12 SELECT POETRY

And hark to the funeral dirge'’ of the Bee,

And the Beetie, who follows as solemn as lic !
And see, where so mournful’ the green rushes wave,
The Mole is preparing the Butterfly’s grave.

The Dormouse attended, but cold and forlorn,
And the Gnat slowly winded his shrill little horn ;
And the Moth, being grieved at the loss of a sister,
Bent over her body, and silently kissed her.

The corpse was embalmed at the set of the sun,

And enclosed in a case which the Silk-worm had
spun ;

By the help of the Hornet the coffin was laid

On a bier® out of myrtle and jessamine made.

1n weepers and scarfs‘ came the Butterflies all,

And six of their number supported the pall ;

And the Spider came there in his mourning so black,

But the fire of the Glow-worm soon frightened him
back,

The Grub left his nut-shell to join the sad throng,
And slowly led with him the Book-worm along,

Who wept his poor neighbour's unfortunate doom,
And wrote these few lines, to be placed on his tomb:

Epirapg.

At this solemn spot, where the green rushes wave,
In sadness we bent o’er the Butterfly’s grave ;

‘ Dirge—a mournful song, proper for a funeral service.

2 Mournful—mournfully.

3 Bier—a frame used for carrying and supporting the dead,
@ Weepers und scarjs—articles of dress worn at funerals,