NELL AND HER BIRD

Good-bye, little birdie!

Fly to the sky,

Singing and singing

A merry good-bye.

Tell all the other birds,

Flying above,

Nell, in the garden,

Sends them her love.

Tell how I found you,

Hurt, in a tree;

Then, when they're wounded,

They'll come right to me.

I'd like to go with you,

If I could fly;

It must be so beautiful

Up in the sky!

Why, little birdie,

Why don't you go?

You sit on my finger

And shake your head, “No.”

He's off! Oh, how quickly

And gladly he rose!

I know he will love me

Wherever he goes.

——Mary Mapes Dodge