Salut!

Imprinted now for the first time by hand at the Sign of the Rabbit,
89 Collins Street, the 13th of July, 1905.

Night falls in the Ti-Tree,
Dusk fades from the hill—
The Frogs on their banjoes
Are strumming their fill
With a will.

Banjoes in the near pond
Bones in the other—
In ecstasy Crickets
Outshrill one another.
Shrill.... Shrill....

The Birds are all hushed now
The moon's in the sky—
Around and around us
The little Bats fly,
Waveringly.

The Rabbits have nibbled
Sweet grass on the furrow,
Have frisking and flirting
Loped to their burrow,
Safe on their burrow.

Safe on their burrow.

Are you glad, little Rabbits To have played yet a day? Does no foresight show you What may happen some day? Wellaway!
For commonest, direst, Of wild folk's mishaps Is to find yourselves caught in Man's merciless traps— Devil's own snaps.

They set them and lay them
In your very door,
Then craftily strew them
With sand and leaves o'er,
Craftily o'er.

You step out unwitting,
Bright moon inviting—
Ah! What a spring when
You taste its fierce biting;
Steel chain affrighting,
You scream in your anguish,
A mute thing by kind!
You make but the search easy
When Death comes to find,
O easily find!

Yet God was on your side,
Else why did He make
Such long ears to hearken?
Such bright eyes to wake?

And so, little Rabbits,
In danger some day,
Remember Who's for you,
Flirt tails and away!

Flirt tails and away!