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Brownies: Their Book

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[68] <h2>THE BROWNIES IN THE MENAGERIE.</h2> <div class='center'> <table class="menagerie" summary="menagerie"> <tr><td align='left'> HE Brownies heard the news with glee, That in a city near the sea A spacious building was designed For holding beasts of every kind. From polar snows, from desert sand, From mountain peak, and timbered land, The beasts with claw and beasts with hoof, All met beneath one slated roof. That night, like bees before the wind, With home in sight, and storm behind, The band of Brownies might be seen, All scudding from the forest green. Less time it took the walls to scale Than is required to tell the tale. The art that makes the lock seem weak, The bolt to slide, the hinge to creak, Was theirs to use as heretofore, With good effect, on sash and door; And soon the band stood face to face With all the wonders of the place. </td></tr> </table></div> [69] <div class='poem'> To Brownies, as to children dear, The monkey seemed a creature queer; They watched its skill to climb and cling, By either toe or tail to swing; Perhaps they got some hints that might Come well in hand some future night, When climbing up a wall or tree, Or chimney, as the case might be. </div> <div class='center'> <table class="off" summary="off"> <tr><td align='left'> <div class='poem7'> Then off to other parts they'd range To gather 'round some creature strange; To watch the movements of the bear, Or at the spotted serpents stare. Around the sleeping lion long They stood an interested throng, Debating o'er its strength of limb, Its heavy mane or visage grim. </div> </td></tr> </table></div> [70] <div class='center'> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem and illustratin"> <tr><td align='left'><ANTIMG src="images/i070a.png" width-obs="258" height-obs="339" alt="On a turtle" title="" /> </td><td align='left'>The mammoth turtle from its pen Was driven 'round and 'round again, And though the coach proved rather slow They kept it hours upon the go. Said one, "Before your face and eyes I'll take that snake from where it lies, And like a Hindoo of the East, Benumb and charm the crawling beast, Then twist him 'round me on the spot And tie him in a sailor's knot." Another then was quick to shout, </td></tr> </table></div> <div class='poem'> "We'll leave that snake performance out! I grant you all the power you claim To charm, to tie, to twist and tame; But let me still suggest you try Your art when no one else is nigh. Of all the beasts that creep or crawl From Rupert's Land to China's wall, In torrid, mild, or frigid zone, The snake is best to let alone." </div> <div class='center'> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem and illustration"> <tr><td align='left'>Against this counsel, seeming good, At least a score of others stood. Said one, "My friend, suppress alarm; There's nothing here to threaten harm. Be sure the power that mortals hold Is not denied the Brownies bold." </td><td align='left'><ANTIMG src="images/i070b.png" width-obs="202" height-obs="160" alt="Talking" title="" /> </td></tr> </table></div> [71] <div class='poem'> So, harmlessly as silken bands The snakes were twisted in their hands. Some hauled them freely 'round the place; Some braided others in a trace; And every knot to sailors known, Was quickly tied, and quickly shown. Thus, 'round from cage to cage they went, For some to smile, and some comment </div> <div class='center'> <table class="dealing" summary="dealing"> <tr><td align='left'><div class='poem7'> On Nature's way of dealing out To this a tail, to that a snout </div> </td></tr> </table></div> <div class='poem'> Of extra length, and then deny To something else a fair supply. —But when the bear and tiger growled, And wolf and lynx in chorus howled, And starting from its broken sleep, The lion rose with sudden leap, And, bounding 'round the rocking cage, With lifted mane, roared loud with rage, And thrust its paws between the bars, Until it seemed to shake the stars,— </div> [72] <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i072.png" width-obs="306" height-obs="373" alt="cages" title="" /></div> <div class='poem'> A panic seized the Brownies all, And out they scampered from the hall, As if they feared incautious men Had built too frail a prison pen. </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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