The Monkey

“O Mother! here’s the organ-man,
And here’s the monkey, too!
Just see his funny gown of red,
And little cap of blue!

“O look! he’s on the window there!
His cap is in his paw;
And now he bows and makes a face;
What can it all be for?

“O, now they’ve dropped some money in,
While, quickly as he can,
See! he puts on his cap, and gives
The pennies to the man.

“Mamma! why don’t you look at him!
You have not seen at all;
Just see him climbing up and down,
With paws so brown and small!

“He’s gone away! O, dear mamma,
Why did you not come here?
You never saw, in all your life,
A thing one half as queer.”

“I’ll tell you why, my little son,
I do not like to see
That monkey bow and jump about;
’Tis no delight to me.

“They’ve had to treat him cruelly
To teach him how to play;
They’ve had to whip and punish him
And take his food away.

“And that is why I do not love
To see him dancing so;
And if you thought of it, my boy,
You’d feel with me, I know.”