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At last they tumble off to sleep,

And softly from their room I creep

And brush and comb the shock of hair

I tossed about to be a bear.

Then mother says: ‘Well, I should say
You’re just as much a child as they.’

But you can bet I’ll not resign

That story telling job of mine.
tumble: to fall suddenly
—Edgar Albert Guest

About the Poet
Edgar Albert Guest (1881–1959) was a British-born American writer whose poems were widely read during the first half of
the 20th century. Guest began his career at the Detroit Free Press in 1895, where he first worked as a copyboy. In 1916, Guest
published A Heap O’ Livin’, a collection of verse that eventually sold more than 1,000,000 copies. That work was followed by
Just Folks (1918), Rhythms of Childhood (1924), Life’s Highway (1933) and Living the Years (1949).

Time to answer

A. Choose the correct option.

1. How are the gypsies described by the poet?

courageous outstanding

prominent adventurous

2. Which line in the poem describes the strength of the northern gales?

Must imitate the northern gales That toss the native man’s canoe

While all that noise up there you make That roam the woods on starry nights

3. Select the option that proves that the poet is a brilliant story teller.

I. The children insist that the poet only tell them stories.
II. The poet finds it quite an easy task to narrate new stories every night.

III. The poet imitates every character of the story.

IV. The poet enjoys the story telling session every night.

I and II II, III and IV I, III and IV I and IV

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