A LEGEND OF LAKE OKEEFINOKEE

THERE once was a frog,
And he lived in a bog,
On the banks of Lake Okeefinokee.
And the words of the song
That he sang all day long
Were, " Croakety croakety croaky."
Said the frog, " I have found
That my life's daily round
In this place is exceedingly poky.
So no longer I '11 stop,
But I swiftly will hop
Away from Lake Okeefmokee."

Now a bad mocking-bird
By mischance overheard
The words of the frog as he spokee.
And he said, " All my life
Frog and l've been at strife,
As we lived by Lake Okeefinokee. "
Now I see at a glance
Here 's a capital chance
For to play him a practical jokee.
So I '11 venture to say
That he shall not to-day
Leave the banks of Lake Okeefinokee."
So this bad mocking-bird,
Without saying a word,
He flew to a tree which was oaky.

And loudly he sang,
Till the whole forest rang, "
Oh ! Croakety croakety croaky ! "
As he warbled this song,
Master Frog came along,
A-filling his pipe for to smokee,
And he said, " 'T is some frog
Has escaped from the bog
Of Okeefinokee-finokee. "
I am filled with amaze
To hear one of my race
A-warbling on top of an oaky ;
But if frogs can climb trees,
I may still find some ease
On the banks of Lake Okeefinokee."
So he climbed up the tree ;
But alas ! down fell he !
And his lovely green neck it was brokee ;
And the sad truth to say,
Never more did he stray
From the banks of Lake Okeefinokee.
And the bad mocking-bird
Said, " How very absurd
And delightful a practical jokee ! "
But I 'in happy to say
He was drowned the next day
In the waters of Okeefinokee.

"A Legend of Lake Okefenokee"
Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards
In My Nursery--A Book of Verse
Published 1890
Roberts brothers
238 pages