AUNT MARIA'S SWALLOWS. 61

And when the young birds broke the shell,
 He took a generous share
In her hourly task to feed them well
 With insects from the air.

But when they taught the brood to fly,
 'Twas curious to see
How hard the parent birds would try,
 And twitter coaxingly.

From beam to beam, from floor to nest,
 With eager haste they flew;
They could not take a moment's rest,
 They had so much to do.

For a long while they vainly strived,
 Both male and female swallow;
In vain they soared, in vain they dived,-
 The young ones would not follow.

The little helpless timid things
 Looked up, and looked below,
And thought, before they tried their wings,
 They'd take more time to grow.

The parents seemed at last to tire
 Of their incessant labours,
And forth they went, to beg or hire
 Assistance from their neighbours.

And soon they came, with rushing noise,
 Some eight or ten, or more,
Much like a troop of merry boys
 Before the school-house door.

They flew about, and perched about,
 In every sort of style,
And called aloud with constant shout,
 And watched the nest the while.