THREE LITTLE CHICKS BORN IN A SHOE.
Three little chickens,
Born in a shoe,
When the freshet came,
Didn't know what to do:
One went on deck,
Just to watch the weather,
While down below
The others sat together.
"Oh, what shall we do!
Mother is not here:
Captain there on deck!
Oh, what cheer? what cheer?"
"Water everywhere,
Far as I can see!
But the wind is fair;
Let us easy be."
"Oh, we want our mother,"
Cried the other two:
"Stop that!" said the captain,—
Captain of the shoe:
"We are lucky chickens
In our little boat;
Water-tight it is,
And it keeps afloat.
"I hear mother calling
From the barn-yard wall:
Courage, little sisters!
Don't you hear her call?"
Yes, they heard it plainly;
Oh, how glad they were!
"Now blow fair, thou gentle wind,
Bear us all to her!"
And the wind kept blowing,
Fair and fair it blew,
Bearing to the barn-yard wall
All that little crew.
When their mother saw them,
She flew down apace;
On her back she bore them
To a nice dry place.
Emily Carter.
