A kind and gentle heart he had, To comfort friends and foes; The naked every day he clad, [Illustration] When he put on [Illustration] his clothes. [Illustration] And in that town a dog was found: As many dogs there be---- Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound, And curs of low degree. [Illustration] [Illustration] This dog and man at first were friends; [Illustration] But, when a pique began, [Illustration] The dog, to gain some private ends, Went mad, and bit the man. [Illustration] [Illustration] Around from all [Illustration] the neighbouring streets [Illustration] The wondering neighbours ran; [Illustration] [Illustration] And swore the dog had lost his wits, [Illustration] To bite so good a man. [Illustration] The wound it seem’d both sore and sad To every christian eye; [Illustration] [Illustration] And while they swore the dog was mad, [Illustration] They swore the man would die. [Illustration] But soon a wonder came to light, That show’d the rogues they lied-- The man recover’d of the bite; The dog it was that died. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: The BABES in the WOOD. ONE OF R. CALDECOTT’S PICTURE BOOKS George Routledge & Sons.] THE BABES IN THE WOOD. [Illustration: SORE SICKE THEY WERE AND LIKE TO DYE] [Illustration] Now ponder well, you parents deare, These wordes which I shall write; A doleful story you shall heare, In time brought forth to light. A gentleman of good account In Norfolke dwelt of late, Who did in honour far surmount Most men of his estate. Sore sicke he was, and like to dye, No helpe his life could save; His wife by him as sicke did lye, And both possest one grave. [Illustration] No love between these two was lost, Each was to other kinde; In love they liv’d, in love they dyed, And left two babes behinde: The one a fine and pretty boy, Not passing three yeares olde; The other a girl more young than he, And fram’d in beautye’s molde. The father left his little son, As plainlye doth appeare, When he to perfect age should come, Three hundred poundes a yeare. And to his little daughter Jane Five hundred poundes in gold, To be paid downe on marriage-day, Which might not be controll’d: [Illustration] But if the children chanced to dye, Ere they to age should come, Their uncle should possesse their wealth; For so the wille did run. [Illustration: Now, BROTHER, said the dying man, LOOK TO MY CHILDREN DEARE.] “Now, brother,” said the dying man, “Look to my children deare; Be good unto my boy and girl, No friendes else have they here: “To God and you I do commend My children deare this daye; But little while be sure we have Within this world to staye.