him rich dainties
Whenever he fed,
And erected a monument
When he was dead.

[Illustration: AND HER DOG]

[Illustration]

Walter Crane's Picture Books Re-issue:

The following may be had in this series:

THIS LITTLE PIG
THE FAIRY SHIP
KING LUCKIEBOY
MOTHER HUBBARD
THE THREE BEARS
THE ABSURD A.B.C.

John Lane
The Bodley Head
London & New York

* * * * *

Walter Crane's Picture Books Re-issue

[Illustration]

THE THREE BEARS

John Lane
The Bodley Head
London & New York

[Illustration: The Three Bears]

[Illustration]

THE THREE BEARS.

Some time ago, ere we were born or thought of,
There lived a little girl, who liked to roam
Through lonely woods and lanes, unknown, unsought of
Such folk who like to stop and stay at home.
She found out curious things in all her travel
And one of her adventures I will tell:
Once, in a wood she saw a path of gravel,
Which led to a small cottage in a dell.

[Illustration]

And, as the door stood open, in walked boldly,
This child, whose name was Silverlocks, I'm told;
There was nobody there to treat her coldly,
No friend to call her back, no nurse to scold.
She found herself within a parlour charming;
And there upon the table there were placed
Three basins, sending up a smell so warming,
That she at once felt hungry, and must taste.
The largest basin first, but hot and biting
The soup was in it, and the second too;
The smallest basin tasted so inviting,
That up she ate it all, with small ado.

[Illustration]

And next she saw three chairs, and tried to sit in
The biggest, but it was too hard and high;
The middle one she scarcely seemed to fit in,
But in the smallest chair sat easily;
And rocked herself, her ease and comfort taking,
Singing the pretty songs she knew so well;
When, oh! the little chair cracked loud, and, breaking,
Gave way all suddenly, and down she fell.

[Illustration]

"Ah, well," she thought, "there may be beds to lie on
Upstairs; I think I'll go at once and see."
And so there were; she said aloud, "I'll try one,
For I am tired and sleepy as can be."
The biggest bed was not of feathers, surely,
It was so hard; and so she tried the next,
And found it little better; but securely
She sle