Cock and hens, like fowls unfed, Gobbled each a piece of bread; [Illustration] But they found, on taking thought, Each of them was badly caught. [Illustration] Every way they pull and twitch, This strange cat's-cradle to unhitch; [Illustration] Up into the air they fly, Jiminee, O Jimini! [Illustration] On a tree behold them dangling, In the agony of strangling! And their necks grow long and longer, And their groans grow strong and stronger. [Illustration] Each lays quickly one egg more, Then they cross to th' other shore. [Illustration] Widow Tibbets in her chamber, By these death-cries waked from slumber, [Illustration] Rushes out with bodeful thought: Heavens! what sight her vision caught! [Illustration] From her eyes the tears are streaming: "Oh, my cares, my toil, my dreaming! Ah, life's fairest hope," says she, "Hangs upon that apple-tree." [Illustration] Heart-sick (you may well suppose), For the carving-knife she goes; Cuts the bodies from the bough, Hanging cold and lifeless now And in silence, bathed in tears, Through her house-door disappears. [Illustration] This was the bad boys' first trick, But the second follows quick. TRICK SECOND. WHEN the worthy Widow Tibbets (Whom the cut below exhibits) Had recovered, on the morrow, From the dreadful shock of sorrow, She (as soon as grief would let her Think) began to think 'twere better Just to take the dead, the dear ones (Who in life were walking here once), And in a still noonday hour Them, well roasted, to devour. True, it did seem almost wicked, When they lay so bare and naked, Picked, and singed before the blaze,-- They that once in happier days, In the yard or garden ground, All day long went scratching round. Ah! Frau Tibbets wept anew, And poor Spitz was with her, too. [Illustration] [Illustration] Max and Maurice smelt the savor. "Climb the roof!" cried each young shaver. [Illustration] Through the chimney now, with pleasure, They behold the tempting treasure, Headless, in the pan there, lying, Hissing, browning, steaming, frying. [Illustration]