Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE BAMBOO ONE night when the hills were drenched with dew And moonbeams lay about, The comical cone of a young bamboo Came cautiously creeping out. It tossed aside its cap of brown, Amazed at the sudden light, And so pleased it was with the world it had found It grew six feet that night. It grew and it grew in the summer breeze, It grew and it grew until It looked right over the camphor-trees To the further side of the hill.
Udzukushii ! the bamboo-cutter cried, As with series of shuddering shocks He chopped it all round till it fell to the ground, Then he hauled it away with an ox. He made him a tub from the lowermost round, And a pail from the very next one; A caddy for rice from the following slice And his work was no more than begun. The next were some vases and medicine-cases, Then, dippers and cups galore; There were platters and bowls, and pickets and poles, And matting to spread on the floor. A parasol-frame and an intricate game, And ribs for a gossamer fan; A sole for his shoe, and a tooth-pick or two.? He made next,?this wonderful man! A pencil, I think, and a holder for ink, A stem for his miniature pipe; A ring for his hand, and a tall flower-stand, And a basket for oranges ripe. A rake then he made; and a small garden spade, And a trellis to loop up his vine; A flute which he blew, and a tea-strainer, too, And a fiddle to squeak shrill and fine. It would take me all day, should I try thus to say All that jolly old man brought to view; But a traveller I met says he’s sitting there yet, At work on that single bamboo. THE MISCHIEVOUS MORNING-GLORY (Adapted from the Japanese) IT was the rosy flush of dawn In beautiful Japan, When, from the house with swinging pail, …
