Iambic. Four feet, with a short syllable sometimes added.
ONCE on a time a paper Kite'
Was mounted to a wondrous height`;
Where, giddy with its elevation',
It thus expressed self-admiration
5. "See how yon crowds of gazing people'
Admire my flight above the steeple`;
How would they wonder', if they knew^
All that a Kite', like me^, could do'?
Were I but free', I'd take a flight,
10. And pierce the clouds beyond their sight`:
But', ah! like a poor prisoner bound',
My string confines me near the ground`;
I'd brave the eagle's towering wing,
Might I but fly without a string.
15. It tugged and pulled', while thus it spoke,
To break the string;-at last it broke`!
Deprived at once of all its stay',
In vain it tried to soar away`;
Unable its own weight to bear',
20. It fluttered downward through the air`;
Unable its own course to guide',
The winds soon plunged it in the tide`.
Oh! foolish Kite, thou had'st no wing',
How could'st thou fly without a string'?
25. My heart replied, "O Lord', I seé
How much the Kite resembles mè!
Forgetful' that by thee I stand^,
Impatient of thy ruling hand',
How oft I've wished to break the lines'
30. Thy wisdom for my lot assigns!
How oft indulged a vain desiré
For something more^, or something higher!
And but for gracé and love diviné,
A fall' thus dreadful' had been minè."
Anapestic; first foot often an iambus or spondee. First, third, and fourth lines have four feet each; the second and fifth have three each.
1. My good little fellow', don't throw your ball therè ;
You'll break neighbor's windows', I know';
On the end of the house there is room', and to spare:
Go round, you can have a delightful game there^,
Without fearing for where you may throw.
2. Harry thought he might safely continue his play^,
With a little more cāre than beforè :
So, forgetful of all that his father could say',
As soon as he saw hè was out of the way',
He resolved to have fifty throws morè.
3. Already as far as to forty he rosé,
And no mischief had happened at all;
Onē mōre, and ōne mōre, he successfully throws`;
But when', as he thought', just arrived at the closè,
In' popped his unfortunate ball.
4. Poor Harry stood frightened`, and turning about',
Was gazing at what he had donè ;
As the ball had popped in, so neighbor popped out,'
And with a good horsewhip' he beat him about',
Till Henry repented his fun.
5. When little folks think they know better than great^, And what is forbidden them do^
We must always expect to seé, sooner or laté,
That such wise little fools' have a similar fātè,—
And that one' of the fifty goes through.
THE SPIDER AND HIS WIFE.
Same measure as Lesson 22.
1. In a little dark crack half a yard from the ground,
An honest old spider resided:
So pleasant and snug', and convenient 'twas found',
That his friends came to see it from many miles round`;
It seemed for his pleasure provided.
2. Of the cares, and fatigues, and distresses of life,
This spider was thoroughly tired:
So leaving those scenes of contention and strifé,
His children all settled', he came with his wifé,
To live in this cranny retired.
3. He thought that the little his wife would consumé,
'Twould be easy for him to provide her;
Forgetting he lived in a gentleman's room',
Where came every morning' a maid and a broom-
Those pitiless foes to a spider.
4. For when', as sometimes it would chance to befall',
Just when his neat web was completed',
Brush-came the great broom down the side of the wall',
And, perhaps, carried with it web', spider', and all',
He thought himself cruelly treated.
5. One day, when their cupboard was empty and dry,
His wife, Mrs. Hairy-leg Spinner',
Said to him," Dear', go to the cobweb, and try`, you can't find the leg or the wing of a fly', As a bit of a relish for dinner."
6. Directly he went his long search to resumè
For nothing he ever denied her`;
Alas! little guessing his terrible doom`;
Just then came the gentleman into his room',
And saw the unfortunate spider.
7. So while the poor fellow', in search of his pelf"
In the cobwebs continued to linger',
The gentleman reached a long cane from the shelf',
For certain good reasons best known to himself',
Preferring his stick to his finger.
8. Then presently poking him down to the floor,
Not stopping at all to consider',
With one horrid crush the whole business was o'er;
The poor little spider was heard of no more^,
To the lasting distress of his widow!
Iambic. First and third lines contain four feet; the second and fourth, three feet. Trochees and spondees sometimes substituted.
1. Down in this ditch poor Donkey lies',
Who jogged with many a load;
And till the day death closed his eyes',
Browsed up and down the road.
2. No shelter had he for his head',
Whatever winds might blow`;
A neighboring common was his beď,
Though dressed in sheets of snow.
3. In this green ditch he often strayed',
To nip the dainty grass`;
And friendly invitations brayed'
To some more hungry ass.
4. Each market-day he jogged along
Beneath the gardener's load',
And brayed out many a donkey's song
To friends upon the road.
5. A tuft of grass', a thistle green',
Or cabbage leaf so sweet',
Were all the dainties he was seen
For twenty years to eat.
6. And as for sport-the sober soul'
Was such a steady jack^,
He only now and then would roll'
Heels upward' on his back.
7. But all his sport', and dainties toó,
And labors' now are o'er`;
Last night so bleak a tempest blew',
He could withstand nō mōre.
8. He felt his feeble limbs benumbed,
His blood was freezing slow`;
And presently he tumbled plump,
Stone dead upon the snow.
9. Poor Dōn key! travellers passing bv',
Thy cold remains shall seè;
And 'twould be well', if all who dié
Had worked as hard as thee.*
A TALE.-A CHAFFINCH AND HIS MATE.
Iambic. Same as last lesson.
1. IN Scotland's realms, where trees are few', Nor even shrubs abound',
But wheré, however bleak their view',
Some better things are found';
2. For husband there^, and wife
Their union undefiled';
And false ones are as rare, almost',
As hedge rows in the wild';
3. In Scotland's realm', forlorn and baré,
This hist'ry chanced of late-
This hist'ry of a wedded pair^,
A chaffinch and his mate.
4. The spring drew near`, each felt a breast With genial instinct filled`;
They paired`, and only wished a nest^,
But found not where to build.
5. The heaths uncovered', and the moors',
Except with snow and sleet',
Sea-beaten rocks', and naked shores',
Could yield them no retreat.
6. Long time a breeding place they sought', Till both grew vexed and tired`;
At length a ship', arriving, brought'
The good so long desired.
7. A ship! Could such a restless thing'
Afford them place to rest^?
Or was the merchant charged to bring'
The homeless birds a nest'?
8. Hùsh!-Silent hearers profit most!
This racer of the sea'
Proved kinder to them than the coast`;
It served them with a tree.
* Bad grammar;-should be thou.
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