NETTLE. "My sting," said the Nettle, "Is nothing to his when he's put on his mettle. No nose can endure it, No dock-leaves will cure it." DOG. "Bow-wow!" said the Dog: "All this fuss about a Hedgehog? Though I never saw one before-- There's my paw! Good-morning, Sir! Do you never stir? You look like an overgrown burr. Good-day, I-say: Will you have a game of play? With your humped-up back and your spines on end, You remind me so of an intimate friend, The Persian Puss Who lives with us. How well I know her tricks! The dear creature! Just when you're sure you can reach her, In the twinkling of a couple of sticks She saves herself by her heels, And looks down at you out of the apple-tree, with eyes like catherine wheels. The odd part of it is, I could swear that I could not possibly miss Her silky, cumbersome, traily tail, And that's just where I always fail. But you seem to have nothing, Sir, of the sort; And I should be mortified if you thought That I'm stupid at sport; I assure you I don't often meet my match, Where I chase I commonly catch. I've caught cats, And rats, And (between ourselves) I once caught a sheep, And I think I could catch a weasel asleep." HEDGE-PLANTS. From the whole of the hedge there rose a shout, "Oh! you'll catch it, no doubt! But remember we gave you warning fair, Touch him if you dare!" DOG. "If I dare?" said the Dog--"Take that!" As he gave the Hedgehog a pat. But oh, how he pitied his own poor paw; And shook it and licked it, it was so sore. DANDELION. "It's much too funny by half," Said the Dandelion; "it makes me ill, For I cannot keep still, And my hair comes out if I laugh." The Hedgehog he spoke never a word, And he never stirred; His peeping eyes, his inquisitive nose, And his tender toes, Were all wrapped up in his prickly clothes. A provoking enemy you may suppose! And a dangerous one to flout-- Like a well-stocked pin-cushion inside out. The Dog was valiant, the Dog was vain, He flew at the prickly ball again, Snapping with all his might and main, But, oh! the pain! He sat down on his stumpy tail and howled, Then he laid his jaws on his paws and growled. DANDELION. With laughter the Dandelion shook-- "It passes a printed book; It's as good as a play, I declare, But it's cost me half my back hair!" The Dog he made another essay, It really and truly was very plucky-- But "third times," you know, are not always lucky-- And this time he ran away! HEDGE-PLANTS.