III.—THE HEN AND CHICKENS.
Good Mother Hen sits here on her nest,
Keeps the eggs warm beneath her soft breast,
Waiting, waiting, day after day.
Hark! there’s a sound she knows very well:
Some little chickens are breaking the shell,
Pecking, pecking, pecking away.
Now they’re all out, Oh, see what a crowd!
Good Mother Hen is happy and proud,
Cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck, clucking away.
Into the coop the mother must go;
But all the chickens run to and fro,
Peep-peep, peep-peep, peeping away.
Here is some corn in my little dish;
Eat, Mother Hen, eat all that you wish,
Picking, picking, picking away.
Happy we’ll be to see you again,
Dear little chicks and good Mother Hen!
Now good-by, good-by for to-day.