Carolyn Wells

A Serious Question

A kitten went a-walking
  One morning in July,
And idly fell a-talking
  With a great big butterfly.

The kitten's tone was airy,
  The butterfly would scoff;
When there came along a fairy
  Who whisked his wings right off.

And then--for it is written
  Fairies can do such things--
Upon the startled kitten
  She stuck the yellow wings.

  The kitten felt a quiver,
  She rose into the air,
Then flew down to the river
  To view her image there.

With fear her heart was smitten,
  And she began to cry,
"Am I a butter-kitten?
  Or just a kitten-fly?"