THE RUNAWAY DONKEY

A sturdy little donkey, All dressed in sober gray, Once took it in his long-eared head That he would run away. So, when a little open He saw the stable door, He ran as if he never would Come back there any more.

Away that donkey galloped And ran and ran and ran And ran and ran and ran and ran And RAN and RAN and RAN!

Behind him ran the children, The groom and coachman, too;

The farmer and the farmer's man, To see what they could do.

Some carried whips to whip him; Some, oats to coax him near; Some called, "Come here, you foolish beast!" And some, "Come, Barney, dear." But not a whit cared Barney For cross or coaxing word; And clatter, clatter, clatter still, His little hoofs were heard. And all across the meadow, And up and o'er the hill, And through the woods and down the dale He galloped with a will. And into every hay field And through the swamp and mire Still Barney ran and ran and ran As if he'd never tire!

His chasers all stopped running; Then meek as any lamb Did Barney stand, as if to say, "Come catch me! Here I am."

But when one of them started, Then Barney started too; As if the chase had just begun, Away he swiftly flew. But there's an end to all things, And so, the stupid elf, When no one else could capture him This donkey caught himself. For, running in the barnyard, He did not calculate What consequences would befall, And hit the swinging gate.

It quickly swung together; Down dropped the iron latch. Oh, Barney Gray, to think that you The runaway should catch!

The children danced with pleasure, The groom roared with delight, The others smiled their broadest smiles Or laughed with all their might. But Barney, naughty Barney, Had mischief in him still; For when the laughing coachman tried To lead him up the hill,

His donkeyship determined That he would yet have fun, So braced himself and stood stock still As if he weighed a ton! But mighty was the coachman And pulled with such a will That Barney soon was being dragged Full roughly up the hill.

"Well, well!" at last thought Barney, "The coachman is so strong, I might as well be good just now," And so he walked along. And when he reached the stable And stood within his stall You'd scarce believe so meek a beast Could run away at all!

But all the meditations Of this meek Barney Gray Are only of some future time When he may run away.