April's Almost Gone!

Enjoy an Aesop's Fable:

THE SHEEP AND THE PIG

One day a shepherd discovered a fat Pig in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured. He very quickly captured the porker, which squealed at the top of its voice the moment the Shepherd laid his hands on it. You would have thought, to hear the loud squealing, that the Pig was being cruelly hurt. But in spite of its squeals and struggles to escape, the Shepherd tucked his prize under his arm and started off to the butcher's in the market place.

The Sheep in the pasture were much astonished and amused at the Pig's behavior, and followed the Shepherd and his charge to the pasture gate.

"What makes you squeal like that?" asked one of the Sheep. "The Shepherd often catches and carries off one of us. But we should feel very much ashamed to make such a terrible fuss about it like you do."

"That is all very well," replied the Pig, with a squeal and a frantic kick. "When he catches you he is only after your wool. But he wants my bacon! gree-ee-ee!"

It is easy to be brave when there is no danger.

12 Raining, by Amelia Josephine Burr;
       appeared in The Bellman Book of Verse, 1919

Raining, raining,
 All night long;
 Sometimes loud, sometimes soft,
 Just like a song.

There'll be rivers in the gutters
 And lakes along the street.
 It will make our lazy kitty
 Wash his little dirty feet.

The roses will wear diamonds
 Like kings and queens at court;
 But the pansies all get muddy
 Because they are so short.

I'll sail my boat to-morrow
 In wonderful new places,
 But first I'll take my watering-pot
 And wash the pansies' faces.

14 The Prayer Perfect, by James Whitcomb Riley, 1849-1916

Dear Lord! kind Lord!
       Gracious Lord! I pray
 Thou wilt look on all I love,
       Tenderly to-day!
 Weed their hearts of weariness;
       Scatter every care
 Down a wake of angel-wings
       Winnowing the air.

Bring unto the sorrowing
       All release from pain;
 Let the lips of laughter
       Overflow again;
 And with all the needy
       O divide, I pray,
 This vast treasure of content
       That is mine to-day!