338 NATURE STUDY REVIEW 



CHIPMUNK 

 Well, then, we'd better hurry. Come Nuthatch. (Nuthatch 

 floats the seeds over the Forester's head, saying:) 

 As the milkweed tassels blow 

 O'er you as you lie asleep, 

 Thus may cares and worries go 

 Leaving you in slumber deep. 

 One for noon, for morning one, 

 Wake not till the set of sun. 



CHIPMUNK 

 Now I'll smear the potion on the poppy petals and paste them 

 on his eyelids. (Chipmunk pastes the petals on the Forester's 

 eyelids. Then all the brownies, Bushtit reluctantly, make a 

 circle with hands arid walk thrice round the Forester, once in one 

 direction, twice in the other. Then they sing the following 

 song to the accompaniment of pantomime) 



Bind up his limbs with cobweb twine 



Gathered by elves of the Magic Sign; 



With poppy petals fresh with dew 



Seal up his eyes with elfland brew. 



Let all his cares and worries sail 



Off on the milkweed tassels frail; 



Sweet be his dreams without a frown 



He will not wake till the sun goes down, 

 (the brownies begin to dance joyfully round the Forester in cele- 

 bration of their sport when in walks the Guardian Spirit of the 

 Woods. At sight of him they scatter and disappear, save Chip- 

 munk who lingers at the edge of the forest.) 



GUARDIAN SPIRIT. 

 Mischief-makers, what have you been doing? 



CHIPMUNK (sings in glee) 



Sweet be his dreams without a frown 



He will not wake till the sun goes down ! (he disappears) 



GUARDIAN SPIRIT 



They have put their sleep spell over somebody (approaching 



the Forester) Why — it is — the Forester ! Oh those mischievous 



elves. I ought to have followed Lizard faster. This is no time 



for the Forester to be asleep — ^warm weather, a dry east wind, 



