LESSON 20 THE SPIDER

THE SPIDER

1. A spider sat in a gooseberry bush

Spinning his web so fine;

And he carefully gummed to the little twigs

The end of each gossamer [1] line.

2. And he smiled as he thought of the foolish flies

That would come to his silver snare [2] ;

And how round and fat he would daily grow,

Fed on such juicy fare.

3. Big bluebottles [3] and delicate gnats,

Old Daddy Longlegs thin,

Booming [4] beetles and meddlesome moths,

He'd gather them merrily in.

4. But a soldier wasp, in his coat of gold,

Tore down the cobweb gay,

And laughed in the face of the spider grim [5] ,

As he sped on his buzzing way.

—J. L. RICHARDSON

* * *

[1] gossamer: fine; like silk.

[2] silver snare: Cobweb.

[3] bluebottles: Flies with large blue bodies.

[4] booming: Making a loud humming noise as they fly.

[5] grim: Fierce-looking.