"I've spun a piece of hempen cloth,
And I want to spin another-
A little sheet for Mary's bed
And an apron for her mother!'

"And with that I could not help but laugh,
And I laughed out loud and free;
And then on the top of the Caldon-Low
There was no one left but me.

"And all on the top of the Caldon-Low The mists were cold and gray,

And nothing I saw but the mossy stones That round about me lay.

"But as I came down from the hilltop,

I heard, afar below,

How busy the jolly miller was,

And how merry the wheel did go.

"And I peeped into the widow's field,
And, sure enough, was seen
The yellow ears of the mildewed corn
All standing stiff and green!

"And down by the weaver's croft I stole, To see if the flax were high;

But I saw the weaver at his gate
With the good news in his eye!

"Now, this is all that I heard, mother,
And all that I did see;

So, prithee, make my bed, mother,
For I'm tired as I can be!"

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST?

By L. MARIA CHILD

NO-WHIT! to-whit! to-whee!

TWill you listen to me?

Who stole four eggs I laid,

And the nice nest I made?"

"Not I," said the cow; "Moo-oo! Such a thing I'd never do.

I

gave you a wisp of hay,

But didn't take your nest away.

Not I," said the cow; "Moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!
Now, what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum tree, to-day?"

"Not I," said the dog; "Bow-wow!
I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow!
I gave hairs the nest to make,
But the nest I did not take.
Not I," said the dog; "Bow-wow!
I'm not so mean, anyhow."

"Not I," said the sheep; "Oh, no!
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so.
I gave wool the nest to line,
But the nest was none of mine.
Baa! Baa!" said the sheep; "Oh, no,
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Chirr-a-whirr! Chirr-a-whirr!

All the birds make a stir!
Let us find out his name,
And all cry, 'For shame!'"

"I would not rob a bird,"
Said little Mary Green;
"I think I never heard
Of anything so mean."

"It is very cruel, too,"
Said little Alice Neal;
"I wonder if he knew

How sad the bird would feel?"

A little boy hung down his head,
And went and hid behind the bed;
For he stole that pretty nest
From poor little yellow-breast;
And he felt so full of shame,
He didn't like to tell his name.

In this little dialogue, what part do the birds

take? What part do the animals take?