Three Children

Three children (their names were so fearful
You'll excuse me for leaving them out)
Sat silent, with faces all tearful--
What was it all about?

They were sewing but needles are prickly,
And fingers were cold as could be--
So they didn't get on very quickly,
And they wept, silly Three!

"O Mother!" said they, "Guilford's not a
Nice place for winter, that's flat.
If you know any country that's hotter,
Please take us to that!"

"Cease crying," said she, "little daughter!
And when summer comes back with the flowers,
You shall roam by the edge of the water,
In sunshiny hours."

"And in summer," said sorrowful Mary,
"We shall hear the shrill scream of the train
That will bring that dear writer of fairy-
tales hither again."

(Now the person she means to allude to
Was--well! it is best to forget.
It was some one she always was rude to,
Whenever they met.)

"It's my duty," their Mother continued,
"To fill with things useful and right
Your small minds; if I put nothing in, you'd
Be ignorant quite.

"But enough now for lessons and thinkin:
Your meal is quite ready, I see--
So attend to your eating and drinking,
You thirsty young Three!"

-Lewis Carroll, Apr. 10, 1871
For a Miss Mary Watson