 | Poems for children |  |
87
THE COCKATOOS.
Empty the throne-chair stood; mayhap
The king was taking his royal nap,
For early it was in the afternoon
Of a drowsy day in the month of June.
The king was taking his royal nap,
For early it was in the afternoon
Of a drowsy day in the month of June.
And the palace doors were open wide
To the soft and dreamful airs outside,
And the blue sky burned with the summer glow,
And the trees cool masses of shade did throw.
To the soft and dreamful airs outside,
And the blue sky burned with the summer glow,
And the trees cool masses of shade did throw.
The throne-chair stood in a splendid room.
There were velvets in ruby and purple bloom,
Curtains magnificent to see,
And a table draped most sumptuously.
There were velvets in ruby and purple bloom,
Curtains magnificent to see,
And a table draped most sumptuously.
And on the table a cushion lay
Colored like clouds at the close of day,
And a crown, rich-sparkling with myriad rays,
Shone on the top in a living blaze.
Colored like clouds at the close of day,
And a crown, rich-sparkling with myriad rays,
Shone on the top in a living blaze.
And nobody spoke and nobody stirred
Except a bird that sat by a bird,—
Two cockatoos on a lofty perch,
Sober and grave as monks in a church.
Except a bird that sat by a bird,—
Two cockatoos on a lofty perch,
Sober and grave as monks in a church.
88
Gay with the glory of painted plume
Their bright hues suited the brilliant room;
Green and yellow, and rose and blue,
Scarlet and orange, and jet black, too.
Their bright hues suited the brilliant room;
Green and yellow, and rose and blue,
Scarlet and orange, and jet black, too.
Said one to the other, eyeing askance
The beautiful fleur-de-lis of France
On the cushion's lustrous edge, set round
In gleaming gold on a violet ground,—
The beautiful fleur-de-lis of France
On the cushion's lustrous edge, set round
In gleaming gold on a violet ground,—
Said one to the other, “Rocco, my dear,
If any thief were to enter here,
He might take crown and cushion away,
And who would be any the wiser, pray?”
If any thief were to enter here,
He might take crown and cushion away,
And who would be any the wiser, pray?”
Said Rocco, “How stupid, my dear Coquette!
A guard is at every threshold set;
No thief could enter, much less get out,
Without the sentinel's warning shout.”
A guard is at every threshold set;
No thief could enter, much less get out,
Without the sentinel's warning shout.”
She tossed her head, did the bright Coquette.
“Rocco, my dear, now what will you bet
That the guards are not sleeping this moment as sound
As the king himself, all the palace round?
“Rocco, my dear, now what will you bet
That the guards are not sleeping this moment as sound
As the king himself, all the palace round?
“'T is very strange, so it seems to me,
That they leave things open so carelessly;
Really, I think it 's a little absurd
All this should be left to the care of a bird!
That they leave things open so carelessly;
Really, I think it 's a little absurd
All this should be left to the care of a bird!
89
“And what is that creaking so light and queer?
Listen a moment. There! Don't you hear?
And what is that moving the curtain behind?
Rocco, my dear, are you deaf and blind?”
Listen a moment. There! Don't you hear?
And what is that moving the curtain behind?
Rocco, my dear, are you deaf and blind?”
The heavy curtain was pushed away
And a shaggy head, unkempt and gray,
From the costly folds looked doubtful out,
And eagerly everywhere peered about.
And a shaggy head, unkempt and gray,
From the costly folds looked doubtful out,
And eagerly everywhere peered about.
And the dull eyes lighted upon the blaze
Of the gorgeous crown with a startled gaze,
And out of the shadow the figure stepped
And softly over the carpet crept.
Of the gorgeous crown with a startled gaze,
And out of the shadow the figure stepped
And softly over the carpet crept.
And nobody spoke and nobody stirred,
And the one bird sat by the other bird,
Both overpowered by their surprise;
They really could n't believe their eyes!
And the one bird sat by the other bird,
Both overpowered by their surprise;
They really could n't believe their eyes!
Swiftly the madman, in fear's despite,
Darted straight to that hill of light;
The frightened birds saw the foolish wretch
His hand to the wondrous thing outstretch.
Darted straight to that hill of light;
The frightened birds saw the foolish wretch
His hand to the wondrous thing outstretch.
Then both at once such an uproar raised
That the king himself rushed in, amazed,
Half awake, in his dressing-gown,
And there on the floor lay the sacred crown!
That the king himself rushed in, amazed,
Half awake, in his dressing-gown,
And there on the floor lay the sacred crown!
90
And he caught a glimpse through the portal wide
Of a pair of flying heels outside,
And he shouted in royal wrath, “What ho!
Where are my people, I 'd like to know!”
Of a pair of flying heels outside,
And he shouted in royal wrath, “What ho!
Where are my people, I 'd like to know!”
They ran to the rescue in terror great.
“Is this the way that you guard my state?
Had it not been for my cockatoos
My very crown I had chanced to lose!”
“Is this the way that you guard my state?
Had it not been for my cockatoos
My very crown I had chanced to lose!”
They sought in the shrubbery to and fro,
Wherever they thought the thief might go;
They looked through the garden, but all in vain,
They searched the forest, they scoured the plain.
Wherever they thought the thief might go;
They looked through the garden, but all in vain,
They searched the forest, they scoured the plain.
They gave it up, for they could not choose.
But oh, the pride of those cockatoos!
If they were admired and petted before,
Now they were utterly spoiled, be sure!
But oh, the pride of those cockatoos!
If they were admired and petted before,
Now they were utterly spoiled, be sure!
They 'd a special servant on them to wait,
To do their pleasure early and late:
They grew so haughty and proud and grand,
Their fame was spread over all the land.
To do their pleasure early and late:
They grew so haughty and proud and grand,
Their fame was spread over all the land.
And when they died it made such a stir!
And their skins were stuffed with spice and myrrh,
And from their perch they still look down,
As on the day when they saved the crown.
And their skins were stuffed with spice and myrrh,
And from their perch they still look down,
As on the day when they saved the crown.
| Poems for children | |