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Land of play

GOOD-NIGHT AND GOOD-MORNING.

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Illustration from Land of play: Verses, rhymes, stories

A fair little girl sat under the tree Sewing as long as her eyes could see; Then smoothed her work and folded it right, And said, “Dear work, good-night, good-night!” Such a number of rooks came over her head Crying, “Caw, caw!” on their way to bed; She said as she watched their curious flight, “Little black things, good-night, good-night!” The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed; The sheep’s “Bleat, bleat!” came over the road, All seeming to say with a quiet delight, “Good little girl, good-night, good-night!” She did not say to the sun, “Good-night!” Though she saw him there like a ball of light; For she knew he had God’s own time to keep All over the world, and never could sleep. The tall, pink Fox-glove bowed his head— The violets curtesied, and went to bed; And good little Lucy tied up her hair And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer. And while on her pillow she softly lay, She knew nothing more till again it was day, And all things said to the beautiful sun, “Good-morning, good-morning! our work is begun.”

—Lord Houghton.

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