was noon-tide on a summer day,
And in a hammock Bruin lay,
Studying the price of pork and veal,
And wondering how to get a meal,
And what his little ones would do
If all the papers said was true.
The sun was very warm that day,
And having trudged a weary way
In search of food, 'twas no surprise
That Mr. Bruin shut his eyes
Now and again, and did not see
Two monkeys o'er him in the tree.
"Hurrah!" they whispered, "here's a chance
Of making Mr. Bruin dance!
Oft has he put us in a fix:
We'll pay him out now for his tricks,
And let him know that, though we're small,
We're not so harmless after all!"
'twas noon-tide on a summer day, and in a hammock bruin lay.
upon the ground, with aching bones, poor bruin mingled sighs and groans
Then, knife in hand, one monkey passed
From branch to branch, until at last
He reached the bough wherefrom was hung
Old Bruin's hammock, firmly slung;
And made one sudden vigorous slash
Through all the ropes: then—crash, crash, crash!
Upon the ground, with aching bones,
Poor Bruin mingled sighs and groans,
Compelled to linger there and hear
The monkeys' frequent taunt and jeer,
While "What's the price, of bear's grease, please?"
Went echoing through the forest trees.
G. W.