pt upon the smallest one, unvext.
The little house belonged to bears, not persons;
The Father Bear, so very rough and large;
The Mother Bear (I have known many worse ones);

[Illustration]

And then the little Cub, their only charge.
They had gone for a walk before their dinner;
Returning, Father growled, "Who's touched my soup?"
"Who's touched my soup?" said Mother, with voice thinner;
"But mine," said little Cub, "is finished up!"
They turned to draw their chairs a little nearer;
"Who's sat in my chair?" growled the Father Bear;
"Who's sat in my chair?" said the Mother, clearer;
And squeaked the little Cub, "Who's broken my small chair?"

[Illustration]

They rushed upstairs, and Father Bruin, growling,
Cried out, "Who's lain upon my bed?"
"Who's lain on mine?" cried Mother Bruin, howling;

[Illustration]

"But some one _lies_ on mine!" the small Bear said.
"We'll kill the child, and eat her for our dinner,"
The Father growled; but said the Mother, "No;
For supper she shall be, and I will skin her."
"No," said the little Cub, "we'll let her go."

[Illustration]

So Silverlocks, in sudden terror flying,
Reached home; and when the Nurse the story hears,
She says, "You are in luck, there's no denying,
To get away in safety from THREE BEARS."

[Illustration]

[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 ABSURD A.B.C.

John Lane
The Bodley Head
London & New York

[Illustration: A B C D]

A for the APPLE or Alphabet pie,
Which all get a slice of. Come taste it & try.

B is the BABY who gave Mr. Bunting
Full many a long day's rabbit skin hunting.

C for the CAT that played on the fiddle
When cows jumped higher than 'Heigh Diddle Diddle!'

D for the DAME with her pig at the stile,
'Tis said they got over, but not yet a while.

[Illustration: E F G]

E for the Englishman, ready to make fast
The giant who wanted to have him for breakfast.

F for the Frog in the story you know,
Begun with a wooing but ending in woe.

G fo