_THE ANIMALS' BALL._
[Illustration: "'We'll dance all night,'
Cried the ants with delight."]
"We'll dance all night,"
Cried the ants, with delight.
"Pray tell me why?"
Inquired a fly.
"Because it's nice,"
Explained the mice.
"Oh, very well!"
Laughed the gazelle.
"Yes; but where?"
Demanded a hare.
"Somewhere near,"
Suggested the deer.
"Why not here?"
Crowed chanticleer.
"Yes, this will do,"
Said the kangaroo.
[Illustration: "'Don't step on my tail!'
Pleaded the whale."]
"Let's be smart!"
Remarked the hart.
"Fetch our gloves,"
Cried the doves.
"And my glass,"
Brayed the ass.
"Where's my brooch?"
Howled the roach.
"Curl my back hair,"
Ordered the mare.
"Don't step on my tail!"
Pleaded the whale.
"Please take care!"
Begged the hare.
"Oh, my cravat!"
Screamed a gnat.
"I've lost my wig,"
Sobbed the pig.
"Give me a chain!"
Cried the crane.
"My shirt's too narrow,"
Complained a sparrow.
"What will you do?"
Sighed the kangaroo.
"None fine as I,"
Remarked the fly.
[Illustration: "'I'll play the horn,'
Said the unicorn."]
"Who will play
For us to-day?"
"I'll play the horn,"
Said the unicorn.
"Who will pipe?"
Asked the snipe.
"Why, I!"
Said a fly.
"And I'll play the harp,"
Added the carp.
"We are all ready now,"
Spoke out the cow.
"Then form a row,"
Said the buffalo.
"And now we'll dance,"
Again said the ants.
Then danced the cuckoo
With the kangaroo,
The cat with the rat,
The cow with the sow,
The dog with the hog,
The snail with the whale,
The wren with the hen,
The bear with the hare,
[Illustration: "The cow with the sow."]
The lark with the shark,
The ram with the lamb,
The fox and the mare
Made the last pair.
"Now we will feast,"
Remarked a beast.
"Take an ice!"
Begged the mice.
"Do drink this wine,"
Invited the swine.
"Not just now,"
Objected the sow.
"Let's have some beer,"
Said the deer.
"But I prefer cider,"
Whispered a spider.
"You must not think
So much about drink,"
Said the cow
With a bow.
"It's a bad habit,"
Shouted the rabbit.
At last the fly,
With a tear in his eye,
Gave his arm to the lark
And went off in the dark.
Away in a trice
Scampered the mice.
[Illustration: "The rat donned his hat."]
Then the skate
Said, "'Tis late."
"I must go now,"
Remarked the sow.
"It is too soon,"
Growled a baboon.
"Not a bit, not a bit,"
Chirped a little tom-tit.
And all the rest
Agreed it was best,
To say good-by,
And homeward hie.
So the cow
Made her bow,
The rat donned his hat,
The whale fetched her veil;
"Now, all farewell,"
Sighed the gazelle.
Farewell, echoed all
At the animals' ball.