The Tartar who dwells on the plains of Thibet

(A desolate region of snow),

Has for centuries made it a nursery pet,
And surely the Tartar should know!

Then tell your papa where the Yak can be got,
And if he is awfully rich,

He will buy you the creature-
e-or else he will not,
(I cannot be positive which).

Hilaire Belloc

SAGE COUNSEL

The Lion is the beast to fight:
He leaps along the plain,

And if you run with all your might,
He runs with all his mane.

I'm glad I'm not a Hottentot,
But if I were, with outward cal-lum
I'd either faint upon the spot
Or hie me up a leafy pal-lum.

The Chamois is the beast to hunt:
He's fleeter than the wind,
And when the Chamois is in front

The hunter is behind.

The Tyrolese make famous cheese

And hunt the Chamois o'er the chaz-zums;
I'd choose the former, if you please,
For precipices give me spaz-zums.

The Polar Bear will make a rug
Almost as white as snow:
But if he gets you in his hug,

He rarely lets you go.

And polar ice looks very nice,
With all the colors of a prissum:

But, if you'll follow my advice,

Stay home and learn your catechissum.
Arthur Quiller-Couch

THE FASTIDIOUS SERPENT

There was a snake that dwelt in Skye,
Over the misty sea, oh;

He lived upon nothing but gooseberry-pie
For breakfast, dinner, and tea, oh.

Now gooseberry-pie-as is very well known-
Over the misty sea, oh,

Is not to be found under every stone,

Nor yet upon every tree, oh.

And being so ili to please with his meat,
Over the misty sea, oh,

The snake had sometimes nothing to eat,

And an angry snake was he, oh.

Then he'd flick his tongue and his head he'd shake,

Over the misty sea, oh,

Crying, "Gooseberry-pie! For goodness' sake,

Some gooseberry-pie for me, oh!"

And if gooseberry-pie was not to be had,

Over the misty sea, oh,

He'd twine and twist like an eel gone mad
Or a worm just stung by a bee, oh.

But though he might shout and wriggle about,
Over the misty sea, oh,

The snake had often to go without

His breakfast, dinner, and tea, oh.

Henry Johnstone

THE PLAINT OF THE CAMEL

Canary-birds feed on sugar and seed,

Parrots have crackers to crunch;

And as for poodles, they tell me the noodles Have chickens and cream for their lunch. But there's never a question

About MY digestionANYTHING does for me!

Cats, you're aware, can repose in a chair,
Chickens can roost upon rails;
Puppies are able to sleep in a stable,
And oysters can slumber in pails.
But no one supposes

A poor Camel dozes—

ANY PLACE does for me!

Lambs are enclosed where it's never exposed,
Coops are constructed for hens;

Kittens are treated to houses well heated,
And pigs are protected by pens.

But a Camel comes handy.

Wherever it's sandy

ANYWHERE does for me!

People would laugh if you rode a giraffe,
Or mounted the back of an ox;
It's nobody's habit to ride on a rabbit,
Or try to bestraddle a fox.

But as for a Camel, he's
Ridden by families—

ANY LOAD does for me!

A snake is as round as a hole in the ground,

And weasels are wavy and sleek;

And no alligator could ever be straighter
Than lizards that live in a creek,

But a Camel's all lumpy
And bumpy and humpy-

ANY SHAPE does for me!

Charles Edward Carryl

THE PURPLE COW

I never Saw a Purple Cow;
I never Hope to See One;
But I can Tell you, Anyhow,
I'd rather See than Be One.

Gelett Burgess