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A rocky cavern entered,
Was found both dry and light;

‘Here,’ said the dame’s, ‘your strong
And here we stay till night.

First store away your treasure,
Then go and take a walk—
A climb amongst the branches ;
Young folks delight in talk.

But mind you’re down by seven,
The hour I take my tea:

And bring the golden hedgehog
Safe from the top of tree.’

Like two young doves the lovers
Have feathered well their nest ;
And then aloft are soaring,
The dame’s hedgehog in quest.

‘My mother is a queer one,
But, Jack, we must obey ;

For well I know her power
Our actions to repay.

Bough after bough they clambered,
It was a giddy height :

But Jack was half a sailor,
To him ‘twas true delight.

Now they approach fair flowers,
Of ev’ry varied hue :

Now fruit the most delicious—
Jack plucked enough for two.

Once Flora lost her foothold,
And would have come to grief,
But Reynard rushed and caught her :
She trembled like a leaf.

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The tree-top seems far distant,
His cottage but a speck :
Shall they attain the summit ?
Will either break a neck ?

‘But we must get the hedgehog,
Although it is a bore.’

| ‘Never say die!’ says Jack, ‘dear ;’

m9

My song’s “ Excelsior.

The topmost bough surmounted,
They ne’er a pig can see:

There’s nothing but a large fruit—
A pumpkin it must be.

“Tis prickly all over,
Can this be it, my dear?
There’s nothing like a hedgehog
But this, I’m certain, here.

Tis gathered : when, like cannons,
Each large boughcracks and shivers ;

The fruit roll down like hailstones,
Each leaf curls up and withers.

The tree shrinks in a moment,
To barely half its size ;

They slide down in amazement,
Yet hold the prickly prize.

A distant clock strikes seven
As they the cavern reach ;
The gipsy took the pumpkin,
And gave a kiss to each.
‘Now, whilst the tea is brewing,
The hedgehog I must hatch ;
For really ‘tis important
That he is up to scratch.