Walk in, walk in, mother," said he,
And shut the door behind-

She thought, for such a gentleman,
That he was wondrous kind.

But ere the midnight clock had tolled,
Like a tiger of the wood,

He had eaten the flesh off from her bones
And drunk of her heart's blood!
Now after this fell [1] deed was done,
A little season's space,

The burly [2] Baron of Bluebottle
Was riding from the chase.

The sport was dull, the day was hot,
The sun was sinking down,
When wearily the Baron rode
Into the dusty town.

Says he, "I'll ask a lodging,

At the first house I come to;"
With that, [3] the gate of Web-Spinner
Came suddenly in view.

Loud was the knock the Baron gave→
Down came the churl [4] with glee,
Says Bluebottle, "Good Sir, to-night
I ask your courtesy ;

[1] Fell-fatal, murderous.

[2] Burly-pompous and big.

[3] With that an old phrase meaning-just at that

moment.

[4] Churl-an ill-mannered, miserly person.

I am wearied with a long day's chase-
My friends are far behind.”

66 You may need them all," said Web-Spinner, It runneth in my mind."

66

A Baron am I," said Bluebottle; "From a foreign land I come;'

"I thought as much," said Web-Spinner, "Fools never stay at home!"

Says the baron,

66

Churl, what meaneth this?

I defy you, villain base!"

And he wished the while in his inmost heart
He was safely from the place.

Web-Spinner ran and locked the door,
And a loud laugh laughed he,
With that each one on the other sprang,
And they wrestled furiously.

The Baron was a man of might,

A swordsman of renown;

But the Miser had the stronger arm,

And kept the Baron down.

Then out he took a little cord,

From a pocket at his side,

And with many a crafty cruel knot,
His hands and feet he tied;

And bound him down unto the floor,
And said, in savage jest,

68

There is heavy work in store for you;
So, Baron, take your rest!"

Then up and down his house he went,
Arranging dish and platter,

With a dull and heavy countenance,
As if nothing were the matter.

At length he seized on Bluebottle,

That strong and burly man,

And with many and many a desperate tug
To hoist him up began.

And step by step, and step by step,
He went with heavy tread;
But ere he reached the garret door,
Poor Bluebottle was dead!
Now all this while, a Magistrate,
Who lived in a house hard by, [1]
Had watched Web-Spinner's cruelty
Through a window privily:

So in he bursts, through bolts and bars,
With a loud and thundering sound,
And vowed to burn the house with fire,
And level it with the ground;

But the wicked churl, who all his life
Had looked for such a day,

Passed through a trap-door in the wall,
And took himself away.

But where he went no man could tell,
'Twas said that, under ground,

He died a miserable death,

But his body ne'er was found.

They pulled his house down, stick and stone, "For a caitiff [2] vile as he,"

Said they," within our quiet town

Shall not a dweller be!"

Mary Howitt.

[1] Hard by-close, near at hand, [2] Caitiff-villain, base fellow.

11. THE SPIDER.

The treach'rous Spider, when her nets are spread,
Deep ambush'd [1] in her silent den does lie,
And feels, far off, the trembling of her thread,
Whose filmy cord should bind the struggling Fly;
Then, if at last she find him fast beset,
She issues forth, and runs along her loom, [2]
Eager to seize the captive in her net,
And drag the little wretch in triumph home.
Dryden.

12. THE CONTENTED BLIND BOY.

Oh! say, what is that thing call'd light,
Which I must ne'er enjoy?
What are the blessings of the sight?
Oh! tell a poor Blind Boy!

You talk of wond'rous things you see;
You say the sun shines bright:
I feel him warm, but how can he
Or make it day or night?

My day or night myself I make
Whene'er I sleep or play;
And could I always keep awake
With me 'twere always day.

With heavy sighs I often hear
You mourn my hapless woe;
But sure with patience I can bear
A loss I ne'er can know.

[1] Ambush'd-concealed, with a view to surprise an enemy,

[2] Loom-a weaver's frame-here, the frame of the spider's web.