l and
squeezed nearly to death, got out of bed when he heard what was going
on, and limped along with the rest, though he had been confined to the
house for six months before. One or two Butterflies, that were never
known to go out except in the very finest weather,--and even then,
carefully wrapped up,--determined to venture. They were long in making
up their minds about it. One thought it looked a very little like rain;
another feared that the light breeze might give them a cold. However,
they put on a great many cloaks, and went.

From all directions they came, and assembled on a smooth, grassy spot,
under an old oak-tree, where the revels were to take place. Some
crawled slowly along the ground, some bounded quickly over hill and
dale, some came running and tumbling, jumping and hitting against things
in their haste; some came swiftly through the air, and alighted so
suddenly as to tumble head over heels; others flew quietly to the scene
and fluttered lightly about, admiring the gay company they were about to
join.

And there came the Beetle, so blind, and so black,
Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back;
And there came the Gnat, and the Dragonfly too,
And all their relations, green, orange, and blue.

The Black Beetle was the first to make his appearance. He carried his
dear friend the Emmet on his back, and a sad journey they had of it, to
be sure! Being very blind, the Beetle was constantly falling over
twigs, knocking his shins against the edges of leaves, and tumbling into
ditches, so that the poor Emmet had many terrible falls, and once the
great beetle fell on the top of him and crushed him a good deal. But it
was very pleasant to see how cheerful they were under all this. On
getting up after a fall, the beetle always laughed so boisterously that
the tears ran down his cheeks, and his black sides nearly cracked; while
the little Emmet said gaily, "Ah! my friend, accidents will happen! not
hurt, I hope? Come, get along once more;" and then he jumped up on his
friend's back again, and away they went as merrily as ever.

A Gnat and a Dragonfly, with a great many of their relations, arrived
about the same time with the Beetle. They looked quite charming in
their brilliant dresses, the colours of which were chiefly green,
orange, and blue. A large Blue-bottle Fly, with a very light waistcoat,
and a hat stuck on one side of his head, said that the Dragonflies were
lovely, and that M