The Two Bears

Prince Curlilocks remarked one day To Princess Dimplecheek, “I haven’t had a real good play For more than ’most a week.”

Said Princess Dimplecheek, “My dear, Your majesty forgets— This morning we played grenadier With grandpa’s epaulets.

“And yesterday we sailed to Spain— We both were pirates bold, And braved the wild and raging main To seek for hidden gold.”

“True,” said the prince; “I mind me well— Right hardily we fought, And stormed a massive citadel To gain the prize we sought.

“But if your ladyship agrees, Methinks we’ll go upstairs And build a waste of arctic seas, And we’ll be polar bears.”

“Yes, if you’ll promise not to bite,” Fair Dimplecheek replied, Already half-way up the flight, His highness by her side.

“Princess, on that far window-seat, Go, sit thee down and wait, While I ask nursie for a sheet, Or maybe six or eight.”

A pile of sheets his highness brought. “Dear princess, pray take these; Although our path with danger’s fraught, We’ll reach the polar seas.”

Two furry rugs his lordship bore, Two pairs of mittens white; He threw them on the nursery floor And shouted with delight.

He spread those sheets—the funny boy— O’er table, floor, and chair. “Princess,” said he, “don’t you enjoy This frosty, bracing air?

“These snowy sheets are fields of ice, This is an iceberg grim.” “Yes, dear, I think it’s very nice,” She said, and smiled at him.

And then they donned the rugs of fur, The mittens, too, they wore; And Curlilocks remarked to her, “Now you must roar and roar.”

Dimplecheek looked out from the cowl Formed by her furry rug. “I’m ’fraid of bears that only growl— I like the kind that hug.”