So she waited; and she watched the father-bird bringing worms all day long to the nest, and said, "Aha! they must be fattening fast! they will soon be as fat as I wish them to be. Aha! what a good thing it is to be patient."
At last, one day she thought, "Surely, now they must be fat enough! I will not wait another day. Aha! how good they will be!"
So she climbed up the tree, licking her chops all the way and thinking of the fat young birds. And when she reached the top and looked into the nest, it was empty!!
Then the spotted cat sat down on the branch and spoke thus, "Well, of all the horrid, mean, ungrateful creatures I ever saw, those birds are the horridest, and the meanest, and the most ungrateful! Mi-a-u-ow!!!!"
Far down in the meadow the wheat grows green, And the reapers are whetting their sickles so keen; And this is the song that I hear them sing, While cheery and loud their voices ring: "'Tis the finest wheat that ever did grow! And it is for Alice's supper, ho! ho!"
Far down in the valley the old mill stands, And the miller is rubbing his dusty white hands; And these are the words of the miller's lay, As he watches the millstones a-grinding away: "'Tis the finest flour that money can buy, And it is for Alice's supper, hi! hi!"
Downstairs in the kitchen the fire doth glow, And Maggie is kneading the soft white dough, And this is the song that she's singing to-day, While merry and busy she's working away: "'Tis the finest dough, by near or by far, And it is for Alice's supper, ha! ha!"
And now to the nursery comes Nannie at last, And what in her hand is she bringing so fast? 'Tis a plate full of something all yellow and white, And she sings as she comes with her smile so bright: "'Tis the best bread-and-butter I ever did see! And it is for Alice's supper, he! he!"
The Quacky Duck stood on the bank of the stream. And the frogs came and sat on stones and insulted him. Now the words which the frogs used were these,--
"Ya! ha! he hasn't any hind-legs! Ya! ha! he hasn't any fore-legs! Oh! what horrid luck To be a Quacky Duck!"
These were not pleasant words. And when the Quacky Duck heard them, he considered within himself whether it would not be best for him to eat the frogs.