Barney Gray was sent to pasture
With the lambs and sheep,
There to run and roll in freedom,
Kick and prance and leap.
Still more lonely then was Rollo,
But he, too, found joy,
For the care of him was given
To the farmer's boy.
In the golden summer weather,
Happy little Jack
Drove the cows, from pasture daily,
On the pony's back.
Down the road the cattle straggled;—
If they turned aside,
Then would Jack with much halloaing
Toward them quickly ride.
"There goes Brindle! At her, Rollo!
Now for Lady Bess!
There! Good pony! We can keep them
In the road, I guess!"
And the pony, clever fellow,
Learned so well the knack,
That to drive the cows he scarcely
Needed help from Jack.
Let a cow but turn a little
From the road to stray,
In an instant Rollo joined her,
And, as if in play.
He would push the truant gently
With his velvet nose,
Till she yielded to his guiding,
And the right way chose.
When the children from the seashore
Back to Rollo came,
As a cowboy had their pony
Won some extra fame.