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The Ballad Of A Runaway Donkey:

from Boys And Girls Bookshelf - ANIMAL STORIES

by Emilie Poulsson:

here shadow'd forth in divers pictures by Alfred Brenon.

A sturdy little Donkey,
All dressed in sober gray,
Once took it in his long-eared head
That he would run away.

2 So, when a little open
He saw the sable door,
He ran as if he never would
Come back there any more.

3 Away that Donkey galloped
And ran and ran and ran
And ran and ran and ran and ran
And Ran and RAn and RAN!

4 Behind him ran the Children,
The Groom and Coachman, too;
The Farmer and the farmer's man,
To see what they could do.

5 Some carried whips to whip him,
Some, oats to coax him near,
Some called "Come here you foolish beast!"
And some, "Come, Barney, dear."

6 But not a whit cared Barney
For cross or coaxing word;
And clatter, clatter, clatter still,
His little hoofs were heard.

7 And all across the meadow,
And up and o'er the hill,
And through the woods and down the dale
He galloped with a will.

8 And into every hayfield
And through the swamp and mire
Still Barney ran and ran and ran
As if he'd never tire!

9 His chasers all stopped running,
Then meek as any lamb
Did Barney stand as if to say,
"Come catch me! here I am."

10 But when one of them started,
Then Barney started, too;
As if the chase had just begun
Away he swiftly flew.

11 But there's an end to all things,
And so, (the stupid elf)
When no one else could capture him
This donkey caught himself.

12 For, running in the barn-yard,
He did not calculate
What consequences would befall,
And hit the swinging gate.

13 It quickly swung together,
Down dropped the iron latch
O, Barney Gray! to think that you
The runaway should catch!

14 The Children danced with pleasure,
The Groom roared with delight,
The Others smiled their broadest smiles
Or laughed with all their might.

15 But Barney, naughty Barney,
Had mischief in him still
For when the laughing Coachman tried
To lead him up the hill

16 His donkeyship determined
That he would yet have fun
So braced himself and stood stock still
As if he weighed a ton!

17 But mighty was the Coachman
And pulled with such a will
That Barney soon was being dragged
Full roughly up the hill.

18 "Well, well!" at last thought Barney
"The Coachman is so strong
I might as well be good just now,"
And so he walked along.

19 And when he reached the stable
And stood within the stall,
You'd scarce believe so meek a beast
Could run away, at all!

20 Now all the meditations
Of this same Barney Gray
Are only of some future chance
When he may run away.

Next: The Three Bears
Previous: Gay And Spy

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