yn 
112 THE CUCKOO. 
Up in the elm-tree, through the day, 
Just as in gone years, shouting away ; 
““ Cuckoo,” the Cuckoo doth cry, 
And the little boys mock him as they 
go by. 
The wood-pecker laughs to hear the strain, 
And says ‘ the old fellow is come back again ; 
He sitteth again on the very same tree, 
And he talks of himself again!—he! he! he!” 
The stock-doves together begin to coo 
When they hear the voice of the old cuckoo; 
‘Ho! ho!” say they, “ he did not find 
Those far-away countries quite to his mind, 
So he’s come again to see what he can do 
With sucking the small birds’ eggs, coo-coo!” 
The black-bird, and throstle, and loud missel- 
cock, 
They sing altogether, the Cuckoo to mock : 
«What want we with him? let him stay over 
sea 1” 
Sings the bold, piping reed-sparrow, “‘ want him? 
not we!” 
