LESSON 9
THE THREE BUGS

Three little bugs in a basket,

And hardly room for two;

And one was yellow, and one was black,

And one like me or you;

The space was small, no doubt, for all,

So what should the three bugs do?

Three little bugs in a basket,

And hardly crumbs for two;

And all were selfish in their hearts

The same as I or you.

So the strong one said, “We will eat the bread,

And that’s what we will do!”

Three little bugs in a basket,

And the beds but two could hold;

And so they fell to quarreling—

The white, the black, and the gold—

And two of the bugs got under the rugs,

And one was out in the cold.

He that was left in the basket

Without a crumb to chew,

Or a shred to wrap himself withal,

When the wind across him blew,

Pulled one of the rugs from one of the bugs,

And so the quarrel grew.

So there was war in the basket;

Ah! pity’t is, ’t is true!

But he that was frozen and starved, at last

A strength from his weakness drew,

And pulled the rugs from both the bugs,

And killed and ate them, too!

Though more than it well can hold,

It seems to me they had better agree—

The black, the white, and the gold—

And share what comes of beds and crumbs,

And leave no bug in the cold.

— AARY

FTUDY

Use these words in sentences.

1

3

2

Midas

sgrow

weet

gold

rilove

ch

fairy

sdrink

ad

flowe

lichange

ttle

apple

gwept

olden

water

bwalk

lind

horses

lsee

ame

hero

ssaid

elfis

in sFenintedn cthese.se words in“ The Three Bugs.” Use them

4

5

6

basket

hahold

rdly

space

yegold

llow

crumbs

nocold

doubt

hearts

quchew

arreling

bread

shblew

red

strength

acgrew

ross

weaknes

s frtwo

ozen

quarrel

stado

rved

agree

pu’t is true

lled

selfis

shdrew

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