of bird,The bark of dog
And croak of frog,
Around the whole plantation.
Joyfully Tim and Tilly spied
Animals of all ages;
Some walking with a stately stride,
And some shut up in cages.
In kennels, stables, stalls, and pens,
In coops and holes and caves and dens,
In ponds and brooks,
In nests and nooks,
Were creatures of all ages.
Now Tilly, as I must admit,
Was just a trifle fearful;
But Tim said, "I don't mind a bit,
They're all so kind and cheerful."
And this was true. You never saw
Animals that inspired less awe;
Even the Bears
Sat in their lairs
With aspect kind and cheerful.
"Dear Mother Goose," then Tilly said,
"May we not interview them?
That dog, and lamb, and robin red,
I feel as if I knew them!"
Said Mother Goose, "No doubt you do;
I rather think they know you, too.
Just try and see
How glad they'll be
To have you interview them."
So Tim and Tilly, hand in hand,
Into the Zoo went bravely;
They met a dog who nodded, and
Regarded them quite gravely.
A handsome dog, and so well-bred,
With big brown eyes and noble head.
Upon a mat
He calmly sat,
Regarding them quite gravely.
"I think, dear," Tilly said to Tim,
"We'll interview this fellow;
Somehow I like the looks of him
With his gay coat of yellow."
"All right," said Tim, "let's have a chat
With Mr. Dog upon his mat;
We'll draw him out
And I've no doubt,
He'll prove a merry fellow."
Mother Hubbard's Dog
Said Tilly and Tim, "We'll speak to him now,
And hear what he has to say."
To the well-dressed dog they made a bow,
And said, in their pleasantest way:
"Doggy, pray how do you do?
Grant us an interview;
We' re going the rounds
Of these wide-spreading grounds,
And we want to begin with you."
The dog arose, and, bowing low,
Said with a cordial smile,
"I'm Old Mother Hubbard's dog, you know,
That's why I'm dressed in style."
"Oho!" said Tilly and Tim,
Greatly admiring him,
"Pray tell how you came
To live with the dame,—
Was it a frivolous whim?"
"Well," said the dog, " 'twas thus, you see;
When I was a tiny pup,
Somehow it always seemed to me
I'd be famous when I grew up.
In the dog-days I was born,
When the dog-star shone in the morn;
And what do you s'pose?
A little dog-rose
Did always my collar adorn. "
"I lived in a dog-wood, dark and drear,
Where nothing to eat I spied
But a dog-berry now and then, or I fear
I frequently might have died.
When one fine day, by chance,
I saw Mother Hubbard advance.
To her then I ran,
And quickly began
To turn somersaults and dance.
" 'Oho,' said the dear old dame, said she,
'A dog like you, I think,
I'd like to adopt to live with me.'
Said I as quick as a wink:
'Oh, Mother Hubbard, pray do
Take me to live with you;
You'll certainly find
I'm gentle and kind,
Faithful and honest and true.'
" 'To that,' said the old dame, 'I agree.'
She adopted me then and there,
And for many years she gave to me
The best and kindest care.
