Edgar Albert Guest

Story-Time

"Tell us a story," comes the cry
  From little lips when nights are cold,
And in the grate the flames leap high.
  "Tell us a tale of pirates bold,
Or fairies hiding in the glen,
  Or of a ship that's wrecked at sea."
I fill my pipe, and there and then
  Gather the children round my knee.

I give them all a role to play--
  No longer are they youngsters small,
And I, their daddy, turning gray;
  We are adventurers, one and all.
We journey forth as Robin Hood
  In search of treasure, or to do
Some deed of daring or of good;
  Our hearts are ever brave and true.

We take a solemn oath to be
  Defenders of the starry flag;
We brave the winter's stormy sea,
  Or climb the rugged mountain crag,
To battle to the death with those
  Who would defame our native land;
We pitch our camp among the snows
  Or on the tropics' burning sand.

We rescue maidens, young and fair,
  Held captive long in prison towers;
We slay the villain in his lair,
  For we're possessed of magic powers.
And though we desperately fight,
  When by our foes are we beset,
We always triumph for the right;
  We have not lost a battle yet.

It matters not how far we stray,
  Nor where our battle lines may be,
We never get so far away
  That we must spend a night at sea.
It matters not how high we climb,
  How many foes our pathway block,
We always conquer just in time
  To go to bed at 9 o'clock.