194 THE WOODPECKER. 
Hark! heard you that laughter so loud and 
so long ?— 
Again now!—it drowneth the wood-linnet’s 
song ! 
Tis the woodpecker laughing !—the comical elf ! 
His soul must be merry to laugh to himself !— 
And now we are nearer— speak low—be not 
heard ! 
Though he’s merry at heart he’s a shy, timid 
bird. 
Hark !—now he is tapping the old, hollow tree :— 
One step farther on—now look upward—that’s 
he! 
Oh, the exquisite bird! —with his downward- 
hung head. 
With his richly dyed greens—his pale yellow 
and red! 
On the gnarled tree-trunk with its sober-toned 
orey> 
What a beautiful mingling of colours are they! 
Ah, the words you have spoken have frightened 
the bird— 
For by him the lowest of whispers were heard ; 
