"And sometimes with a steadfast stare

Kept looking at the empty air,

As if she saw, beyond,

Some meadow in her native land,
Where formerly she used to stand
A-cooling in the pond.

"If I had only had a drink
Of water then, I almost think
She would have had the half;
But as for John the Carpenter,
He couldn't more have pitied her
If he had been her calf.

"So soft of heart he was and kind To any creature lame, or blind, Unfortunate, or dumb:

Whereby he made a sort of vow,
In sympathising with the Cow,
To give her half his rum ;--

"An oath, from which he never swerv'd, For surely as the rum was serv'd

He shared the cheering dram ; And kindly gave one half at least, Or more, to the complaining beast, Who took it like a lamb.

"At last with overclouding skies A breeze again began to rise,

That stiffen'd to a gale:

Steady, steady, and strong it blew;

And were not we a joyous crew,

As on the Jolly Planter flew

Beneath a press of sail!

"Swiftly the Jolly Planter flew,
And were not we a joyous crew,
At last to sight the land?

A glee there was on every brow,
That like a Christian soul, the Cow
Appear'd to understand.

"And was not she, a mad-like thing To land again and taste the spring, Instead of fiery glass:

About the verdant meads to scour,

And snuff the honey'd cowslip flower, And crop the juicy grass!

66

'Whereby she grew as plump and hale As any beast that wears a tail,

Her skin as sleek as silk

And through all parts of England now

Is grown a very famous Cow,

By giving Rum-and-Milk!"

f

THE THREE BROTHERS

BY THOMAS HOOD.

-Now confess and know,

Wit without money sometimes gives the blow."

VALENTINE

ABENDALI of Bagdad had three sons. the two eldest, very tall and proper youths for their years; but the youngest, on account of the dwarfishness of his stature, was called Little Agib. He had, notwithstanding, a wit and shrewdness very unusual to any, especially of his childish age; whereas his brothers were dull and slow of intellect, to an extraordinary degree.

Now Abendali, though he had money, was not rich enough to leave behind him