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Through my home in the old beech-tree
If you chase me I will run
In the shade and in the sun;
But you never, never can catch me
For round a bough I'll creep,
Playing hide and seek so sly;
Or through the leaves bo-peep,
With my little shining eye.

Up and down I run and frisk,
With my bushy tail to whisk
All who mope in the old beech-trees.
How droll to see the owl
As I make him wink and growl,
While his sleepy, sleepy head I tease!
And I waken up the bat,
Who flies off with a scream,
For he thinks that I'm the cat
Pouncing on him, in his dream.

Through all the summer long
I never want a song
From birds in the old beech-trees
I have singers all the night,
And with the morning bright
Come my busy, humming, fat, brown bees.
When I've nothing else to do
With the nursing birds I sit;
And we laugh at the cuckoo
A-coo-cooing to her tit!

When winter comes with snow
An its cruel tempests blow
All my leaves from the old beech-trees,
Then beside the wren and mouse
I furnish up a house,
Where, like a prince, I live at ease.
What care I for hail or sleet,
With my cozy cap and coat;
And my tail about my feet,
Or wrapped about my throat?

Norman Macleod

Ducks and Ducklings

One little white duck,
One little grey,
Six little black ducks
Running out to play;
One white lady-duck,
Motherly and trim,
Eight little baby ducks
Bound for a swim.

One little white duck
Running from the water,
One very fat duck--
Pretty little daughter--
One little grey duck
Holding up its wings.
One little bobbing duck
Making water rings.

One little black duck
Standing on a stone,
One little grey duck
Swimming all alone,
One little grey duck
Holding down it's head.
One sleepy little duck,
It has gone to bed!

One little what duck
Running to its mother,
Look among the water-reeds,
May be there's another.
One hungry little duck
Going out to dine,
Two dainty little ducks,
Snowy-white and fine.

Merry little brown eyes
O'er the picture linger,
Point all the ducks out,
Chubby little finger;
Make the picture musical,
Merry little shout;
Now where's that other duck?
What is he about?

I thank that other duck