Buzz a Buzz: or, The Bees

John slept, John snored; then ope'd his eyes
And stared about him with surprise.

"What's this I see come crawling on?"
"Sure, 'tis a strange phenomenon."

A winged beast, with tail, and claws
On his four feet, which end in paws.

With stealthy pace on on it crawled,
John turned upon his face, and bawled.

John's hair as this strange beast drew near
His night cap raised for very fear.

On its hind legs itself it reared,
As it its squalling master neared,

Nearer still nearer – till he got

The much desired honey pot.

Turns tail and runs; whilst Johnnie sits
Bolt up, divested of his wits.

A pearly drop on every hair
Hangs pendant, not from heat, but fear.

Eugene his garret sought, and there
Ate honey, like his friend the bear,
The pot he emptied mighty soon,
Using his paws instead of spoon.

Fytte IX. The Honey Thief

The flowers which Christine culled at morn
At eve were withered, and forlorn.

These withered flowers Dick sadly took,
And placed them in his music book;
Then put the book upon the table,
And pressed, the best that he was able.

The pressed flowers took a wondrous shape,
Which seemed the human form to ape;
And in these specimens, Christine
Is imaged, and her Dicky Dean.

Ten sounded from the old church tower —
Before the last stroke of the hour,
Close by the bee-house Richard Dean,
His last new coat on, might be seen;
Christine, arrayed in all her charms,
Was there, and rushed into his arms.

"Hist! what's that sound?" alack! alack!
A thief, with crotchet at his back —
A Honey thief – ill may he thrive.

Each crept into a monster hive.

The thief peered round; "This will I take" —
"This big one will my fortune make."

Then hoisted Dicky, hive and all,
Upon his back so lean, so tall —

"Halt," shouted Dicky, and the head
Of his strange monture bonneted;

Held him down tight, and with a stick
Passed 'twixt his legs, secured him quick.

And Christine, what must she have felt
While Bruin round about her smelt?
Out of the hive she softly stole;

In crept the bear and through the hole
At the hive's top he poked his nose;
Christine her ready courage shows,

She through his nose ring passed a stick,
Which from the ground she happed to pick.

Poor Bruin rolled upon his back,
And grunted out alas! alack!

So after all these strange alarms,
Again Dick rushed into her arms.

John Dull by chance came strolling by,
His hives upset first met his eye;
He saw they both were tenanted —
Amazed he looked, then scratched his head;

Peered all around, espied Christine
And her own true love Dicky Dean;
Behind the bee house they were placed,
And Dicky's arm was round her waist.