The Artful Ant.Once on a time an artful AntResolved to give a ball,For tho’ in stature she was scant,She was not what you’d callA shy or bashful little Ant.(She was not shy at all.)She sent her invitations throughThe forest far and wide,To all the Birds and Beasts she knew,And many more beside.(“You never know what you can do,”Said she, “until you’ve tried.”)Five score acceptances came inFaster than she could read.Said she: “Dear me! I’d best beginTo stir myself indeed!”(A pretty pickle she was in,With five-score guests to feed!)The artful Ant sat up all night,A-thinking o’er and o’er,How she could make from nothing, quiteEnough to feed five-score.(Between ourselves I think she mightHave thought of that before.)She thought, and thought, and thought all night,And all the following day,Till suddenly she struck a brightIdea, which was—(but stay!Just what it was I am not quiteAt liberty to say.)Enough, that when the festal dayCame round, the Ant was seenTo smile in a peculiar way,As if—(but you may gleanFrom seeing tragic actors playThe kind of smile I mean.)From here and there and everywhereThe happy creatures came,The Fish alone could not be there.(And they were not to blame.“They really could not stand the air,But thanked her just the same.”)The Lion, bowing very low,Said to the Ant: “I ne’erSince Noah’s Ark remember soDelightful an affair.”(A pretty compliment, althoughHe really wasn’t there.)They danced, and danced, and danced, and danced;It was a jolly sight!They pranced, and pranced, and pranced, and pranced,Till it was nearly light!And then their thoughts to supper chancedTo turn. (As well they might!)Then said the Ant: “It’s only rightThat supper should begin,And if you will be so polite,Praytake each other in.”(The emphasis was very slight,But rested on “Take in.”)They needed not a second call,They took the hint. Oh, yes,The largest guest “took in” the small,The small “took in” the less,The less “took in” the least of all.(It was a great success!)As for the rest—but why spin outThis narrative of woe?—The Lion took them in aboutAs fast as they could go.(And went home looking very stout,And walking very slow.)And when the Ant, not long ago,Lost to all sense of shame,Tried it again, I chance to knowThat not one answer came.(Save from the Fish, who “could not go,But thanked her all the same.”)
Once on a time an artful AntResolved to give a ball,For tho’ in stature she was scant,She was not what you’d callA shy or bashful little Ant.(She was not shy at all.)She sent her invitations throughThe forest far and wide,To all the Birds and Beasts she knew,And many more beside.(“You never know what you can do,”Said she, “until you’ve tried.”)Five score acceptances came inFaster than she could read.Said she: “Dear me! I’d best beginTo stir myself indeed!”(A pretty pickle she was in,With five-score guests to feed!)
Once on a time an artful AntResolved to give a ball,For tho’ in stature she was scant,She was not what you’d callA shy or bashful little Ant.(She was not shy at all.)
She sent her invitations throughThe forest far and wide,To all the Birds and Beasts she knew,And many more beside.(“You never know what you can do,”Said she, “until you’ve tried.”)
Five score acceptances came inFaster than she could read.Said she: “Dear me! I’d best beginTo stir myself indeed!”(A pretty pickle she was in,With five-score guests to feed!)
The artful Ant sat up all night,A-thinking o’er and o’er,How she could make from nothing, quiteEnough to feed five-score.(Between ourselves I think she mightHave thought of that before.)She thought, and thought, and thought all night,And all the following day,Till suddenly she struck a brightIdea, which was—(but stay!Just what it was I am not quiteAt liberty to say.)
The artful Ant sat up all night,A-thinking o’er and o’er,How she could make from nothing, quiteEnough to feed five-score.(Between ourselves I think she mightHave thought of that before.)
She thought, and thought, and thought all night,And all the following day,Till suddenly she struck a brightIdea, which was—(but stay!Just what it was I am not quiteAt liberty to say.)
Enough, that when the festal dayCame round, the Ant was seenTo smile in a peculiar way,As if—(but you may gleanFrom seeing tragic actors playThe kind of smile I mean.)From here and there and everywhereThe happy creatures came,The Fish alone could not be there.(And they were not to blame.“They really could not stand the air,But thanked her just the same.”)
Enough, that when the festal dayCame round, the Ant was seenTo smile in a peculiar way,As if—(but you may gleanFrom seeing tragic actors playThe kind of smile I mean.)
From here and there and everywhereThe happy creatures came,The Fish alone could not be there.(And they were not to blame.“They really could not stand the air,But thanked her just the same.”)
The Lion, bowing very low,Said to the Ant: “I ne’erSince Noah’s Ark remember soDelightful an affair.”(A pretty compliment, althoughHe really wasn’t there.)They danced, and danced, and danced, and danced;It was a jolly sight!They pranced, and pranced, and pranced, and pranced,Till it was nearly light!And then their thoughts to supper chancedTo turn. (As well they might!)Then said the Ant: “It’s only rightThat supper should begin,And if you will be so polite,Praytake each other in.”(The emphasis was very slight,But rested on “Take in.”)They needed not a second call,They took the hint. Oh, yes,The largest guest “took in” the small,The small “took in” the less,The less “took in” the least of all.(It was a great success!)
The Lion, bowing very low,Said to the Ant: “I ne’erSince Noah’s Ark remember soDelightful an affair.”(A pretty compliment, althoughHe really wasn’t there.)
They danced, and danced, and danced, and danced;It was a jolly sight!They pranced, and pranced, and pranced, and pranced,Till it was nearly light!And then their thoughts to supper chancedTo turn. (As well they might!)
Then said the Ant: “It’s only rightThat supper should begin,And if you will be so polite,Praytake each other in.”(The emphasis was very slight,But rested on “Take in.”)
They needed not a second call,They took the hint. Oh, yes,The largest guest “took in” the small,The small “took in” the less,The less “took in” the least of all.(It was a great success!)
As for the rest—but why spin outThis narrative of woe?—The Lion took them in aboutAs fast as they could go.(And went home looking very stout,And walking very slow.)And when the Ant, not long ago,Lost to all sense of shame,Tried it again, I chance to knowThat not one answer came.(Save from the Fish, who “could not go,But thanked her all the same.”)
As for the rest—but why spin outThis narrative of woe?—The Lion took them in aboutAs fast as they could go.(And went home looking very stout,And walking very slow.)
And when the Ant, not long ago,Lost to all sense of shame,Tried it again, I chance to knowThat not one answer came.(Save from the Fish, who “could not go,But thanked her all the same.”)