THE SWALLOW BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI Fly away, fly away, over the sea, When you come hurrying home o'er the sea, An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig." On her road home, she came to a stile; but the pig would not go over the stile. She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog "Dog, dog, bite pig! Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the dog would not. She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said— "Stick, stick, beat dog! Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the stick would not. She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said— "Fire, fire, burn stick! Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the fire would not. She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she said— "Water, water, quench fire! Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the water would not. She went farther, and she met an ox. said "Ox, ox, drink water! Water won't quench fire; So she Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite-pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the ox would not. She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said "Butcher, butcher, kill ox! Ox won't drink water; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the butcher would not. She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said— "Rope, rope, hang butcher! Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the rope would not. She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said— “Rat, rat, gnaw rope! Rope won't hang butcher; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night." But the rat would not. She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said— |