a star hard by:
“Sparkle your best; for you see, my friend,
I'm going out of the sky.”
He said to a star hard by:
“Sparkle your best; for you see, my friend,
I'm going out of the sky.”
Now, the little star was old as the sun,
Though rather small of his age,
So he kept quite still in the yellow light,
And looked as wise as a sage.
Though rather small of his age,
So he kept quite still in the yellow light,
And looked as wise as a sage.
“I'm going, you see!” cried the sun again,
“Going right out of the sky!”
And he slid away, but not out of sight
Of that little star hard by.
“Going right out of the sky!”
And he slid away, but not out of sight
Of that little star hard by.
The little star, peering, saw him go
On his gorgeous western way;
And twinkled with fun, as he said, “O Sun!
You're in for another day!
On his gorgeous western way;
And twinkled with fun, as he said, “O Sun!
You're in for another day!
“And as for going out of the sky,
Your majesty knows you can't;
You are shining somewhere, full and strong,
In spite of your rays aslant.”
Your majesty knows you can't;
You are shining somewhere, full and strong,
In spite of your rays aslant.”
99
No answer. Then the star grew bright,
And sparkled as neighbors came;
He told the joke to the twinkling crowd,
And they laughed the sun to shame.
And sparkled as neighbors came;
He told the joke to the twinkling crowd,
And they laughed the sun to shame.
One gay little star was so amused,
That he shot across the sky;
And all the others bobbed and blinked
To see him go speeding by.
That he shot across the sky;
And all the others bobbed and blinked
To see him go speeding by.
But after awhile, a rosy light
Appeared on the eastern side;
And, one by one, the stars grew shy,
And tried in the sky to hide.
Appeared on the eastern side;
And, one by one, the stars grew shy,
And tried in the sky to hide.
“Ho! ho!” the sun broke forth. “Ho! ho!
Just stay where you are, my dears,
And shine away, for you can't be seen
When all of my light appears.
Just stay where you are, my dears,
And shine away, for you can't be seen
When all of my light appears.
“The people below will say you are gone,
Though you're shining. Think of that!
Well, they thought all night I had left the sky,—
So it's only tit for tat.”
Though you're shining. Think of that!
Well, they thought all night I had left the sky,—
So it's only tit for tat.”
| Rhymes and jingles by Mary Mapes Dodge | |