ten.
Says he, "We're in luck, here's a big fat duck
With her legs dangling down behind O!"

Then the Fox sat down with his hungry wife,
And they made a good meal without fork or knife.
They never had a better time in all their life,
And the little ones picked the bones O!

THREE COMPANIONS

BY DINAH MARIA MULOCK-CRAIK

We go on our walk together--
Baby and dog and I--
Three little merry companions,
'Neath any sort of sky
Blue as our baby's eyes are,
Gray like our old dog's tail;
Be it windy or cloudy or stormy,
Our courage will never fail.

Baby's a little lady;
Dog is a gentleman brave;
If he had two legs as you have,
He'd kneel to her like a slave;
As it is, he loves and protects her,
As dog and gentleman can.
I'd rather be a kind doggie,
I think, than a cruel man.

"'FRAID CAT!"

BY FRANK MUNRO

To Pussy-town, the other day,
The movies came.
And you must know,
The only chance mice have to play
Is when the cats
Go to the show!

(Yes, mice have certain little "rights"--
Though I confess
'Em hard to see!
And one is to stay up o' nights
And steal our cheese--
If cheese there be!)

Well, in the playhouse, on the screen,
The pussies saw
(And so may you)
True love run smoothly, I ween:
But "also ran,"
A dog in blue!

The foolish cats, in great alarm,
Dashed out, nor
Asked for money back!--
A dog policeman has no charm
When he is close
Upon one's track!

They did not use their heads. I fear;
(Some boys and girls
Are just like that)
And so the pussies now must hear
The grown folks say
"'Fraid cat! 'Fraid cat!"

[Illustration: THE CATS AT THE MOVIES
FROM A DRAWING BY CULMER BARNES]

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

BY MARY HOWITT

"Will you walk into my parlor?" said the Spider to the Fly,
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there."
"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain;
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come