Read Ebook: Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema by Zimmern Helen

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Ebook has 125 lines and 19907 words, and 3 pages

Her coat is soft as velvet, of a lovely yellow-brown, With a bit of fawn for trimming and a lining white as down. Her eyes are large and kindly, she is gentle, too, as well, You would love a little playmate as sweet as Miss Gazelle.

A sturdy young American is Rocky Mountain Goat With big, strong horns upon his head, and shaggy, furry coat; He loves to scramble over rocks or leap a mountain brook, And should you chase him he will fly into his hidden nook.

"We reindeer come straight from your own Santa Claus, In our gallop of joy we never will pause; We eat from the mountain-tops, drink from the dells, And use for our skipping-ropes merry sleigh-bells."

A large and handsome personage is the Most Noble Yak, His mantle is a fringe of hair that drapes his sides and back; He's very, very grand, indeed, when he stands up, you see-- In fact, he's just as noble as a noble ought to be.

When young Mrs. Kangaroo goes for a hop, To call or to market or, perhaps, out to shop, She has no nice carriage where baby can ride, So he creeps in a pocket that hangs at her side.

He does not care when the sleet comes down, or the chilly wind blows strong, For he wears a hat that is made of horn and a fur coat, warm and long. He never gets frostbitten toes 'though in snow and ice he plays; Now being a Muskox can't be bad in the long, cold winter days!

"The very best I have, sir, fine and a whole yard wide, It wears, and has no bother of a right and wrong side; I'm sure she'd like a dress of it--it will not spot or pull." Then Miss Alpaca added: "I know--it's my own wool."

This dear little Sheep has lost Bo-Peep, She wandered away as he lay asleep, He has found her bonnet and shepherd's crook, But for little Bo-Peep in vain does he look.

Young Miss Rhinoceros gave a beach party; She greeted her friends with a welcome most hearty. They laughed and they joked and they swam in the sea, And the party was gay, as a party should be.

She comes from Spain, this proud, proud Dame, Mistress Merino is her name. Her wool weaves into dress goods rare, Her skin makes gloves the ladies wear.

Merry guinea pigs one day Went out in the fields to play. Daisy smiled and wished that they Would never, never go away.

Here is a Sister Piggy and a Brother Piggy, too, The story they are telling here would not apply to you, For selfish little sisters who make their brothers cry Do not belong in houses but with piggies in the sty.

Now here's a little lady who seems a wee bit shy, Or is it that a teardrop is trembling in her eye? Well, I am sure that you or I would make an awful fuss If we should have to have her name--"Miss Hippopotamus."

In animal land, as everywhere, there lives a Mr. Boar Who never is contented unless he holds the floor; His fellows all may frown at him but he cannot refrain From pushing into everything--he's so selfish and so vain.

Mother and father and little Miss Bear Went out for a walk and a bit of fresh air, Not through the dark woods But in their best clothes, right down the front street.

When little Miss Polar Bear goes out to skate, She never is bothered by having to wait Until mother wraps her all snugly in fur, For those are the clothes that she carries with her!

Just look about and see if you Can find a friend who's quite as true As this old Doggie that you see A-smiling here at you and me.

I'm just a little Puppy and good as good can be, And why they call me naughty, I'm sure I cannot see, I've only carried off one shoe and torn the baby's hat And chased the ducks and spilled the milk--there's nothing bad in that!

The mandrill looks so very queer I'm glad he lives way off from here; He's purple, blue, red, black and brown, I'm sure he is the jungle clown.

The baby gorilla, of the family called Ape, Is very like you in size and in shape, But he lives in the jungle with black hair for clothes And he gets very naughty the older he grows.

This cute little brother and sister you see Seated cosily high on the limb of a tree Are the Marmoset twins, whose appealing round eyes Look from flower-like faces in wond'ring surprise.

"I've climbed up here to smile at you and, oh, what do you think? I've scattered master's papers and upset all of his ink, But then if little Monkeys always were so very good They'd not be little monkeys who just can't act as they should."

He is so very lazy that he is even loath To walk upon his own feet--this funny boy named Sloth. He swings upon the branches from morning until night, And eats the leaves about him with laziest delight.

He works on tunnels night and day, This Marmot boy from far away. When winter comes then in he creeps, And there until the spring he sleeps.

The woodchuck resides in a hole in the ground, He is surly and cross, and he never is found Out in the bright sunlight unless it's to see If he can't make more winter for you and for me.

This naughty boy just eats and eats until he is a sight, He eats until he cannot hold another tiny bite. Of course, he's just an animal--they call him Wolverine-- But does he make you think of boys that you have ever seen?

Old Mr. Walrus climbs out of the deep For a breath of air and an hour of sleep. You will note that he isn't much on looks But his skin we make into pocket-books.

He sits on the top of a gay wooden stand, He stands on his head or he shakes your hand, He dances a jig or he trumps a chant-- This jolly old circus Elephant.

Naughty, naughty Squirrel baby, just as mother has you dressed In your ribbons and your laces and your go-to-meeting best, Then to run and grab an apple and get yourself all mussed! Are you not afraid that mother will be very, very fussed?

To market, to market, with baskets of eggs, Jack Rabbit goes hurrying on his long legs; He'll buy him some colors--red, green, yellow, blue, And when Easter comes 'round you know what he'll do.

Chipmunk is a jolly lad, Always friendly--never sad, Shares with friends his wheat grains yellow, He's a genuine good fellow.

The coney lives in Palestine But he is very seldom seen. You see he is so small and shy He hides when folks are passing by.

They call this boy the Coati, His name is strange, and so is he. He laps to drink, digs with his snout. On ground or trees he runs about.

The cute little dogs that live on the prairie Were having a party and making quite merry, When Big Dog, on watch, heard a noise and called "Hush!" And into their holes went the guests in a rush!

What do you suppose is in Gray Wolf's pack He carries so stealthily over his back? Some chickens, a lamb and an old mother hen He has stolen to hide away in his den.

His manners are so charming and his eyes so very bright, I do believe that we might call young Fox a gallant knight; But then when he is cunning and just a little pert, I'm not so sure but we should call this same young fox a flirt.

We just want to ask if you ever have seen a Much dirtier boy than this little Hyena? He has played in the street at making mud pies Till nothing is clean save the whites of his eyes.

Beau coyote sings a nightly tune To his lady fair in the big, round moon. She smiles and throws moonbeams to him And he serenades till her light is dim.

Tommie and Tillie Badger went out in the field to play. Said Tommie: "Here, I'll teach you--put down your head this way, Then toss your heels into the air and give a little twirl-- You can't help turning somersaults although you are a girl."

Miss Leopard Spermophilus, with her high-sounding name, Says just to be called "Gopher" is really a shame, And she's right here to tell you--if this knowledge you should lack-- She's the only one who wears the stars and stripes upon her back.

Doggy barked and said: "What fun To make that Porcupine girl run; Girls for boys to tease were meant."-- But girls with pins are different.

Sir Knight Armadillo, from tail tip to nose In armor that's sure to bring terror to foes, Goes forth with his weapons to his battle ground, And looks like a pineapple walking around.

Away in Australia the Echidna stays. He is noted because of his strange little ways; His claws are so sharp that in manner quite tragic, When frightened he sinks in the ground as by magic.

Miss Ant Eater's mouth is so dreadfully small It scarce seems it could be a real mouth at all, And her long, furry tail is her blanket at night, It covers and tucks her in all snug and tight.

This queer little Mole has a star for a nose Just the shade of the pink in a dew-wet rose. He lives down in the ground where 'tis always like night, So perhaps his star nose is to twinkle for light.

Here we have Mr. Duckbill of no little fame; His mouth, you will see, is what gives him his name. He can walk, swim or burrow and His wife, Mrs. Duckbill, lays eggs like a bird.

Such a dainty little person in her coat of pale, clear gray, Is this maiden, Miss Chinchilla, and the hunter-folks all say She is so clean she's exquisite and never dreams of harm When they go to take her silken fur which helps to keep her warm.

The circus fat lady is big Mrs. Whale With her very large head and her very long tail, And her ears and her eyes almost covered from sight In the folds of thick skin that wraps her up tight.

INDEX

Alpaca 54 Ant Eater 91 Armadillo 89 Bat 30 Badger 86 Bear 62 Beaver 24 Big Horn Goat 44 Boar 61 Bobcat 17 Buffalo 39 Camel 40 Canadian Lynx 17 Chamois 46 Chetah 16 Chinchilla 94 Chipmunk 78 Coati 80 Coney 79 Coyote 85 Cow 41 Deer-Mouse 33 Dog 64 Donkey 36 Echidna 90 Elephant 75 Ermine 19 Ferret 20 Flying Fox 30 Flying Squirrel 30 Fox 83 Gazelle 48 Giraffe 37 Gnu 42 Goat 47 Gopher 87 Gorilla 67 Gray Wolf 82 Guinea Pig 58 Hippopotamus 60 Horse 35 Hyena 84 Ibex 45 Kangaroo 52 Kitten 31 Lemur 26 Leopard 13 Leopard Spermophilus 87 Lion 11 Mandrill 66 Marmoset 68 Marmot 71 Merino 57 Mink 27 Mole 92 Mongoose 23 Monkey 69 Moose 43 Mr. Duckbill 93 Muskox 53 Ocelot 15 Opossum 22 Otter 18 Peccary 28 Pig 59 Polar Bear 63 Porcupine 88 Puma 25 Puppy 65 Rabbit 77 Raccoon 32 Reindeer 50 Rhinoceros 56 Rocky Mountain Goat 49 Sable 21 Sheep 55 Sloth 70 Spring-bok 29 Squirrel 76 Tapir 38 Tiger 12 Walrus 74 Weasel 14 Whale 95 Wolverine 73 Woodchuck 72 Yak 51

This same capacity of resuscitating a remote historical time was yet more pleasantly revealed when Alma Tadema at last turned from painting these gorgeous but bloodthirsty barbarians, and applied himself instead to the mysterious land of Egypt, the source of all culture and all knowledge, the land he has never seen, but which he has apprehended so wonderfully with the eye of his brain. The German Egyptologist and novelist, George Ebers, a friend of Alma Tadema's, to whom he dedicated one of his historical tales, once asked him what it was that had turned him from his Franks towards the land of Isis. Alma Tadema replied, "Where else should I have begun as soon as I became acquainted with the life of the ancients? The first thing a child learns of ancient history is about the Court of Pharaoh, and if we go back to the source of art and science must we not return to Egypt?"

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