The Ducks and the Frogs by Aurelio Asiain

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ExUbris ELVAH KARSHNEH

CHILDREN'S BOOK COLLECTION

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES

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THE

DUCKS AND THE FROGS, TALE OF THE BOGS. BY FANNY FIRE-FLY. With Engravings by Hartwell, from Designs by

Billings.

BOSTON: JOSEPH H. FRANCIS. M

DCCC XLIX.

Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by ALOJCZO HARTWELL, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Entered according

WHITE & POTTER,

Printers,

WOOD

HARTWKLL. K N

(} 11

A V

Littleton, Ma-s.

W. WILCOX,

Elet-tn

chanced upon a certain day,

When

cheerful

Summer, bright

and gay,

Had

brought once more her

of flowers,

dress

anew her pleasant bowers

When birds Made

all

and

insects

;

on the wing

the air with music ring

;

gift

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

When

sunshine smiled on dell and knoll,

Two Ducks

set forth to

'Twas morning

Of cooling

stroll.

and each grassy bank

dew had deeply drank

young flower was holding up sweet and freshly painted cup,

Each Its

;

take a

fair

Filled with bright

dew

drops, every one

Gay, sparkling treasures for the sun,

Who

bears

them

Holds them Till

lightly to the sky,

as vapor far

on high,

with his rays in dazzling

The rainbow on the cloud he But our two Ducks

tints,

paints.

we'll not forget,

They were not troubled by the wet

;

They rambled on, and soon they took

The path

that led

them

to a brook,

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

Whose With The

sparkling waters danced along,

a gushing, rushing, rippling song.

ramblers,

Stepped

down

They loved

when they reached to bathe,

the brink,

and take a drink.

to frolic, dive

and dash

Beneath the water with a splash.

They washed and smoothed each

Then

said,

As moving

"let's

glossy feather.

have a swim together

" !

gracefully, they went,

They heard loud tones of sad lament.

They

listened,

and did sharply look

For cause of woe

And

;

soon espied beneath some bushes,

Among

A A

in that sweet brook

the reeds and

company

tall,

green rushes,

of long-faced Frogs,

delegation from the bogs

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

Sitting with their up-turned faces,

In attitudes to please the Graces,

Around

a stone, on which was speaking

member

of this grave marsh meeting.

The Ducks were

pleased

;

they

knew them

For very often they did

call

At that sweet brook,

hear them sing

They thought

their

And now, " said they, " we will draw For much they wished to see and hear this fuss

And

received

;

near,"

and noise about,

So joined the party to find

The Frogs

all,

music quite the thing.

What was

out.

them with a smirk,

gave their hands with nervous jerk.

Bowing and smiling in return, The Ducks prepared themselves

to learn

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

From what

the Orator might say,

The cause of all

Now

their friends' dismay.

the chief speaker in this scene,

Dressed in a suit of bottle green,

Folding his arms across his breast,

Again the meeting thus addressed

"My

And must But I

be brief in

as these

wish

" I'm rather friends," said he, hoarse,

discourse

Ducks have joined our band,

have them understand

have not come

To break

To waken

to this fair spot,

the peace or hatch a plot

But we have met

form a plan

in the heart of

man,

Pity for our sad condition.

;

would present a grave

petition,

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

Beseeching of the

men who

rule,

That we, lone dwellers of the

May

pool,

be permitted to reside

In safety, with our scanty

We humbly

tribe.

say there's no occasion,

To send an army

of invasion

Into our loved and quiet bogs,

To murder happy, harmless Frogs. Take our own dear sons and daughters, Drag them from

their winter quarters,

Then, when no heart with pity melts,

cut

them up

Think what Caught and

To take

as food for smelts

a very shocking fate, killed,

and used as

those harmless

bait,

little fishes

multiply man's dainty dishes."

THE DUCKS AND FROGS. this sentence spoke,

Now,

as the

Each

brother gave a solemn croak.

Frog

The gentleman

Was

in bottle-green

quite exhausted

his

theme

;

He paused

a moment, wiped his brow

Then

"I think you will allow

said,

We've been a persecuted Since

first

There

is,

Where

And By

all

told,

;

race,

on earth we had a

I'm

place.

a land called France,

the people sing and dance

they acquire their easy grace

living

on our helpless race

And though 'Tis this that

I say

;

with a sigh,

makes them

all so spry."

Puffing for breath, the speaker stopped

And

quickly from the stone he hopped.

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

The Ducks, while

Had At

felt their

listening to this tale,

very hearts turn pale.

length, the largest of the two,

A handsome

Drake, in green and blue,

Arose, and opening wide his beak,

Bowed, coughed, and then began "

to speak.

Neighbors, I'm not a coward bird

But the sad

Would

story I have heard,

cause the boldest one to quake,

And makes my

every feather shake.

I like the plan that

write a

And

list

you propose,

of these your woes,

ask for mercy from these

But havo If stated I think

men

;

done by some smart pen

by some able

your fortunes

;

writer,

may be

brighter."

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

Just at this moment, up there sprung

Frog quite

one so young

pert, for

;

Said he, " I vote for emigration, 'Twill save us all this botheration

" !

Our proud Drake turned, in great surprise, While grave rebuke flashed from his eyes. Said he, "

see

makes

young

blood run cold,

folks so smart

There's not a Duckling of

That would presume

Young

sir, I

and

And

till

rude

;

will a lesson give, live

your counsel others seek,

then think twice before you speak

For you, the elders of I

brood,

to be thus

That may be useful while you

Wait

bold.

hope you here will

this tribe,

still reside.

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

In every pleasant brook and marsh, You'll meet with cares and

trials

harsh

;

If you'll but try to be contented,

Much

that's

lady

wrong

Duck and

will be prevented. I

'tis

plain,

Are wiser than when here we came.

thought our

When

was very hard,

shut within the poultry yard

Although

With

lot

'tis

large,

water, and

and well supplied

all else

beside

For happiness and comfort

Yet much we wished

Our wings

And

We He

;

for

are clipped,

this too costs us

too,

something new.

we cannot

many

fly,

a sigh.

seldom pass our owner's gate, keeps his poultry rather straight.

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

should not have been out to-day,

But Duck and

And

I just

we came

Fretful

felt,

ran away

to bathe this

morn,

and quite forlorn

thought our lot in all

;

life

;

so sad,

our troubles quite too bad.

Could we have got our brood away,

had quit town

this very day.

As gloomily we stepped The

air

was

From happy

filled

with

creatures,

along,

many

a song

gay and bright,

Rejoicing in the morning light.

The dew,

o'er flowers

and

trees

Like diamonds pure, in drops

was

flung,

hung

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

All nature seemed reproaching us,

For making

dismal

all this

But we grew calmer

Of all

For

we walked,

these cheering things

And hearing

Much

all

your

fuss.

griefs

talked.

and

sighs,

better feelings did arise.

let

you, friends and brothers,

tell

Listening to the woes of others,

And

pitying their deep distress,

Will ever make our own seem

Then Patience

less.

whispers, (pray regard her,)

Your

lot

Now,

gossips, I

Our Ducklings

too

though hard, might

still

be harder.

tired of speaking,

we must be seeking

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS. Although

see

And

makes our

heart-strings quiver,

yon bright and pleasant

hearing

its

river

;

cool waters splashing,

We long beneath

them

be dashing.

Yet we must

close this visitation,

And without

farther hesitation,

Resist our very strong desire,

And cheerful

our homes

Our kindest wishes So,

now good

rest

retire.

with you,

friends, we'll bid adieu."

The Ducks then smoothed each

And

gracefully walked off together.

The Frogs with courtesy

And

ruffled feather,

arose,

stretched themselves high on their toes

;

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

And so

far

They gave

Then

conquered

all their fears,

their friends three parting cheers

as they

sank upon the grass,

This resolution they did pass "

Here, now, before

We pledge ourselves, With

patience

and

;

separate,

to bear

our fate

if ill betide,

We'll try to find some brighter

Our homes with

And

side.

cheerful tones shall ring,

over every care we'll spring."

They stopped

;

each folded his green dress

About him with much cheerfulness Shook hands

all

round, and

said "

Then merrily they hopped away.

;

good day,"

THE DUCKS AND FROGS.

When And Out

these bright people all were gone,

I sat

musing quite

alone,

of this their simple preaching,

Came Each

the lesson they'd been teaching. reader too can see

little

What

Tis

seems so very clear to me.

this

that dark-browed Discontent

Must from our

hearts be quickly sent

Whate'er may be our daily

Think

all is well,

generous

;

lot,

and grumble not

;

pity feel for all,

And

charity for great

One

other hint

That children

all

and

small.

also find,

should bear in mind,

THE DUCKS

Treat aged people

With

reverence

;

strangers too, it is

Take warning from

And keep

A:ND FROGS.

their due.

that

Frog

so young,

a bridle on the tongue

These teachings seem so very

We hope they

plain,

are not given in vain.

BOSTON<

> JOSEPH.H.rRANCIS <