Page 161 - Fairbrass

being- “ returned with thanks,” and the

disappointment nearly drove him mad.’
‘ Poorfellow !’ said Fairbrass sympatheti­

cally. i It must have made his father and
mother very sad. ’

* He never let them or anyone else

know it,’ said the Hedgehog. 'A ll day
long he seemed as happy as happy could

be ; It was only when be was alone at

night that he let himself loose and gave
way, T slept in his room, you see, and so

know all about it. And now I ’m coming

to my point. He knew that no one would
have anything to do with his poetry, and

that made him wretched. But he knew,
too, that if his verses were accepted and

published, and read and quoted all over the

world, even then he wouldn’t be happy, it
being in the nature of poets to be discon­

tented. He so often spouted some of his

lines dealing with this side of the question
that I learnt them by heart. Perhaps you

would like to hear them ? ’

f If you please/ said Fairbrass.