THE CHILD AND THE PIPER. Piping down the valleys wild, And he laughing said to me, "Pipe a song about a lamb:" 66 66 So I piped with merry cheer ; Piper, pipe that song again:" So I piped; he wept to hear. Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe, While he wept with joy to hear. "Piper, sit thee down and write In a book that all may read." So he vanished from my sight; And I plucked a hollow reed, And I made a rural pen, And I stained the water clear, And I wrote my happy songs Every child may joy to hear. WILLIAM BLAKE. DIAMONDS AND TOADS. There was, once upon a time, a widow who had two daughters. The eldest was so like the mother that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable and so proud that no one could live with them. The youngest was like her father, and was one of the sweetest and most beautiful girls ever seen. As people love those who are like themselves, the mother dearly loved her eldest daughter, and at the same time hated the youngest. She made her sit in the kitchen and work all the time. Among other things, this poor child had to go twice a day to a well a mile and a half from the house to get a pitcher full of water. One day as she was at this well, there came to her a poor woman who begged of her to let her drink. "Oh, yes, with all my heart, good woman," said the pretty girl; and she drew up some water from the well and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while that she might drink the more easily. The good woman, after drinking, said to her, "You are so pretty, so good, and so kind, that I cannot help giving you a gift "--for this was a fairy who had taken the form of a poor country woman to see how far the kindness of this pretty girl would go. "I will give you for a gift," said the fairy, "that at every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a flower or a jewel." When the pretty girl came home, her mother found fault with her for staying so long at the well. "I beg your pardon, mother," said the poor girl, "for staying so long ;" and in speaking these words, there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and several diamonds. "What is it I see there?" cried her mother in great surprise; “I think that these pearls and diamonds came out of your mouth! How is this, my child?" This was the first time she ever called her her child. The poor girl told her all that had happened, but not without dropping out a great many diamonds. "Surely," said the mother, "I must send my child to the well. Look, child, see what comes out of your sister's mouth when she speaks! Would you not be glad to have the same gift? You have but to go to the well to draw water, and when a poor woman asks you for a drink, to give it to her kindly. "It would be a very fine sight," said the dis agreeable and proud girl," to see me go to the well to draw water.". "I want YOGY go now." So away she went ban She took with be the im house. She was a C saw coming on d the v.. fully dressed wit ate g drink. It was the same fany v 1 but who had L far the girl's rales vole. "Have I come here at the agreeable girl to give power b I brought this silver pibe :2 your ladyship? But my LE you wish.“ "You are not over and ab fairy, without getting angry. you are so disagreeable. I give T at every word you speak there de your mouth a snake or a meit When her mother saw Ler out, "Well, my daughter!" said the rude girl, dropping c a snake and a toad. It& mother, "what is it I see! Ipar has done this; but she shall pay for ini girl would go. "I will give you for a gift," said the fairy, "that at every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a flower or a jewel." When the pretty girl came home, her mother found fault with her for staying so long at the well. "I beg your pardon, mother," said the poor girl, "for staying so long ;" and in speaking these words, there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and several diamonds. "What is it I see there?" cried her mother in great surprise; "I think that these pearls and diamonds came out of your mouth! How is this, my child?" This was the first time she ever called her her child. The poor girl told her all that had happened, but not without dropping out a great many diamonds. "Surely," said the mother, "I must send my child to the well. Look, child, see what comes out of your sister's mouth when she speaks! Would you not be glad to have the same gift? You have but to go to the well to draw water, and when a poor woman asks you for a drink, to give it to her kindly." "It would be a very fine sight," said the disagreeable and proud girl," to see me go to the well to draw water.” |