and charm the crawling beast,
Then twist him 'round me on the spot
And tie him in a sailor's knot."
Another then was quick to shout,
"We'll leave that snake performance out!
I grant you all the power you claim
To charm, to tie, to twist and tame;
But let me still suggest you try
Your art when no one else is nigh.
Of all the beasts that creep or crawl
From Rupert's Land to China's wall,
In torrid, mild, or frigid zone,
The snake is best to let alone."

Against this counsel, seeming good,
At least a score of others stood.
Said one, "My friend, suppress alarm;
There's nothing here to threaten harm.
Be sure the power that mortals hold
Is not denied the Brownies bold."

[Illustration]

So, harmlessly as silken bands
The snakes were twisted in their hands.
Some hauled them freely 'round the place;
Some braided others in a trace;
And every knot to sailors known,
Was quickly tied, and quickly shown.

Thus, 'round from cage to cage they went,
For some to smile, and some comment
On Nature's way of dealing out
To this a tail, to that a snout

[Illustration]

Of extra length, and then deny
To something else a fair supply.
--But when the bear and tiger growled,
And wolf and lynx in chorus howled,
And starting from its broken sleep,
The lion rose with sudden leap,
And, bounding 'round the rocking cage,
With lifted mane, roared loud with rage,
And thrust its paws between the bars,
Until it seemed to shake the stars,--

[Illustration]

A panic seized the Brownies all,
And out they scampered from the hall,
As if they feared incautious men
Had built too frail a prison pen.

THE BROWNIES' CIRCUS.

ONE night the circus was in town
With tumbling men and painted clown,
And Brownies came from forest deep
Around the tent to climb and creep,
And through the canvas, as they might
Of inner movements gain a sight.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Said one, "A chance we'll hardly find
That better suits the Brownie mind