Book: Sylvie and Bruno
Quotes of Book: Sylvie and Bruno
The Mad Gardener's SongHe thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife:He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife.'At length I realise,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!'He thought he saw a Buffalo Upon the chimney-piece:He looked again, and found it was His Sister's Husband's Niece.'Unless you leave this house,' he said, 'I'll send for the Police!'He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek:He looked again, and found it was The Middle of Next Week.'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!'He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk Descending from the bus:He looked again, and found it was A Hippopotamus.'If this should stay to dine,' he said, 'There won't be much for us!'He thought he saw a Kangaroo That worked a coffee-mill:He looked again, and found it was A Vegetable-Pill.'Were I to swallow this,' he said, 'I should be very ill!'He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four That stood beside his bed:He looked again, and found it was A Bear without a Head.'Poor thing,' he said, 'poor silly thing! It's waiting to be fed!'He thought he saw an Albatross That fluttered round the lamp:He looked again, and found it was A Penny-Postage Stamp.'You'd best be getting home,' he said: 'The nights are very damp!'He thought he saw a Garden-Door That opened with a key:He looked again, and found it was A Double Rule of Three:'And all its mystery,' he said, 'Is clear as day to me!'He thought he saw a Argument That proved he was the Pope:He looked again, and found it was A Bar of Mottled Soap.'A fact so dread,' he faintly said, 'Extinguishes all hope! book-quotesightCome, my child," I said, trying to lead her away. "Wish good-bye to the poor hare, and come and look for blackberries.""Good-bye, poor hare!" Sylvie obediently repeated, looking over her shoulder at it as we turned away. And then, all in a moment, her self-command gave way. Pulling her hand out of mine, she ran back to where the dead hare was lying, and flung herself down at its side in such an agony of grief as I could hardly have believed possible in so young a child."Oh, my darling, my darling!" she moaned, over and over again. "And God meant your life to be so beautiful! book-quotedeathgriefdying
