32 SELECT POETRY

He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee
home ;

A blessed day for thee! then whither wouldst thou
roam P

A faithful nurse thou hast, the dam that did thee
yean !

Upon the mountain tops, no kinder could have been.

Thou know’st that twice a day, I have brought
thee in this can

Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran:

And twice, too, in the day, when the ground is
wet with dew,

I bring thee draughts of milk, warm milk it is,
and new.

It will not, will not rest !— Poor creature, can it be

That ‘tis thy mother’s heart that is working so in
thee ?

Things that I know not of, belike to thee are dear,

And dreams of things which thou canst neither
see nor hear.

Alas! the mountain tops, that look so green and fair!
I’ve heard of fearful winds and darkness that come
there ;
The little brooks that seem all pastime and all play,
When they are angry, roar like lions for their prey.
Here thou need’st not fear the raven in the sky ;
Night and day thou'rt safe—our cottage is hard by.
Why bleat so after me? why pull so at thy chain?
Sleep—and at break of day I will come to thee
again !” Wordsworth.
1 That did thee yean—that gave birth to thee.