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the willow man by juliana horatia gaddy ewing read for librivox.org by betty b willow man there once was a willow and he was very old and all his leaves fell off from him and left him in the cold but air the rude winter could buffet him with snow there grew upon his horry head a crop of mistletoe all wrinkled and furrowed was this old willow's skin his taper fingers trembled and his arms were very thin two round eyes and hollow that stared but did not see and sprawling feet that never walked had this most ancient tree a dame who dwelt near was the only one who knew that every year upon his head the christmas berries grew and when the dame cut them she said it was her whim a merry christmas to you sir and left a bit for him o granny dear tell us the children cried where we may find the shining mistletoe that grows upon the tree at length the dame told them but caution them to mind to greet the willow civilly and leave a bit behind who cares said the children for this old willow man we'll take the mistletoe and he may catch us if he can with rage the ancient willow shakes in every limb for they have taken all and have not left a bit for him then bright gleamed the holly the christmas berries shone but in the wintry wind without the willow man did moan ungrateful and wasteful the mystic mistletoe a hundred years hath grown on me but never more shall grow a year soon passed by and the children came once more but not a sprig of mistletoe the aged willow bore each slender spray pointed he mocked them in his glee and chuckled in his wooden heart that ancient willow tree moral o children who gather the spoils of wood and mold from selfish greed and willful waste your little hands withhold though fair things be common this moral bear in mind pick thankfully and modestly and leave a bit behind end of poem this recording is in the public domain
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