1.There was once a pretty chicken； But his friends were very few，For he thought that there was nothing In the world but what he knew：So he always，in the farmyard1，Had a very forward2 way，
1 Farmyard，the inclosed ground attached to a barn and other farm buildings. 2 Forward，bold，con.dent.Telling all the hens and turkeys1 What they ought to do and say.
"Mrs. Goose，" he said，"I wonder That your goslings2 you should letGo out paddling3 in the water；It will kill them to get wet."
2."I wish，my old Aunt Dorking4，" He began to her，one day，"That you wouldn’t sit all summer In your nest upon the hay.
Wonˊt you come out to the meadow，Where the grass with seeds is.lled."
"If I should，" said Mrs. Dorking， "Then my eggs would all get chilled."
"No，they won’t，" replied the chicken，"And no matter if they do；Eggs are really good for nothing； Whatˊs an egg to me or you."
3."What’s an egg！" said Mrs. Dorking，"Can it be you do not knowYou yourself were in an eggshell Just one little month ago.
1 Paddling，beating the water with the feet，swimming. 2 Dorking，a species of chicken.
And，if kind wings had not warmed you，You would not be out to-day，Telling hens，and geese，and turkeys，What they ought to do and say！
4."To be very wise，and show it，Is a pleasant thing，no doubt；But，when young folks talk to old folks，They should know what theyˊre about."（Marian Douglas）
