 | The white dove, and Other Poems for Children |  |
83
The Sparrow.
Once in a fine old forest,
A solemn council sat,—
Of little mice and birds against
Their common foe, the cat.
A solemn council sat,—
Of little mice and birds against
Their common foe, the cat.
And grave were the discussions,
And manifold the words,
And various the opinions,
Among the singing birds.
And manifold the words,
And various the opinions,
Among the singing birds.
The little mice, as most aggrieved,
Of course had least to say;
And even that, it seemed, the birds
Would not permit to weigh.
Of course had least to say;
And even that, it seemed, the birds
Would not permit to weigh.
84
For always those with fewest words
To make their sorrows known,
Are just precisely those to whom
Least sympathy is shown.
To make their sorrows known,
Are just precisely those to whom
Least sympathy is shown.
They made a Parrot chairman,
Which closely shut his beak;
And so the one who might have talked,
Was not allowed to speak.
Which closely shut his beak;
And so the one who might have talked,
Was not allowed to speak.
The Cat-bird, always ready,
Gave his peculiar call,
With such a force and emphasis,
As sorely scared them all.
Gave his peculiar call,
With such a force and emphasis,
As sorely scared them all.
The effect was very startling
On the youngest of the mice,
Who fairly squeaked with fear,
And left the council in a trice.
On the youngest of the mice,
Who fairly squeaked with fear,
And left the council in a trice.
The Wren thought the occasion
As important as could be;
But carolled something about haste,
And numerous progeny.
As important as could be;
But carolled something about haste,
And numerous progeny.
85
The Blue-Jay said the thing was not
Exactly in his line;
But council over, hoped they all
Would go with him and dine.
Exactly in his line;
But council over, hoped they all
Would go with him and dine.
The Oriole thought that project
Was rather out of joint,
And warbled something of the need
Of sticking to the point.
Was rather out of joint,
And warbled something of the need
Of sticking to the point.
The Robin just suggested
Petition's holy right,
But that would not avail, unless
The mice would learn to write.
Petition's holy right,
But that would not avail, unless
The mice would learn to write.
The Thrush was grave and silent;
The Blue-bird and the Lark
Declared the whole affair, to them,
Appeared extremely dark.
The Blue-bird and the Lark
Declared the whole affair, to them,
Appeared extremely dark.
The Martin tribe attended,
And chattered loud and fast;
But what they said no creature there
Could tell, from first to last.
And chattered loud and fast;
But what they said no creature there
Could tell, from first to last.
86
In short, the whole proceeding
Was very flat and stale;
And nothing was suggested,
Which seemed of much avail.
Was very flat and stale;
And nothing was suggested,
Which seemed of much avail.
When suddenly, a solemn Owl,
Who had not spoke before,
Said, from the hollow of a tree,
“Send an ambassador.”
Who had not spoke before,
Said, from the hollow of a tree,
“Send an ambassador.”
A grand idea to be sure,
And full of pomp and state,
And uttered in a tone that seemed
The oracle of fate.
And full of pomp and state,
And uttered in a tone that seemed
The oracle of fate.
A pert young Sparrow, who had hopped
All day from tree to tree,
Said, in the briskest of brisk tones,
“That is the work for me.”
All day from tree to tree,
Said, in the briskest of brisk tones,
“That is the work for me.”
The older birds, who knew the risk
Attendant on such things,
Declared they thought so too, but then
They laughed behind their wings.
Attendant on such things,
Declared they thought so too, but then
They laughed behind their wings.
87
The mice were all unanimous,
And while the vote was taken,
The pert young Sparrow kept his faith
And confidence unshaken.
And while the vote was taken,
The pert young Sparrow kept his faith
And confidence unshaken.
Thought he was wisest, when the rest
Thought him the greatest fool;
Nor once suspected he was used
As a convenient tool.
Thought him the greatest fool;
Nor once suspected he was used
As a convenient tool.
And with a voice he sought to make
Sound brave as it was steady,
He begged that his credentials might
Be signed, and sealed, and ready.
Sound brave as it was steady,
He begged that his credentials might
Be signed, and sealed, and ready.
His outfit, that important part
Of an ambassador,
Was such as never bird or mouse
Was known to have before.
Of an ambassador,
Was such as never bird or mouse
Was known to have before.
And he started on his mission,
With a deal of pomp and state;
But to this day a mystery
Is hanging o'er his fate.
With a deal of pomp and state;
But to this day a mystery
Is hanging o'er his fate.
88
And his name became a by-word,
Among the tribes of birds;
And “presuming as a sparrow,”
Are familiar household words.
Among the tribes of birds;
And “presuming as a sparrow,”
Are familiar household words.
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