"And if there is dancing, I hope, dear Miss Ant,
That you will allow _me_ to stay!"

"Come in, sir, come in!" said the little Black Ant,
"The more, sir, the merrier we!
And here, I declare, is my friend Mrs. Snail,
As busy as ever, I see!"

"Come in, Mrs. Snail," said the little Black Ant,
"Come join our small party to-night!
Here's the Beetle and Cricket all quite snug and dry,
And the Glow-worm to give us some light!"

So the Snail came and joined them, still knitting away,
And the Cricket her fiddle got out;
And then--well, you just should have seen how they
danced,
How they jumped and all capered about!

[Illustration: Mrs. Toad Breaks up the Party.]

The Little Black Ant did a skirt-dance quite well;
The Beetle a gay Highland fling;
And as for the Glow-worm, he just jigged about,
And _danced_ really nothing at all.

But all of a sudden a croaking was heard,
And who should appear but a Toad,
Who hoarsely demanded their business, and why
They were all gathered in her abode?