Chapter XXI. Sal's Nanny

           DIAMONDmanagedwithmanyblunderstoreadthisrhymetohismother.

           “Isn’titnice,mother?”hesaid.

           “Yes,it’spretty,”sheanswered.

           “Ithinkitmeanssomething,”returnedDiamond.

           “I’msureIdon’tknowwhat,”shesaid.

           “Iwonderifit’sthesameboy—yes,itmustbethesame—LittleBoyBlue,youknow.Letmesee—howdoesthatrhymego?

           LittleBoyBlue,comeblowmeyourhorn—

           Yes,ofcourseitis—forthisonewent`blowinghishornandbeatinghisdrum.’Hehadadrumtoo.

           LittleBoyBlue,comeblowmeyourhorn;

           Thesheep’sinthemeadow,thecow’sinthecorn,

           Hehadtokeepthemout,youknow.Buthewasn’tmindinghiswork.Itgoes—

           Where’sthelittleboythatlooksafterthesheep?

           He’sunderthehaystack,fastasleep.

           There,yousee,mother!Andthen,letmesee—

           Who’llgoandwakehim?No,notI;

           ForifIdo,he’llbesuretocry.

           SoIsupposenobodydidwakehim.Hewasarathercrosslittleboy,Idaresay,whenwokeup.Andwhenhedidwakeofhimself,andsawthemischiefthecowhaddonetothecorn,insteadofrunninghometohismother,heranawayintothewoodandlosthimself.Don’tyouthinkthat’sverylikely,mother?”

           “Ishouldn’twonder,”sheanswered.

           “Soyouseehewasnaughty;forevenwhenhelosthimselfhedidnotwanttogohome.Anyofthecreatureswouldhaveshownhimthewayifhehadaskedit—allbutthesnake.Hefollowedthesnake,youknow,andhetookhimfartheraway.IsupposeitwasayoungoneofthesameserpentthattemptedAdamandEve.FatherwastellingusaboutitlastSunday,youremember.