Fytte VI. The Bear.

Eugene would often take his lunch, Of dry black bread a monstrous hunch, Into a wood—ere he got through it He wished he'd some nice honey to it— When all at once it chanced a bee He saw creep up a hollow tree; Another came, then two, and three. "Hurrah! there's honey here for me," Eugene exclaimed, "No more I'll eat This nasty bread, but have a treat."—

"Honey for ever!" up he clomb To the trees fork—the honey comb He saw below him in the beech Hollowed by age, beyond his reach—

His hold he missed and sad to tell Down midst the honey combs he fell;

Into the cakes his boots went crush, As though it were mere muddy slush.

Honey he found but every school-boy knows He cannot eat his sweetmeats with his clothes.

Another Bee Hunter that way One Mister Bruin chanced to stray; A dancing Bear by trade was he, But fond of honey—certainly!

"If I smell right here's honey comb"; He said, or thought; then upwards clomb.

Eugene below, half dead with fear, Saw the bears hinder's drawing near,

With both hands gripped him tight and had a

Mount upwards by this living ladder; Sure never little lad was gladder.

Meanwhile John Dull, a spying round, The self same honey tree had found;

Up to the fork himself he reared When Bruin's ugly mug appeared. Augh, back he fell through utter fright; Close to his tail did Braun alight; And by Braun's heels Braun's parasite.

Braun seized John Dull with either claw, Just as himself was seized before;

John pulling out his hunting knife Cut off his tail to save his life;

Sam Dutton here did interveen, "To shoot that grizzly bear I mean"! But Braun was nowhere to be seen.

Early next morn came sawyers two, And sawed the Honey tree right through;

There stuck the boots of young Eugene;

He drew them out, and licked them clean; Such blacking ne'er before was seen! While John Dull, from the luscious store, Filled twenty honey pots or more.