The poetical works of George MacDonald Volume Ii Part 26

He said to the sunset far in the west, "Come here; I want you; 'tis my behest!"

And the sunset came and stood up on the wold, And burned and glowed in purple and gold.

Then Little Boy Blue began to ponder: "What's to be done with them all, I wonder!"

He thought a while, then he said, quite low, "What to do with you all, I am sure I don't know!"

The clouds clodded down till dismal it grew; The snake sneaked close; round Birdie Brown flew;

The brook, like a cobra, rose on its tail, And the wind sank down with a _what-will-you_ wail,

And all the creatures sat and stared; The mole opened the eyes that he hadn't, and glared;

And for rats and bats, and the world and his wife Little Boy Blue was afraid of his life.

Then Birdie Brown began to sing, And what he sang was the very thing:

"Little Boy Blue, you have brought us all hither: Pray, are we to sit and grow old together?"

"Go away; go away," said Little Boy Blue; "I'm sure I don't want you! get away--do."

"No, no; no, no; no, yes, and no, no,"

Sang Birdie Brown, "it mustn't be so!

"If we've come for no good, we can't go away.

Give us reason for going, or here we stay!"

They covered the earth, they darkened the air, They hovered, they sat, with a countless stare.

"If I do not give them something to do, They will stare me up!" said Little Boy Blue.

"Oh dear! oh dear!" he began to cry, "They're an awful crew, and I feel so shy!"

All of a sudden he thought of a thing, And up he stood, and spoke like a king:

"You're the plague of my life! have done with your bother!

Off with you all: take me back to my mother!"

The sunset went back to the gates of the west.

"Follow _me_" sang Birdie, "I know the way best!"

"I am going the same way as fast as I can!"

Said the brook, as it sank and turned and ran.

To the wood fled the shadows, like scared black ghosts: "If we stay, we shall all be missed from our posts!"

Said the wind, with a voice that had changed its cheer, "I was just going there when you brought me here!"

"That's where I live," said the sack-backed squirrel, And he turned his sack with a swing and a swirl.

Said the gold weather-c.o.c.k, "I'm the churchwarden!"

Said the mole, "I live in the parson's garden!"

Said they all, "If that's where you want us to steer for, What on earth or in air did you bring us here for?"

"You are none the worse!" said Boy. "If you won't Do as I tell you, why, then, don't;

"I'll leave you behind, and go home without you; And it's time I did: I begin to doubt you!"

He jumped to his feet. The snake rose on his tail, And hissed three times, a hiss full of bale,

And shot out his tongue at Boy Blue to scare him, And stared at him, out of his courage to stare him.

"You ugly snake," Little Boy Blue said, "Get out of my way, or I'll break your head!"

The snake would not move, but glared at him glum; Boy Blue hit him hard with the stick of his drum.

The snake fell down as if he was dead.

Little Boy Blue set his foot on his head.

"Hurrah!" cried the creatures, "hurray! hurrah!

Little Boy Blue, your will is a law!"

And away they went, marching before him, And marshalled him home with a high c.o.c.kolorum.

And Birdie Brown sang, _"Twirrr twitter, twirrr twee!

In the rosiest rose-bush a rare nest!

Twirrr twitter, twirrr twitter, twirrr twitter, twirrrrr tweeeee!

In the fun he has found the earnest!"_

_WILLIE'S QUESTION_.

I.

_Willie speaks._

Is it wrong, the wish to be great, For I do wish it so?

I have asked already my sister Kate; She says she does not know.

Yestereve at the gate I stood Watching the sun in the west; When I saw him look so grand and good It swelled up in my breast.

Next from the rising moon It stole like a silver dart; In the night when the wind began his tune It woke with a sudden start.

This morning a trumpet blast Made all the cottage quake; It came so sudden and shook so fast It blew me wide awake.

It told me I must make haste, And some great glory win, For every day was running to waste, And at once I must begin.