[Illustration]
The much desired honey pot.
[Illustration]
Turns tail and runs; whilst Johnnie sits
Bolt up, divested of his wits.
[Illustration]
A pearly drop on every hair
Hangs pendant, not from heat, but fear.
[Illustration]
Eugene his garret sought, and there
Ate honey, like his friend the bear,
The pot he emptied mighty soon,
Using his paws instead of spoon.
Fytte IX. The Honey Thief.
[Illustration]
The flowers which Christine culled at morn
At eve were withered, and forlorn.
[Illustration]
These withered flowers Dick sadly took,
And placed them in his music book;
Then put the book upon the table,
And pressed, the best that he was able.
[Illustration]
The pressed flowers took a wondrous shape,
Which seemed the human form to ape;
And in these specimens, Christine
Is imaged, and her Dicky Dean.
[Illustration]
Ten sounded from the old church tower--
Before the last stroke of the hour,
Close by the bee-house Richard Dean,
His last new coat on, might be seen;
Christine, arrayed in all her charms,
Was there, and rushed into his arms.
[Illustration]
"Hist! what's that sound?" alack! alack!
A thief, with crotchet at his back--
A Honey thief--ill may he thrive.
[Illustration]
Each crept into a monster hive.
[Illustration]
The thief peered round; "This will I take"--
"This big one will my fortune make."
[Illustration]
Then hoisted Dicky, hive and all,
Upon his back so lean, so tall--
[Illustration]
"Halt," shouted Dicky, and the head
Of his strange monture bonneted;
[Illustration]
Held him down tight, and with a stick
Passed 'twixt his legs, secured him quick.
[Illustration]
And Christine, what must she have felt
While Bruin round about her smelt?
Out of the hive she softly stole;
[Illustration]
In crept the bear and through the hole
At the hive's top he poked his nose;
Christine her ready courage shows,
[Illustration]
She through his nose ring passed a stick,
Which from the ground she happed to pick.
[Illustration]
Poor Bruin rolled upon his back,
And grunted out alas! alack!
[Illustration]
So after all these strange alarms,
Again Dick rushed into her arms.
[Illustration]
John Dull by chance came strolling by,
His hives upset first met his eye;
He saw they both were tenanted--
Amazed he looked, then scratched his head;
[Illustration]
Peered all around, espied Christine
And her own true love Dicky Dean;
Behind the bee house they were placed,
And Dicky's arm was round her waist.
[Illustration]
"Come here" he cried "you little chit,"
"I understand it not a bit"--
Upon their knees they both fell down,
And the whole mystery made known.
[Illustration]
The father heard them all declare,
Then gave his blessing to the pair.
"Bless you my Christine: Dick I bless"
"With stores of wedded happiness."
[Illustration]
Then came the dramatis personae;
The tall, the short, the fat, the bony.
[Illustration]
Sam Dutton thought to get a shot,
Now Bruin could no longer trot.
But Sally interposed her mop,
And to his shooting put a stop.
[Illustration]
The night watch came, and 'twixt them bore
The skewer'd thief to the prison door.
[Illustration]
And came the bear leader as well,
And took poor Bruin to his cell.
[Illustration]
Sam with his trumpet blew a rally,
And Hip, Hurrah! cried ancient Sally.
[Illustration]
Long live both empty hives and full,
Long live Dick Dean and Johnny Dull.
Fytte X. The Queen Bee's Fete.
[Illustration]
The night is warm, and many a nose
Upturned, is snoring in repose;
Whilst every tree and every flower
Rejoices in that witching hour.
And o'er John Dull his garden beds,
The moon her gentle influence sheds.
[Illustration]
'Tis May the first, the Queen bee's fete!
And she, in all her regal state,
Beneath her fairy hall of roses
With her beloved drone reposes.
[Illustration]
She nods a sign; the bombardier
Awakes the echoes far and near.
[Illustration]
Whilst tinkle, tinkle, clang! clang! bang!
The Court musicians' strain out-rang.
The fly he blows the shrill trompette,
The gnat the softer clarionette;
The grasshopper, a fiddler he--
The drummer is the bumble bee.--
[Illustration]
The Willow-beetle, such a swell,
With young Sabina waltzes well;
[Illustration]
Liz too and Kitty have their swains,
Who one and all are taking pains
To make themselves agreeable,
Each to his own peculiar belle.
[Illustration]
The Stag-Beetle, that beau precise,
Regales his partner with an ice.
[Illustration]
The Moon, upon the Apple Tree,
Surveys, well pleased, the revelry.
[Illustration]
Two cockchafers soon quit the dance;
They cannot bear the piercing glance
Of their fair partners--see them set
Within a private cabinet.
They smoke, they sing, they drink until
Their little polished paunch they fill.
[Illustration]
Their homes they cannot find--alas!
They tumble backward on the grass.
"To whit" "To whoo" policeman Owl,
The wisest of all feathered fowl,
Hoots out; "why here's a precious go,"
"Drunk and incapable, ho! ho!"
[Illustration]
"So come along, I know you well;"--
He said, and drove them to his cell.
Were they discharged? No, never more,
That cell it was an abattoir.
The owl supped on the elder Brother,
And for his breakfast ate the other.
So you, who think a dance divine,
Mind--never take excess of wine.
[Illustration]
The Evening star went flicker--flick--
Over the bedroom candlestick;
And round its silver radiance shed
To light the sleepy moon to bed.
* * * * *
[Illustration]
I've done--I doff my riding gear,
And order Pegasus--HIS BEER.
Notes on Buzz-a-Buzz,