THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

WIL

By MARY HOWITT

ILL you walk into my parlor?"
Said a spider to a fly;

'Tis the prettiest little parlor
That ever you did spy.
The way into my parlor

Is up a winding stair,
And I have many pretty things

To show when you are there."
"Oh, no, no!" said the little fly,
"To ask me is in vain;

For who goes up your winding stair
Can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary With soaring up so high;

Will you rest upon my little bed?"

Said the spider to the fly.

"There are pretty curtains drawn around, The sheets are fine and thin;

And if you like to rest awhile,
I'll snugly tuck you in."
"Oh, no, no!" said the little fly,
"For I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again
Who sleep upon your bed."

Said the cunning spider to the fly,
"Dear friend, what shall I do

To prove the warm affection
I've always felt for you?

I have within my pantry
Good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome-
Will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh, no, no!" said the little fly;
"Kind sir, that cannot be;
I've heard what's in your pantry,
And I do not wish to see."

"Sweet creature," said the spider,
"You're witty and you're wise;
How handsome are your gauzy wings,
How brilliant are your eyes.
I have a little looking-glass
Upon my parlor shelf;

If you'll step in one moment, dear,
You shall behold yourself."

"I thank you, gentle sir," she said,

"For what you're pleased to say, And bidding you good morning, now, I'll call another day."

The spider turned him round about,

And went into his den,

For well he knew the silly fly

Would soon be back again;

So he wove a subtle thread
In a little corner sly,
And set his table ready
To dine upon the fly.

He went out to his door again,
And merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty fly,
With the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple,
There's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright,
But mine are dull as lead."

Alas, álas! how very soon

This silly little fly,

Hearing his wily, flattering words,

Came slowly flitting by:

With buzzing wings she hung aloft,
Then near and nearer drew-
Thought only of her brilliant eyes
And green and purple hue;
Thought only of her crested head—
Poor foolish thing! At last
Up jumped the cunning spider,
And fiercely held her fast.

He dragged her up his winding stair,
Into his dismal den,
Within his little parlor—but

She ne'er came out again!
And now, dear little children
Who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words,

I

pray you, ne'er give heed: Unto an evil counsellor

Close heart and ear and eye,

And learn a lesson from this tale
Of the spider and the fly.

A FAREWELL

By CHARLES KINGSLEY

My fairest child, I have no song to give you; No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray; Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them, all day long: And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand sweet song.

A

QUEEN ALICE

By LEWIS CARROLL

LICE threw herself down to rest on a lawn as soft as moss, with little flower beds dotted about it here and there. "Oh, how glad I am to get here! And what is this on my head?" she exclaimed, as she put her hands up to something very heavy, that fitted tight all round her head.

"But how can it have got there without my knowing it?" she said to herself, as she lifted it off, and set it on her lap to make out what it could possibly be. It was a golden crown.

"Well, this is grand!" said Alice. "I never expected I should be a queen so soon-and I'll tell you what it is, your majesty," she went on in a severe tone (she was always rather fond of scolding herself), “it'll never do for you to be lolling about on the grass like that! Queens have to be dignified, you know!"

So she got up and walked about-rather stiffly just at first, as she was afraid that the crown might come off: but she comforted herself with the thought that there was nobody to see her; "and if I really am a queen," she said, as she sat down again, "I shall be able to manage it quite well in time."

Everything was happening so oddly that she didn't feel a bit surprised at finding the Red Queen and the White Queen sitting close to her, one on

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