What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

-- W.H.Davies

THE LITTLE PINK ROSE

Best Stories to Tell to Children (1912)
BY
SARA CONE BRYANT

Once there was a little pink Rosebud, and she lived down in a little dark house under the ground. One day she was sitting there, all by herself, and it was very still. Suddenly, she heard a little tap, tap, tap, at the door.

"Who is that?" she said.

"It's the Rain, and I want to come in," said a soft, sad, little voice.

"No, you can't come in," the little Rosebud said. By and by she heard another little tap, tap, tap, on the windowpane.

"Who is there?" she said.

The same soft little voice answered, "It's the Rain, and I want to come in!"

"No, you can't come in," said the little Rosebud. Then it was very still for a long time. At last, there came a little rustling, whispering sound, all around the window: rustle, whisper, whisper.

"Who is there?" said the little Rosebud.

"It 's the Sunshine," said a little, soft, cheery voice, 'and I want to come in! "

"N -- no," said the little pink rose, "you can't come in." And she sat still again.

Pretty soon, she heard the sweet little rustling noise at the key-hole.

"Who is there?" she said.

"It's the Sunshine," said the cheery little voice, "and I want to come in, I want to come in!"

"No, no," said the little pink rose, "you cannot come in."

By and by, as she sat so still, she heard tap, tap, tap, and rustle, whisper, rustle, all up and down the window pane, and on the door, and at the key-hole.

"Who is there?" she said.

"It's the Rain and the Sun, the Rain and the Sun," said two little voices, together, "and we want to come in! We want to come in. We want to come in!"

"Dear, dear," said the little Rosebud, "if there are two of you, I s'pose I shall have to let you in."

So she opened the door a little wee crack, and they came in. And one took one of her little hands, and the other took her other little hand, and they ran, ran, ran with her, right up to the top of the ground. Then they said, --

"Poke your head through!"

A weary traveler stopped at Sam’s house and asked him for shelter for the night. Sam was a friendly soul. He not only agreed to let the traveler stay for the night, and he decided to treat his guest to some curried chicken. So he bought a couple of chickens from the market and gave them to his wife to cook. Then, he went off to buy some fruit.

Now, Sam’s wife could not resist food. She had a habit of eating as she cooked. So as she cooked the meat, she smelled the rich steam and could not help tasting a piece. It was tender and delicious, and she decided to have another piece. Soon, there was only a tiny bit left.

Her little son, Kevin, ran into the kitchen. She gave him that little piece. Kevin found it so tasty that he begged his mother for more. But, there was no more chicken left.

The traveler, who had gone to have a wash, returned. The woman heard him coming and had to think of a plan quickly. She began to scold her son loudly: “Your father has taught you a shameful and disgusting habit. Stop it, I tell you!”

The traveler was curious. “What habit has his father taught the child?” he asked.

“Oh,” said the woman, “Whenever a guest arrives, my husband cuts off their ears and roasts them for my son to eat.”

The traveler was shocked. He picked up his shoes and fled.

“Why has our guest left in such a hurry?” asked Sam when he came back.

“A fine guest indeed!” exclaimed his wife. “He snatched the chickens out of my pot and ran off with them!”

“The chickens!” exclaimed Sam. He ran after his guest, shouting, “Let me have one, at least; you may keep the other!” But, his guest only ran faster!

According to the above story, what kind of a man was Sam?