Another Brownie Book

<h2><SPAN name="THE_BROWNIES_AND_THE_WHALE" id="THE_BROWNIES_AND_THE_WHALE"></SPAN>THE BROWNIES <ANTIMG src="images/i049a.jpg" width-obs="80" height-obs="123" alt="" /><br/> AND THE WHALE.</h2> <div class="container"> <div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> <span class="figpoeml"> <ANTIMG src="images/i049b.jpg" width-obs="80" height-obs="124" alt="A" class="alignlefta" /> </span> <div class="i5">S Brownies chanced at eve to stray</div> <div class="i6">Around a wide but shallow bay,</div> <span class="figpoemr"> <ANTIMG src="images/i049c.jpg" width-obs="64" height-obs="120" alt="" class="alignright" /> </span> <div class="i6">Not far from shore, to their surprise,</div> <div class="i6">They saw a whale of monstrous size,</div> <div class="i7">That, favored by the wind and tide,</div> <div class="i7">Had ventured in from ocean wide,</div> <div class="i7">But waves receding by-and-by,</div> <div class="i7">Soon left him with a scant supply.</div> <ANTIMG src="images/i049d.jpg" width-obs="560" height-obs="403" alt="" class="aligncenter" /> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</SPAN></span> <div class="i7">At times, with flaps and lunges strong</div> <span class="figpoeml"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050a.jpg" width-obs="100" height-obs="114" alt="" class="alignleft" /> </span> <div class="i7">He worked his way some yards along,</div> <div class="i7">Till on a bar or sandy marge</div> <div class="i7">He grounded like a leaden barge.</div> <div class="i7">"A chance like this for all the band,"</div> <span class="figpoemr"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050b.jpg" width-obs="100" height-obs="120" alt="" class="alignright" /> </span> <div class="i7">Cried one, "but seldom comes to hand.</div> <div class="i7">I know the bottom of this bay</div> <div class="i7">Like those who made the coast survey.</div> <div class="i7">'Tis level as a threshing-floor</div> <div class="i7">And shallow now from shore to shore;</div> <div class="i7">That creature's back will be as dry</div> <ANTIMG src="images/i050c.jpg" width-obs="100" height-obs="119" alt="" class="aligncenter" /> <div class="i2">As hay beneath a tropic sky,</div> <div class="i2">Till morning tide comes full and free</div> <div class="i2">And gives him aid to reach the sea."</div> <div class="i2">"I catch the hint!" another cried;</div> <div class="i2">"Let all make haste to gain his side</div> <div class="i7">Then clamber up as best we may,</div> <div class="i7">And ride him round till break of day."</div> <span class="figpoeml"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050d.jpg" width-obs="100" height-obs="117" alt="" class="alignleft" /> </span> <div class="i10">At once, the band in great delight</div> <div class="i10">Went splashing through the water bright,</div> <div class="i10">And soon to where he rolled about</div> <div class="i10">They lightly swam, or waded out.</div> <div class="i10">Now climbing up, the Brownies tried</div> <span class="figpoemr"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050e.jpg" width-obs="100" height-obs="105" alt="" class="alignright" /> </span> <div class="i10">To take position for the ride.</div> <div class="i10">Some lying down a hold maintained;</div> <span class="figpoeml"> <ANTIMG src="images/i050f.jpg" width-obs="84" height-obs="120" alt="" class="alignleft" /> </span> <div class="i7">More, losing place as soon as gained,</div> <div class="i7">Were forced a dozen times to scale</div> <div class="i7">The broad side of the stranded whale.</div> <div class="i7">Now half-afloat and half-aground</div> <div class="i7">The burdened monster circled round,</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</SPAN></span> <ANTIMG src="images/i051.jpg" width-obs="500" height-obs="523" alt="" class="aligncenter" /></div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="i7">Still groping clumsily about</div> <div class="i7">As if to find the channel out,</div> <div class="i7">And Brownies clustered close, in fear</div> <div class="i7">That darker moments might be near.</div> <div class="i7">And soon the dullest in the band</div> <div class="i7">Was sharp enough to understand</div> <div class="i7">The creature was no longer beached,</div> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</SPAN></span> <div class="i7">But deeper water now had reached.</div> <div class="i7">For plunging left, or plunging right,</div> <div class="i7">Or plowing downward in his might,</div> <div class="i7">The fact was plain, as plain could be&mdash;</div> <div class="i7">The whale was working out to sea!</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="i7">A creeping fear will seize the mind</div> <div class="i7">As one is leaving shores behind,</div> <div class="i7">And knows the bark whereon he sails</div> <div class="i7">Is hardly fit to weather gales.</div> <div class="i7">Soon Fancy, with a graphic sweep,</div> <div class="i7">Portrays the nightmares of the deep;</div> <div class="i7">While they can see, with living eye,</div> <div class="i7">The terrors of the air sweep by.</div> <span class="figpoeml"> <ANTIMG src="images/i052.jpg" width-obs="166" height-obs="150" alt="" class="alignleft" /> </span></div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="i11">For who would not a fierce bird dread,</div> <div class="i11">If it came flying at his head?</div> <div class="i11">And these were hungry, squawking things,</div> <div class="i11">With open beaks and flapping wings.</div> <div class="i11">They made the Brownies dodge and dip,</div> <div class="i11">Into the sea they feared to slip.</div> <div class="i11">The birds they viewed with chattering teeth,</div> <div class="i11">Yet dreaded more the foes beneath.</div> <div class="i7">The lobster, with his ready claw;</div> <div class="i7">The fish with sword, the fish with saw;</div> <div class="i7">The hermit-crab, in coral hall,</div> <div class="i7">Averse to every social call;</div> <div class="i7">The father-lasher, and the shrimp,</div> <div class="i7">The cuttle-fish, or ocean imp,</div> <div class="i7">All these increase the landsman's fright,</div> <div class="i7">As shores are fading out of sight.</div> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</SPAN></span> <div class="i7">Such fear soon gained complete command</div> <div class="i7">Of every Brownie in the band.</div> <div class="i7">They looked behind, where fair and green</div> <div class="i7">The grassy banks and woods were seen.</div> <div class="i7">They looked ahead, where white and cold</div> <div class="i7">The foaming waves of ocean rolled,</div> <div class="i7">And then, with woful faces drew</div> <div class="i7">Comparisons between the two.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <ANTIMG src="images/i053.jpg" width-obs="550" height-obs="364" alt="" class="aligncenter" /></div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="i7">Some blamed themselves for action rash</div> <div class="i7">Against all reason still to dash</div> <div class="i7">In danger's way, and never think</div> <div class="i7">Until they stood on ruin's brink.</div> <div class="i7">While others threw the blame on those</div> <div class="i7">Who did the risky trip propose.</div> <div class="i7">But meantime deep and deeper still</div> <div class="i7">The whale was settling down until</div> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</SPAN></span> <div class="i7">His back looked like an island small</div> <div class="i7">That scarce gave standing-room to all.</div> <div class="i7">But, when their chance seemed slight indeed</div> <div class="i7">To sport again o'er dewy mead,</div> <div class="i7">The spouting whale, with movement strong,</div> <div class="i7">Ran crashing through some timbers long</div> <div class="i7">That lumbermen had strongly tied</div> <div class="i7">In cribs and rafts, an acre wide.</div> <ANTIMG src="images/i054.jpg" width-obs="454" height-obs="500" alt="" class="aligncenter" /> <hr class="tb" /></div> <div class="stanza"> <ANTIMG src="images/i055a.jpg" width-obs="560" height-obs="300" alt="" class="aligncenter" /></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</SPAN></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="i7">'Twas then, in such a trying hour,</div> <div class="i7">The Brownies showed their nerve and power.</div> <div class="i7">The diving whale gave little time</div> <div class="i7">For them to choose a stick to climb,&mdash;</div> <div class="i7">But grips were strong; no hold was lost,</div> <div class="i7">However high the logs were tossed;</div> <div class="i7">By happy chance the boom remained</div> <div class="i7">That to the nearest shore was chained,</div> <div class="i7">And o'er that bridge the Brownies made</div> <div class="i7">A safe retreat to forest shade.</div> <ANTIMG src="images/i055b.jpg" width-obs="500" height-obs="280" alt="" class="aligncenter" /></div> </div></div> <hr class="chap" /> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</SPAN></span></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />