Of Creatures with Feathers, come let us see

Which have names like you and me.

Hook-nosed Poll, that thinks herself pretty,

Everyone knows, of all birds most witty.

Friendly Daw, in suit of gray,

Ask him his name, and 'Jack!' he'll say.

Pert Philip Sparrow hopping you meet,

"Philip! Philip!"—in garden and street.

Bold Robin Redbreast perches near,

And sings his best in the fall of the year.

Grave Madge Owlet shuns the light,

And shouts "hoo! hoo!" in the woods at night.

Nightingale sweet, that May loves well,

Old Poets have call'd her Philomel,

But Philomelus, he sings best,

While she sits listening in her nest.

Darting Martin!—tell me why

They call you Martin, I know not, I;

Martin the black, under cottage eaves,

Merry Willy Wagtail, what runs he takes!

Wherever he stops, his tail he shakes.

Head and tail little Jenny Wren perks,

As in and out of the hedge she jerks.

Brisk Tom Tit, the lover of trees,

Picks-off every fly and grub he sees.

Mag, the cunning chattering Pie,

Builds her home in a tree-top high,—

Mag, you're a terrible thief, O fie!

Madge and Martin and Robin and Willy,

Philomelus and friendly Jack,—

Mag the rogue, half-white, half-black,

Stole an egg from every Bird;

Such an uproar was never heard;

All of them flew upon Mag together,

And pluck'd her naked of every feather.

"You're not a Bird!" they told her then,

"You may go away and live among men!"