[Illustration: Letter A.]
A rain once fell upon the earth
For many a day and night,
And hid the flowers, the grass, the trees,
The birds and beasts, from sight.
The deep waves covered all the land,
And mountain-tops so high;
And nothing could be seen around,
But water, and the sky.
But yet there was one moving thing,--
A still and lonely ark,--
That, many a weary day and night,
Sailed o'er that ocean dark.
At last, a little dove was forth
From that lone vessel sent;
But, wearied, to the ark again,
When evening came, she bent.
Again she went, but soon returned,
And in her beak was seen
A little twig--an olive-branch--
With leaves of shining green.
The waters sank, and then the dove
Flew from the ark once more,
And came not back, but lived among
The tree-tops, as before.
Then from the ark they all came forth,
With songs of joy and praise;
And once again the green earth smiled
Beneath the sun's warm rays.