“HORTON HATCHES THE EGG”
Dr. Seuss
Sighed Mayzie, a lazy bird hatching an egg:
“I’m tired and I’m bored
And I’ve kinks in my leg
From sitting, just sitting here day after day.
It’s work! How I hate it!
I’d much rather play!
I’d take a vacation, fly off for a rest
If I could find someone to stay on my nest!!
“If I could find someone, I’d fly away – free – “
Then Horton, the Elephant, passed by her tree.
“Hello!” called the lazy bird, smiling her best.
“You’ve nothing to do and I do need a rest.
Would YOU like to sit on the egg in my nest?”
“ME on your egg? Why, that doesn’t make sense …
Your egg is so small, ma’am, and I’m so immense!”
“I can’t,” said the elephant.
“P-L-E-A-S-E!” begged the bird.
“I won’’t be gone long, sir. I give you my word.
I’ll hurry right back. Why, I’ll never be missed ….”
“Very well,” said the elephant, “since you insist ….
You want a vacation. Go fly off and take it.
I’ll sit on your egg and I’ll try not to break it.
I’ll stay and be faithful. I mean what I say.”
“Toodle-oo!” sang out Mayzie and fluttered away.
“H-m-m-m .. the first thing to do,” murmured Horton,
“Let’s see ….
The first thing to do is to prop up this tree
And make it much stronger. That has to be done
Before I get on it. I must weight a ton.”
Then carefully, tenderly, gently he crept
Up the trunk to the nest where the little egg slept.
And he sat all that day, and he kept the egg warm ….
And he sat all that night through a terrible storm.
“I wish she’d come back ‘cause I’m cold and I’m wet.
I hope that that Mayzie bird doesn’t forget.”
