"Were you of cotton-flannel made, As nursery beasts should be, With eyes of good black boot-buttons, You then might look at me.
"I might forgive your want of tusks, Your lack of trunk forgive; But that wild, goggling, glassy glare-- No! never, while I live!
"So get you gone, you rocking-horse! Go to your closet-shed, And there, behind the wood-basket, Conceal your ugly head!"
But as the elephant thus did scold And rage and fume and roar, The rocking-horse rocked over him, And crushed him to the floor.
"Pitter patter!" falls the rain On the school-room window-pane. Such a plashing! such a dashing! Will it e'er be dry again? Down the gutter rolls a flood, And the crossing's deep in mud; And the puddles! oh, the puddles Are a sight to stir one's blood!
But let it rain Tree-toads and frogs, Muskets and pitchforks, Kittens and dogs! Dash away! plash away! Who is afraid? Here we go, The Umbrella Brigade!
Pull the boots up to the knee! Tie the hoods on merrily! Such a hustling! such a jostling! Out of breath with fun are we. Clatter, clatter, down the street, Greeting every one we meet, With our laughing and our chaffing, Which the laughing drops repeat.
So let it rain Tree-toads and frogs, Muskets and pitchforks, Kittens and dogs! Dash away! plash away! Who is afraid? Here we go, The Umbrella Brigade!
THE PRINCESS IN SATURN AND THE RED MAN IN MARS.
There once was a princess both fair and tall, Who did not live on this earth at all. She lived up in Saturn, And she was a pattern Of every accomplishment, great and small; The graces and virtues, she had them all.
Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, she had them pat; And she played on the sackbut! think of that! And she sang so sweet, All the birds at her feet With envy and sorrow fell down quite flat; I've been told they fell down quite remarkably flat.
Now all the princes and all the kings Who lived in Saturn and all his rings, They came and knelt Where the princess dwelt; And they brought her all sorts of beautiful things,-- Oh! quite an assortment of elegant things.
For one king brought her a diamond hat; And another presented a two-legged cat; While another one said, "When my uncle is dead, I will give you his monkey. Be sure of that! His talented monkey; depend upon that!"