And speak when he is spoken to,
And behave mannerly at table:
At least as far as he is able”—
for, seeing him so obediently and properly humped, she repented her of her severity and, reaching out with her left paw, picked up a nice, whole lily-pad and, turning half around, handed it to him as much as to say, “There, now; but chew it up very thoroughly, as you did the handle of the carving-knife in the camp last night.”
It was a sweet glimpse into the family life of the woods; and as the canoe backed off and turned again down-stream I was saying to myself:
“Every night my prayers I say,
And get my dinner every day,
And every day that I’ve been good
I get an orange after food”—
or a nice, round lily-pad.