T'is more like June than the first of May."
The post said never a word.
"I've just dropped over from Lincolnshire.
My home is in the Cathedral Spire--
The air is cooler and purer the higher
You get--as you've doubtless heard."
So on he chattered with never a stop,
And on and on till you'd think he would drop.
(The post was dumb as your hat.)
But so as the pie could say his say
He didn't care whether it spoke all day;
For thus he observed as he walked away--
"An intelligent creature that."
(Ye second opinion)
Now once when the sky was pouring rain,
The Magpie chanced to come by again--
And there stood the post in the wet.
"Helloa." said the Magpie. "What you here
Pray tell me I beg is there sheltering near--
A terrible day for this time of the year.
T'would make a Saint Anthony fret."
"I beg your pardon--I didn't quite hear."
(Then louder) "I say is there sheltering near"
But the post was as dumb as Death.
"What can't you answer a question pray
You will not--No--Then I'll say good-day."
And flirting his tail he walked away.
"You'r a fool." (this under his breath.)
L'ENVOY
The moral that this story traces
Is--Circumstances alter cases.
Howard Pyle
[Illustration: Ye song of ye foolish old woman. This is an illustrated
poem, with the top half being an old woman going up then down a hill.
The bottom is the poem, with court jesters on either side, left side
titled Hope in Adversity, right titled Fear in Prosperity.
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