By Favor Of The Queen

Around the walls and towers Of Windsor, old and gray, The castle where the noble Queen Of England loved to stay, The birds flit gayly through the air In happy freedom everywhere.

Their nests they build as freely, Without a thought of fear, In bush or tree, or castle wall, All innocently near To palace pomp and royalty; For birds know naught of high degree.

The sheltered nooks and crannies Left in the tower wall Where loosened stones had fallen out, The birds loved best of all; And, joyful, in each vacant space Their little straw-built nests would place.

Once, when the Queen was absent, The royal gardener saw The holes that marred the tower wall, The hanging bits of straw, And ordered all made right in haste-- The nests destroyed, the stones replaced.

Then stood the lofty tower In orderly array; Its crannies snug, its cosey nooks, Had vanished quite away; And homeless roved the twittering throng Once nesting there with happy song.

But when the royal lady To Windsor came again, And viewed with fond affection all This fair and dear domain, The tower's silent, smooth expanse Won from her eyes a troubled glance.

No birds about the tower? Their nesting-places filled? No more those crannies in the wall Where birds had loved to build? Such were the questions quick to start And stir that tender, queenly heart.

Straightway, in loving pity For all the little birds Thus routed, homeless, and forlorn, Came her commanding words, "The stones must be removed, and then Nor birds nor nests disturbed again."

So, on the great round tower Of Windsor, old and gray, The palace where the noble Queen Of England loved to stay, Those nooks and crannies still are seen-- Bird homes "by favor of the Queen."

Ah! 'tis by more than birthright This good Queen won renown; Her deeds of love and mercy shone Far brighter than her crown. The whole world mourns that good life's end, And even the birds have lost a friend.

These are the eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the nest where the eggs were found, The pretty white eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the pigeon with soft gray breast Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest, The nest where the pretty white eggs were found, Her own little eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the pigeon-house safe and high (Where never a prowling cat could pry) Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest, The nest where the pretty white eggs were found, Her own little eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the barn which the farmer had filled With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled: The barn near which stood the pigeon-house high (Where never a prowling cat could pry) Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest, The nest where the pretty white eggs were found, Her own little eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the bin full of corn so good (The little gray pigeon's favorite food). That was in the barn which the farmer had filled With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled; The barn near which stood the pigeon-house high (Where never a prowling cat could pry) Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest, The nest where the pretty white eggs were found, Her own little eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

This is the child so thoughtful and kind Who went to the bin the corn to find; The bin, full of corn so yellow and good (The little gray pigeon's favorite food). That was in the barn which the farmer had filled With hay and grain from the fields he had tilled; The barn near which was the pigeon-house high (Where never a prowling cat could pry) Where lived the pigeon with soft gray breast Who patiently sat on the loose straw nest, The nest where the pretty white eggs were found, Her own little eggs so smooth and round That held the wonderful secret.

And when the child threw the corn about, The little gray pigeon came fluttering out From the door of the pigeon-house safe and high, And the child heard a faint little cooing cry,-- A sweet little, wee little murmuring sound; For, instead of the eggs so smooth and round, (Perhaps the wonderful secret you've guessed) Two baby pigeons were in the nest!