 | A merry-go-round of song |  |
105
THE RACE
I wonder, Children, if you know
That once a Tortoise told a Hare
He'd race him for a thousand pounds,
In spite of all his leaps and bounds;
Yes, anyhow, and anywhere!
That once a Tortoise told a Hare
He'd race him for a thousand pounds,
In spite of all his leaps and bounds;
Yes, anyhow, and anywhere!
The Hare, delighted at the chance
Of getting rich, with many smiles,
And trusting in his famous speed,
Exclaimed at once, “Agreed! Agreed!
Let's run a race of twenty miles!”
Of getting rich, with many smiles,
And trusting in his famous speed,
Exclaimed at once, “Agreed! Agreed!
Let's run a race of twenty miles!”
They started, and the nimble Hare
Went swiftly over field and plain,
But soon remembered he could stop
To have some luncheon in the crop
Before 'twas time to run again.
Went swiftly over field and plain,
But soon remembered he could stop
To have some luncheon in the crop
Before 'twas time to run again.
Thus, when the Tortoise came in sight,
The laughing Hare ran off in glee
Till he was far enough away
To rest himself once more, and say
(For he was young) his A.B.C.
The laughing Hare ran off in glee
Till he was far enough away
To rest himself once more, and say
(For he was young) his A.B.C.
At last he heard the Tortoise come
With solemn steps across the moor,
So up he jumped, and dashed ahead
Toward the hill-top, where he said
His Tables, up to Four times Four.
With solemn steps across the moor,
So up he jumped, and dashed ahead
Toward the hill-top, where he said
His Tables, up to Four times Four.
106
'Twas here he had a rather hot
Discussion with some silly mice,
Who, being ignorant, of course,
Kept squeaking in the golden gorse
That twice times twice (hurrah!) were twice.
Discussion with some silly mice,
Who, being ignorant, of course,
Kept squeaking in the golden gorse
That twice times twice (hurrah!) were twice.
Again the Tortoise lumbered up
And made the merry Hare depart.
He galloped swiftly for a time,
But then sat down to say in rhyme
A piece of verse he knew by heart.
And made the merry Hare depart.
He galloped swiftly for a time,
But then sat down to say in rhyme
A piece of verse he knew by heart.
Then running on, he saw at last
The goal of their amusing race;
So, having somewhat of a stitch,
He rested near a ferny ditch
To bathe his overheated face.
The goal of their amusing race;
So, having somewhat of a stitch,
He rested near a ferny ditch
To bathe his overheated face.
'Twas long ago remarked how pride
Before a fall not seldom goes!
While musing on the thousand pounds
He thought he'd won by nimble bounds,
The stupid Hare began to doze.
Before a fall not seldom goes!
While musing on the thousand pounds
He thought he'd won by nimble bounds,
The stupid Hare began to doze.
Imagine how the Tortoise crept
On careful feet when he descried
His adversary, free of care,
Lie sleeping negligently there
As motionless as if he'd died!
On careful feet when he descried
His adversary, free of care,
Lie sleeping negligently there
As motionless as if he'd died!
The Hare awoke, arose, and cast
A pitying glance or two behind.
No touch of fear that he was wrong
To sleep beside the ferns so long
Disturbed his boastful little mind.
A pitying glance or two behind.
No touch of fear that he was wrong
To sleep beside the ferns so long
Disturbed his boastful little mind.
107
But when with elegance he reached
The poplar that was winning-post,
He gave a choking kind of scream,
And whimpered shrilly, “Do I dream?
Or do my eyes behold a ghost?”
The poplar that was winning-post,
He gave a choking kind of scream,
And whimpered shrilly, “Do I dream?
Or do my eyes behold a ghost?”
“The thousand pounds,” the Tortoise said,
“If you, my friend, are not too tired,
I'd like to have before you tell”—
The Hare let fly a harrowing yell,
And, throwing somersaults, expired!
“If you, my friend, are not too tired,
I'd like to have before you tell”—
The Hare let fly a harrowing yell,
And, throwing somersaults, expired!
The moral, Children, is as plain
As any moral well can be.
Ask Mother what it is; ask Nurse;
Ask Cousin Kate; ask Uncle Perce;
But, let me beg you, don't ask me!
As any moral well can be.
Ask Mother what it is; ask Nurse;
Ask Cousin Kate; ask Uncle Perce;
But, let me beg you, don't ask me!
| A merry-go-round of song | |