Nell and Her Bird. Rhymes and Jingles by Mary Mapes Dodge for children
Good-by, little birdie!
Fly to the sky,
Singing and singing
A merry good-by.
Tell all the birdies,
Flying above,
Nell, in the garden,
Sends them her love.
Tell how I found you,
Hurt, in a tree;
Then, when they're wounded,
They'll come right to me.
I'd like to go with you
If I could fly;
It must be so beautiful
Up in the sky!
Why, little birdie!
Why don't you go?
You sit on my finger,
And shake your head, "No!"—
He's off! Oh! how quickly
And gladly he rose!
I know he will love me
Wherever he goes.
I know—for he really
Seemed trying to say,
"My dear little Nelly,
I can't go away."
But just then some birdies
Came flying along,
And sang as they neared us
A chirruping song;
And he felt just as I do
When girls come and shout
Right under the window,
"Come, Nelly! come out!"
It 's wrong to be sorry;
I ought to be glad;
But he's the best birdie
That ever I had.