Bobolink. Reed Bird. Rice Bird 



Up flies Bobolincon, perching on an apple tree; 



Startled by his rival's song, quickened by his raillery. 



Soon he spies the rogue afloat, curvetting in the air, 



And merrily he turns about and warns him to beware! 



'' 'Tis you that would a wooing go, down among the rushes O! 



Wait a week, till flowers are cheery; wait a week, and ere 



you marry. 

 Be sure of a house wherein to tarry; 

 Wadolink, Whiskodink, Tom Denny, wait, wait, wait!" 



Every one's a funny fellow; every one's a little mellow; 

 Follow, follow, follow, follow, o'er the hill and in the hollow. 

 Merrily, merrily there they hie; now they rise and now they fly; 

 They cross and turn, and in and out, and down the middle 



and wheel about. 

 With a ''Phew, shew, Wadolincon; listen to me, Bobolincon! 

 Happy's the wooing that's speedily doing, 

 That's merry and over with the bloom of the clover; 

 Bobolincon, Wadolincon, Winsterseeble, follow, follow me!" 



O what a happy life they lead, over the bill and in the mead! 

 How they sing, and how they play! See, they fly away, away! 

 Now they gambol o'er the clearing, — off again, and then 



appearing : ; 

 Poised aloft on quivering wing, now they soar, and now they 



sing, 

 "We must all be merry and moving; we must all be happy 



and loving; 

 For when midsummer is come, and the grain has ripened its ear. 

 The haymakers scatter our young, and we mourn for the 



rest of the year; 

 Then, Bobolincon, Wadolincon, Winterseeble, haste, haste 



away!" Wilson Flagg. 



37 



