"Now I have you all."

"Come along, my little chicks,
I'll take a walk with _you_."
"Hollo!" said the barn-door cock,
"Cock-a-doodle-do!"

Aunt Effie's Rhymes.

_Chickens in Trouble_

"O mother, mother! I'm so cold!"
One little chicken grumbled.
"And, mother!" cried a second chick,
"Against a stone I've stumbled."

"And oh! I am so sleepy now,"
Another chick was moaning;
While chicken fourth of tired wings,
Kept up a constant groaning.

"And, mother! I have such a pain!"
Peeped out the chicken baby;
"That yellow meal did taste so good,
I've eaten too much, may be."

"And there's a black, black cloud up there,"
Cried all in fear and wonder;
"O mother dear, do spread your wings
And let us all creep under."

"There, there, my little dears, come here;
Your cries are quite distressing,"
The mother called, and spread her wings
For comfort and caressing.

And soon beneath her feathers warm,
The little chicks were huddled;
"I know what ailed you all," she said,
"You wanted to be cuddled."

And as they nestled cosily
And hushed their weak complaining,
She told them that the black, black cloud
Was quite too small for raining.

And one by one they all were soothed,
And out again went straying,
Until five happy little chicks
Were in the farmyard playing.

Emilie Poulsson.

_From the Norwegian._

_The Funniest Thing in the World_[5]

The funniest thing in the world, I know,
Is watchin' the monkeys 'at's in the show!--
Jumpin' an' runnin' an' racin' roun',
'Way up the top o' the pole; nen down!
First they're here, an' nen they're there,
An' ist a'most any an' ever'where!--
Screechin' an' scratchin' wherever they go,
They're the funniest thing in the world, I know!

They're the funniest thing in the world, I think:--
Funny to watch 'em eat an' drink;
Funny to watch 'em a-watchin' us,
An' actin' 'most like grown folks does!--
Funny to watch 'em p'tend to be
Skeerd at their tail 'at they happen to see;--
But the funniest thing in the world they do
Is never to laugh, like me an' you!

James Whitcomb Riley.

[Footnote 5: _From "Rhymes of Childhood