Runaway Donkey and Other Rhymes for Children

<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</SPAN></span></p> <h2>THE PIGEONS</h2> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/052a.jpg" alt="The Pigeons" style="width: 50%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">These are the eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/052b.jpg" alt="This is the nest where the eggs were found" style="width: 30%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the nest where the eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The pretty white eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/052c.jpg" alt="This is the pigeon with soft gray breast" style="width: 30%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the pigeon with soft gray breast<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The nest where the pretty white eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Her own little eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</SPAN></span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/053a.jpg" alt="This is the pigeon-house safe and high" style="width: 30%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the pigeon-house safe and high<br/></span> <span class="i0">(Where never a prowling cat could pry)<br/></span> <span class="i0">Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The nest where the pretty white eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Her own little eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/053b.jpg" alt="This is the barn which the farmer had filled" style="width: 50%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the barn which the farmer had filled<br/></span> <span class="i0">With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled:<br/></span> <span class="i0">The barn near which stood the pigeon-house high<br/></span> <span class="i0">(Where never a prowling cat could pry)<br/></span> <span class="i0">Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest,<br/></span><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</SPAN></span> <span class="i0">The nest where the pretty white eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Her own little eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/054a.jpg" alt="This is the bin full of corn so good" style="width: 30%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the bin full of corn so good<br/></span> <span class="i0">(The little gray pigeon's favorite food).<br/></span> <span class="i0">That was in the barn which the farmer had filled<br/></span> <span class="i0">With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled;<br/></span> <span class="i0">The barn near which stood the pigeon-house high<br/></span> <span class="i0">(Where never a prowling cat could pry)<br/></span> <span class="i0">Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The nest where the pretty white eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Her own little eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/054b.jpg" alt="This is the child so thoughtful and kind" style="width: 10%" /></div> <div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/055a.jpg" alt="Pigeon-house" style="width: 80%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">This is the child so thoughtful and kind<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who went to the bin the corn to find;<br/></span> <span class="i0">The bin, full of corn so yellow and good<br/></span> <span class="i0">(The little gray pigeon's favorite food).<br/></span> <span class="i0">That was in the barn which the farmer had filled<br/></span> <span class="i0">With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled;<br/></span> <span class="i0">The barn near which was the pigeon-house high<br/></span><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</SPAN></span> <span class="i0">(Where never a prowling cat could pry)<br/></span> <span class="i0">Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast<br/></span> <span class="i0">Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The nest where the pretty white eggs were found,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Her own little eggs so smooth and round<br/></span> <span class="i0">That held the wonderful secret.<br/></span></div> </div> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/055b.jpg" alt="The little gray pigeon came fluttering out" style="width: 50%" /></div> <div class="poem1"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">And when the child threw the corn about,<br/></span> <span class="i0">The little gray pigeon came fluttering out<br/></span> <span class="i0">From the door of the pigeon-house safe and high,<br/></span> <span class="i0">And the child heard a faint little cooing cry,&mdash;<br/></span> <span class="i0">A sweet little, wee little murmuring sound;<br/></span> <span class="i0">For, instead of the eggs so smooth and round,<br/></span> <span class="i0">(Perhaps the wonderful secret you've guessed)<br/></span> <span class="i0">Two baby pigeons were in the nest!<br/></span></div> </div> <hr class="chap" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />