all fingers extended downward]]

[Illustration: WORKER]

[Illustration: DRONE]

[Illustration: QUEEN]

(_Left hand._)
Once I saw an ant-hill
With no ants about;
So I said, "Dear little ants,
Won't you please come out?"
Then as if the little ants
Had heard my call--
One! two! three! four! _five_ came out!
And that was all!

[Illustration: ANT-HILL [fist with palm downward]]

[Illustration: ONE [fist with knuckles downward, thumb extended]]

[Illustration: TWO [same, plus index finger extended]]

[Illustration: THREE [same, plus middle finger extended]]

[Illustration: FOUR [same, plus ring finger extended]]

[Illustration: FIVE [all fingers extended downward]]

[Illustration: Male]

[Illustration: Female]

[Illustration: Worker]

[Music: THE COUNTING LESSON.

EMILIE POULSSON.

C.C. ROESKE.

1ST VERSE.

1. Here is the beehive. Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Soon they come creeping out of the hive--
One!--two!--three! four! _five_!

2ND VERSE.

2. Once I saw an ant hill
With no ants about;
So I said, "Dear little ants,
Won't you please come out?"
Then as if the little ants
Had heard my call--
One! two! three! four! _five_ came out!
And that was all!]

[Illustration: XIII. MRS. PUSSY'S DINNER.]

XIII.--MRS. PUSSY'S DINNER.

Mrs. Pussy, sleek and fat,
With her kittens four,
Went to sleep upon the mat
By the kitchen door.

[Illustration: MRS. PUSSY

(Right hand) [fist, thumb extended upward]]

[Illustration: KITTENS FOUR [four fingers extended upward]]

[Illustration: UPON THE MAT [fist, palm upward]]

Mrs. Pussy heard a noise--
Up she jumped in glee:
"Kittens, maybe that's a mouse!
Let us go and see!"

[Illustration: UP SHE JUMPED [open fist]]

Creeping, creeping, creeping on,
Silently they stole;
But the little mouse had gone
Back within its hole.

[Illustration: CREEPING [palm downward, fingers walking]]

[Illustration: MOUSE

(Left hand) [fist with knuckles downward, thumb extended]]

[Illustration: WITHIN ITS HOLE [fist with palm downward]]

"Well," said Mrs. Pussy then,
"To the barn we'll go;
We shall find the swallow there
Flying to and fro."

[Illustration: THE BARN [arms raised, fingertips touching]]

[Illustration: TO AND FRO [hands waving, fingers curved]]

So the cat and kittens four
Tried their very best;
But the swallows flying fast
Safely reached the n