Through song, game, memorization, and dramatization, traditional or original, the rhymes may be made to contribute to the child's satisfaction in all of the directions pointed out.

SUGGESTIONS FOR READING

(Books referred to by authors' names are listed in preceding bibliography.)

For orientation read Chauncey B. Tinker, "In Praise of Nursery Lore," Unpopular Review, Vol. VI, p. 338 (Oct.-Dec., 1916). For a most satisfactory presentation of the whole subject read chap. x, "Mother Goose," in Field. For the origin of Mother Goose as a character consult Lang's introduction to his edition of Perrault's Popular Tales. For the theory of her American nativity see Wheeler and Whitmore. For the origins of the rhymes themselves the authorities are Halliwell and Eckenstein. For pedagogical suggestions see Welsh, also his article "Nursery Rhymes," Cyclopedia of Education (ed. Monroe). For many interesting facts and suggestions on rhythm in nursery rhymes consult Charles H. Sears, "Studies in Rhythm," Pedagogical Seminary, Vol. VIII, p. 3. For the whole subject of folk songs look into Martinengo-Cesaresco, The Study of Folk Songs. Books and periodicals dealing with primary education often contain brief discussions of value on the use of rhymes. Many Mother Goose records have been prepared by the educational departments of the various talking-machine companies, and may be used to advantage in the work in rhythm.

The shorter rhymes (Nos. 1-115) are arranged in alphabetical order. There are many slight variations in the form of the text as found in printed versions and in the oral versions used by children in different communities. While Halliwell has been used as the basis for rhymes given in his collection, the following versions try to reproduce the forms of expression that seem generally most pleasing to children.



1

A cat came fiddling out of a barn, With a pair of bagpipes under her arm; She could sing nothing but fiddle-de-dee, The mouse has married the bumble-bee; Pipe, cat—dance, mouse— We'll have a wedding at our good house.



2

A diller, a dollar, A ten o'clock scholar, What makes you come so soon? You used to come at ten o'clock, And now you come at noon.



3

As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives; Every wife had seven sacks, Every sack had seven cats, Every cat had seven kits: Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, How many were there going to St. Ives? (One.)



4

As I was going up Pippen Hill,— Pippen Hill was dirty,— There I met a pretty miss, And she dropped me a curtsy.

Little miss, pretty miss, Blessings light upon you; If I had half-a-crown a day, I'd spend it all upon you.



5

As I went to Bonner, I met a pig Without a wig, Upon my word of honor.



6

As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks Were walking out one Sunday, Says Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks, "To-morrow will be Monday."



7

A swarm of bees in May Is worth a load of hay; A swarm of bees in June Is worth a silver spoon; A swarm of bees in July Is not worth a fly.



8

Baa, baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes, marry, have I, Three bags full; One for my master, And one for my dame, And one for the little boy Who lives in the lane.



9

Barber, barber, shave a pig, How many hairs will make a wig? "Four and twenty, that's enough." Give the barber a pinch of snuff.



10

Birds of a feather flock together, And so will pigs and swine; Rats and mice will have their choice, And so will I have mine.



11

Bless you, bless you, burnie bee; Say, when will your wedding be? If it be to-morrow day, Take your wings and fly away.



12

Bobby Shafto's gone to sea, With silver buckles at his knee; He'll come back and marry me,— Pretty Bobby Shafto!

Bobby Shafto's fat and fair, Combing out his yellow hair, He's my love for evermore,— Pretty Bobby Shafto!



13

Bow, wow, wow, Whose dog art thou? Little Tom Tinker's dog, Bow, wow, wow.



14

Bye, baby bunting, Daddy's gone a-hunting, To get a little rabbit skin To wrap the baby bunting in.



15

Come when you're called, Do what you're bid, Shut the door after you, Never be chid.



16

Cross patch, Draw the latch, And sit by the fire and spin; Take a cup, And drink it up, Then call your neighbors in.



17

Curly locks! curly locks! wilt thou be mine? Thou shalt not wash the dishes, nor yet feed the swine. But sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam, And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream!



18

Dance, little baby, dance up high, Never mind, baby, mother is by; Crow and caper, caper and crow, There, little baby, there you go;

Up to the ceiling, down to the ground, Backward and forward, round and round; Dance, little baby, and mother will sing, With the merry coral, ding, ding, ding!



19

Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John, He went to bed with his stockings on; One shoe off, the other shoe on, Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.



20

Ding, dong, bell! Pussy's in the well. Who put her in? Little Tommy Green. Who pulled her out? Little Johnny Stout. What a naughty boy was that, To drown the poor, poor pussy-cat, Who never did him any harm, But killed the mice in his father's barn.



21

Doctor Foster Went to Glo'ster, In a shower of rain; He stepped in a puddle, Up to his middle, And never went there again.



22

Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, Stick, stock, stone dead, Stick him up, stick him down, Stick him in the old man's crown.



23

For every evil under the sun, There is a remedy, or there is none. If there be one, try to find it, If there be none, never mind it.



24

Four-and-twenty tailors went to kill a snail, The bravest man among them dursn't touch her tail; The snail put out her horns, like a little Kyloe cow, Run, tailors, run, or she'll kill you all e'en now.



25

Great A, little a, Bouncing B! The cat's in the cupboard, And she can't see.



26

Hark, hark, The dogs do bark, The beggars are coming to town: Some in tags, Some in rags, And some in velvet gowns.



27

Here sits the Lord Mayor, (touching forehead) Here sit his two men, (eyes) Here sits the cock, (right cheek) Here sits the hen, (left cheek) Here sit the little chickens, (tip of nose) Here they all run in; (mouth) Chinchopper, chinchopper, Chinchopper chin! (chuck the chin)



28

Here we go up, up, up, And here we go down, down, down; And here we go backwards and forwards, And here we go round, round, round.



29

Given as usually known to children. In some older versions the word "craft" was used instead of "sport," thus making a rhyme. There is an old story of an overly serious parent who was greatly disturbed by the evident exaggerations in this jingle. After calling the attention of his children to the offensive improbabilities, the good man suggested the following "revised version."

Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped under the moon; The little dog barked, To see the sport, And the cat ran after the spoon!

Hey! diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon.



30

Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7, Alabone Crackabone, 10 and 11, Spin, span, muskidan; Twiddle 'um, twaddle 'um, 21.



31

Higgledy, Piggledy, My black hen, She lays eggs For gentlemen; Sometimes nine, And sometimes ten, Higgledy, Piggledy, My black hen!



32

Hickory, dickory, dock, The mouse ran up the clock, The clock struck one, The mouse ran down; Hickory, dickory, dock.



33

Hogs in the garden, catch 'em, Towser. Cows in the cornfield, run, boys, run; Cats in the cream-pot, run, girls, run, girls; Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run.



34

Hot-cross buns! Hot-cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot-cross buns!

Hot-cross buns! Hot-cross buns! If you have no daughters, Give them to your sons.



35

Hub a dub dub, Three men in a tub; The butcher, the baker, The candlestick-maker, They all fell out of a rotten potato.



36

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; Threescore men and threescore more Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before. (An egg.)



37

If all the sea were one sea, What a great sea that would be! And if all the trees were one tree, What a great tree that would be! And if all the axes were one axe, What a great axe that would be! And if all the men were one man, What a great man he would be! And if the great man took the great axe, And cut down the great tree, And let it fall into the great sea, What a splish splash that would be!



38

If all the world was apple-pie, And all the sea was ink, And all the trees were bread and cheese, What should we have for drink?



39

If I'd as much money as I could spend, I never would cry, "Old chairs to mend! Old chairs to mend! Old chairs to mend!" I never would cry, "Old chairs to mend!" If I'd as much money as I could tell, I never would cry, "Old clothes to sell! Old clothes to sell! Old clothes to sell!" I never would cry, "Old clothes to sell!"



40

If "ifs" and "ands" Were pots and pans, There would be no need for tinkers!



41

If wishes were horses, Beggars might ride; If turnips were watches, I'd wear one by my side.



42

I had a little pony, His name was Dapple-gray, I lent him to a lady, To ride a mile away; She whipped him, she slashed him, She rode him through the mire; I would not lend my pony now For all that lady's hire.



43

I had a little hobby horse, His name was Tommy Gray, His head was made of pease straw, His body made of hay; I saddled him and bridled him, And rode him up to town, There came a little puff of wind And blew him up and down.



44

I have a little sister, they call her peep, peep; She wades the waters deep, deep, deep; She climbs the mountains high, high, high; Poor little creature, she has but one eye. (A star.)



45

I'll tell you a story Of Jack-a-Nory, And now my story's begun. I'll tell you another About Jack's brother, And now my story is done.



46

In marble walls as white as milk, Lined with a skin as soft as silk; Within a fountain crystal clear, A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold, Yet thieves break in and steal the gold. (An egg.)



47

1. I went up one pair of stairs. 2. Just like me. 1. I went up two pair of stairs. 2. Just like me. 1. I went into a room. 2. Just like me. 1. I looked out of a window. 2. Just like me. 1. And there I saw a monkey. 2. Just like me.



48

Jack and Jill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.



49

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick.



50

Jack Sprat could eat no fat, His wife could eat no lean; And so between them both, you see, They licked the platter clean.



51

Knock at the door, (forehead) And peep in, (lift eyelids) Open the door, (mouth) And walk in. Chinchopper, chinchopper, Chinchopper chin!



52

These lines, common in similar form to many countries, are said by children when they throw the beautiful little insect into the air to make it take flight.

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children all gone; All but one, and her name is Ann, And she crept under the pudding-pan.



53

Little boy blue, come blow your horn, The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn; Where is the boy that looks after the sheep? He's under the haycock fast asleep. Will you wake him? No, not I; For if I do, he'll be sure to cry.



54

Little girl, little girl, where have you been? Gathering roses to give to the queen. Little girl, little girl, what gave she you? She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.



55

Little Jack Horner Sat in a corner, Eating his Christmas pie. He put in his thumb, And he pulled out a plum, And said, "What a good boy am I!"



56

Little Jack Jingle, He used to live single, But when he got tired of this kind of life, He left off being single and lived with his wife.



57

Little Johnny Pringle had a little pig; It was very little, so was not very big. As it was playing beneath the shed, In half a minute poor Piggie was dead. So Johnny Pringle he sat down and cried, And Betty Pringle she lay down and died. This is the history of one, two, and three, Johnny Pringle he, Betty Pringle she, And the Piggie-Wiggie.



58

Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey; There came a great spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away.



59

Little Nancy Etticoat, In a white petticoat, And a red nose; The longer she stands, The shorter she grows. (A candle.)



60

Little Robin Redbreast Sat upon a rail; Niddle naddle went his head, Wiggle waggle went his tail.



61

Little Tommy Tucker Sings for his supper; What shall he eat? White bread and butter. How shall he cut it Without e'er a knife? How will he be married Without e'er a wife?



62

Long legs, crooked thighs, Little head and no eyes. (The tongs.)



63

Lucy Locket lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it: Nothing in it, nothing in it, But the binding round it.



64

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Guard the bed that I lie on! Four corners to my bed, Four angels round my head; One to watch, one to pray, And two to bear my soul away.



65

Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With cockle-shells, and silver bells, And pretty maids all in a row.



66

Multiplication is vexation, Division is as bad; The Rule of Three perplexes me, And Practice drives me mad.



67

Needles and pins, needles and pins, When a man marries his trouble begins.



68

Old King Cole Was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, And he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three. Every fiddler, he had a fine fiddle, And a very fine fiddle had he; Twee tweedle dee, tweedle dee, went the fiddlers. Oh, there's one so rare, As can compare With old King Cole and his fiddlers three!



69

Once I saw a little bird Come hop, hop, hop; So I cried, "Little bird, Will you stop, stop, stop?" And was going to the window To say, "How do you do?" But he shook his little tail, And far away he flew.



70

One for the money, And two for the show; Three to make ready, And four to go.



71

One misty, moisty morning, When cloudy was the weather, I chanced to meet an old man Clothed all in leather, He began to compliment, And I began to grin,— "How do you do," and "How do you do," And "How do you do" again!



72

1, 2, 3, 4, 5! I caught a hare alive; 6, 7, 8, 9, 10! I let her go again.



73

One, two, Buckle my shoe; Three, four, Shut the door; Five, six, Pick up sticks; Seven, eight, Lay them straight; Nine, ten, A good fat hen; Eleven, twelve, Who will delve? Thirteen, fourteen, Maids a-courting; Fifteen, sixteen, Maids a-kissing; Seventeen, eighteen, Maids a-waiting; Nineteen, twenty, My stomach's empty.



74

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man! So I will, master, as fast as I can: Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with T, Put it in the oven for Tommy and me.



75

Pease-porridge hot, Pease-porridge cold, Pease-porridge in the pot, Nine days old; Some like it hot, Some like it cold, Some like it in the pot, Nine days old.



76

Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater, Had a wife and couldn't keep her; He put her in a pumpkin-shell, And there he kept her very well.



77

Halliwell suggests that "off a pewter plate" is sometimes added at the end of each line. This rhyme is famous as a "tongue twister," or enunciation exercise.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked; If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?



78

Poor old Robinson Crusoe! Poor old Robinson Crusoe! They made him a coat, Of an old nanny goat, I wonder how they could do so! With a ring a ting tang, And a ring a ting tang, Poor old Robinson Crusoe!



79

Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been? I've been to London to see the Queen. Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there? I frightened a little mouse under the chair.



80

Pussy sits beside the fire; How can she be fair? In comes the little dog, "Pussy, are you there? So, so, dear Mistress Pussy, Pray tell me how do you do?" "Thank you, thank you, little dog, I'm very well just now."



81

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury-cross, To see an old lady upon a white horse, Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, And so she makes music wherever she goes.



82

Ride, baby, ride! Pretty baby shall ride, And have a little puppy-dog tied to her side; And one little pussy-cat tied to the other, And away she shall ride to see her grandmother, To see her grandmother, To see her grandmother.



83

Rock-a-bye, baby, On the tree top, When the wind blows The cradle will rock; When the bough breaks The cradle will fall, Down will come baby, Bough, cradle, and all.



84

Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green; Father's a nobleman, mother's a queen; And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring; And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the king.



85

See a pin and pick it up, All the day you'll have good luck; See a pin and let it lay, Bad luck you'll have all the day!



86

See, saw, sacradown, Which is the way to London town? One foot up, the other foot down, And that is the way to London town.



87

Shoe the little horse, And shoe the little mare, And let the little colt Run bare, bare, bare.



88

Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie; When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlor Eating bread and honey;

The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes, When along came a blackbird, And pecked off her nose.

Jenny was so mad, She didn't know what to do; She put her finger in her ear, And cracked it right in two.



89

Star light, star bright, First star I see to-night; I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish to-night.



90

The King of France went up the hill, With twenty thousand men; The King of France came down the hill, And ne'er went up again.



91

The lion and the unicorn Were fighting for the crown; The lion beat the unicorn All round about the town. Some gave them white bread, And some gave them brown, Some gave them plumcake, And sent them out of town.



92

The man in the moon Came tumbling down, And asked the way to Norwich; He went by the south And burned his mouth With supping cold pease porridge.



93

The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will the robin do then? Poor thing!

He will sit in a barn, And to keep himself warm, Will hide his head under his wing, Poor thing!



94

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts, All on a summer's day. The Knave of Hearts he stole those tarts, And hid them clean away. The King of Hearts he missed those tarts, And beat the Knave right sore, The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts, And vowed he'd steal no more.



95

There was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile, And found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile: He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, And they all lived together in a little crooked house.



96

There was a little boy went into a barn, And lay down on some hay; An owl came out and flew about, And the little boy ran away.



97

There was a man and he had naught, And robbers came to rob him; He crept up to the chimney top, And then they thought they had him; But he got down on t'other side, And then they could not find him: He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days, And never looked behind him.



98

There was a man in our town, And he was wondrous wise; He jumped into a briar bush, And scratched out both his eyes: And when he saw his eyes were out, With all his might and main He jumped into another bush, And scratched 'em in again.



99

There was an old man, And he had a calf, And that's half; He took him out of the stall, And put him on the wall; And that's all.



100

There was an old woman, and what do you think? She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink: Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet; Yet this little old woman could never keep quiet.

She went to the baker, to buy her some bread, And when she came home, her old husband was dead; She went to the clerk to toll the bell, And when she came back her old husband was well.



101

There was an old woman lived under a hill, And if she's not gone, she lives there still. She put a mouse in a bag and sent it to mill; The miller he swore by the point of his knife, He never took toll of a mouse in his life.



102

There was an old woman of Leeds, Who spent all her time in good deeds; She worked for the poor, Till her fingers were sore, This pious old woman of Leeds!



103

There was an old woman of Norwich, Who lived upon nothing but porridge! Parading the town, She turned cloak into gown! This thrifty old woman of Norwich.



104

There was an old woman tossed up in a basket Nineteen times as high as the moon; Where she was going I couldn't but ask it, For in her hand she carried a broom.

"Old woman, old woman, old woman," quoth I, "O whither, O whither, O whither, so high?" "To brush the cobwebs off the sky!" "Shall I go with thee?" "Aye, by and by."



105

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, She had so many children, she didn't know what to do. She gave them some broth without any bread, Then whipped them all soundly, and put them to bed.



106

There was an owl lived in an oak, Wisky, wasky, weedle; And every word he ever spoke, Was fiddle, faddle, feedle.

A gunner chanced to come that way, Wisky, wasky, weedle; Says he, "I'll shoot you, silly bird," Fiddle, faddle, feedle.



107

This is the way the ladies ride; Tri, tre, tre, tree, tri, tre, tre, tree! This is the way the ladies ride, Tri, tre, tre, tree, tri, tre, tre, tree!

This is the way the gentlemen ride; Gallop-a-trot, gallop-a-trot! This is the way the gentlemen ride, Gallop-a-trot-a-trot!

This is the way the farmers ride; Hobbledy-hoy, hobbledy-hoy! This is the way the farmers ride, Hobbledy-hobbledy-hoy!



108

1. This little pig went to market; 2. This little pig stayed at home; 3. This little pig had roast beef; 4. And this little pig had none; 5. This little pig said, "Wee, wee, wee! I can't find my way home."



109

Three blind mice! see, how they run! They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with the carving knife! Did you ever see such a thing in your life? Three blind mice!



110

Three wise men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl; If the bowl had been stronger, My song would have been longer.



111

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, dancing a jig; To market, to market, to buy a fat hog, Home again, home again, jiggety-jog; To market, to market, to buy a plum bun. Home again, home again, market is done.



112

Tom, Tom, the piper's son, Stole a pig and away he run! The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, And Tom went roaring down the street!



113

Two-legs sat upon three-legs, With one-leg in his lap; In comes four-legs And runs away with one-leg; Up jumps two-legs, Catches up three-legs, Throws it after four-legs, And makes him bring one-leg back.

(One-leg is a leg of mutton; two-legs, a man; three-legs, a stool; four-legs, a dog.)



114

The following is another good "tongue twister" (see No. 77). It is recommended for the little lisper, and in former days it was recommended as a sure cure for the hiccoughs.

When a twister a-twisting would twist him a twist, For twisting a twist three twists he will twist; But if one of the twists untwists from the twist, The twist untwisting untwists the twist.



115

"Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going? I will go with you, if I may."

"I am going to the meadow to see them a-mowing, I am going to see them make the hay."



116

No. 116 and the two rhymes following are by Miss Wilhelmina Seegmiller. (By permission of the publishers, Rand McNally & Co., Chicago.) Their presence will allow teachers to compare some widely and successfully used modern efforts with the traditional jingles in the midst of which they are placed.

MILKWEED SEEDS

As white as milk, As soft as silk, And hundreds close together: They sail away, On an autumn day, When windy is the weather.



117

AN ANNIVERSARY

Pop! fizz! bang! whizz! Don't you know what day this is?

Fizz! bang! whizz! pop! Hurrah for the Fourth! and hippity-hop!



118

TWINK! TWINK!

Twink, twink, twink, twink, Twinkety, twinkety, twink! The fireflies light their lanterns, Then put them out in a wink.

Twink, twink, twink, twink, They light their light once more, Then twinkety, twinkety, twink, twink, They put them out as before.

Nos. 119-146 are in the main the longer nursery favorites and may somewhat loosely be called the novels and epics of the nursery as the former group may be called the lyrics and short stories. All of them are marked by dramatic power, a necessary element in all true classics for children whether in verse or prose. Nos. 119 and 120 are two of the favorite jingles used in teaching the alphabet. Each letter suggests a distinct image. In No. 119 the images are all of actions, and connected by the direction of these actions upon a single object. In No. 120 the images are each complete and independent. Here it may be noticed that some of the elements of the pictures are determined by the exigencies of rhyme, as, for instance, what the archer shot at, and what the lady had. The originator doubtless expected the child to see the relation of cause and consequence between Y and Z.



119

A WAS AN APPLE-PIE

A was an apple-pie; B bit it; C cut it; D dealt it; E eat it; F fought for it; G got it; H had it; J joined it: K kept it; L longed for it; M mourned for it; N nodded at it; O opened it; P peeped in it; Q quartered it; R ran for it; S stole it; T took it; V viewed it; W wanted it; X, Y, Z, and Ampersand (&) All wished for a piece in hand.



120

TOM THUMB'S ALPHABET

A was an archer, and shot at a frog; B was a butcher, and kept a bull-dog.

C was a captain, all covered with lace; D was a drunkard, and had a red face.

E was an esquire, with insolent brow; F was a farmer, and followed the plough.

G was a gamester, who had but ill luck; H was a hunter, and hunted a buck.

I was an innkeeper, who loved to carouse; J was a joiner, and built up a house.

K was a king, so mighty and grand; L was a lady, who had a white hand.

M was a miser, and hoarded up gold; N was a nobleman, gallant and bold.

O was an oyster girl, and went about town; P was a parson, and wore a black gown.

Q was a queen, who sailed in a ship; R was a robber, and wanted a whip.

S was a sailor, and spent all he got; T was a tinker, and mended a pot.

U was an usurer, a miserable elf; V was a vintner, who drank all himself.

W was a watchman, and guarded the door; X was expensive, and so became poor.

Y was a youth, that did not love school; Z was a zany, a poor harmless fool.



121

WHERE ARE YOU GOING

Where are you going, my pretty maid? "I'm going a-milking, sir," she said. May I go with you, my pretty maid? "You're kindly welcome, sir," she said. What is your father, my pretty maid? "My father's a farmer, sir," she said. What is your fortune, my pretty maid? "My face is my fortune, sir," she said. Then I can't marry you, my pretty maid. "Nobody asked you, sir," she said.



122

MOLLY AND I

Molly, my sister, and I fell out, And what do you think it was about? She loved coffee, and I loved tea, And that was the reason we couldn't agree. But Molly, my sister, and I made up, And now together we can sup, For Molly drinks coffee, and I drink tea, And we both are happy as happy can be.



123

LONDON BRIDGE

London bridge is broken down, Dance o'er my lady Lee; London bridge is broken down, With a gay lady.

How shall we build it up again? Dance o'er my lady Lee; How shall we build it up again? With a gay lady.

Build it up with silver and gold, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Build it up with silver and gold, With a gay lady.

Silver and gold will be stole away, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Silver and gold will be stole away, With a gay lady.

Build it again with iron and steel, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Build it up with iron and steel, With a gay lady.

Iron and steel will bend and bow, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Iron and steel will bend and bow, With a gay lady.

Build it up with wood and clay, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Build it up with wood and clay, With a gay lady.

Wood and clay will wash away, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Wood and clay will wash away, With a gay lady.

Build it up with stone so strong, Dance o'er my lady Lee; Huzza! 'twill last for ages long, With a gay lady.



124

I SAW A SHIP

I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And oh, it was all laden With pretty things for thee!

There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold!

The four and twenty sailors, That stood between the decks, Were four and twenty white mice, With chains about their necks.

The captain was a duck, With a packet on his back; And when the ship began to move, The captain said, "Quack! Quack!"



125

THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN

There was an old woman, as I've heard tell, She went to market her eggs for to sell; She went to market all on a market-day, And she fell asleep on the king's highway.

By came a pedlar whose name was Stout, He cut her petticoats all round about; He cut her petticoats up to her knees, Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.

When this little woman first did wake, She began to shiver and she began to shake, She began to wonder, and she began to cry, "Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!

"But if it be I, as I do hope it be, I've a little dog at home, and he'll know me; If it be I, he'll wag his little tail, And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail."

Home went the little woman all in the dark, Up got the little dog, and he began to bark; He began to bark, so she began to cry, "Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!"



126

LITTLE BO-PEEP

Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, And bring their tails behind them.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For they were still all fleeting.

Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them; She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they'd left their tails behind them.

It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray, Unto a meadow hard by: There she espied their tails side by side, All hung on a tree to dry.



127

COCK A DOODLE DOO

Cock a doodle doo! My dame has lost her shoe; My master's lost his fiddling stick, And don't know what to do.

Cock a doodle doo! What is my dame to do? Till master finds his fiddling stick, She'll dance without her shoe.

Cock a doodle doo! My dame has found her shoe, And master's found his fiddling stick, Sing doodle doodle doo!

Cock a doodle doo! My dame will dance with you, While master fiddles his fiddling stick, For dame and doodle doo.



128

THREE JOVIAL HUNTSMEN

There were three jovial huntsmen, As I have heard them say, And they would go a-hunting All on a summer's day.

All the day they hunted, And nothing could they find But a ship a-sailing, A-sailing with the wind.

One said it was a ship, The other he said nay; The third said it was a house With the chimney blown away.

And all the night they hunted, And nothing could they find, But the moon a-gliding, A-gliding with the wind.

One said it was the moon, The other he said nay; The third said it was a cheese, And half o't cut away.



129

THERE WAS A LITTLE MAN

There was a little man, And he had a little gun, And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead; He went to a brook, And fired at a duck, And shot it through the head, head, head. He carried it home To his old wife Joan, And bade her a fire to make, make, make, To roast the little duck, He had shot in the brook, And he'd go and fetch her the drake, drake, drake.

The drake was a-swimming, With his curly tail; The little man made it his mark, mark, mark! He let off his gun, But he fired too soon, And the drake flew away with a quack, quack, quack.



130

TAFFY

Taffy was a Welshman; Taffy was a thief; Taffy came to my house, And stole a piece of beef. I went to Taffy's house; Taffy wasn't home; Taffy came to my house, And stole a marrow-bone. I went to Taffy's house; Taffy was in bed; I took up the marrow-bone And flung it at his head!



131

SIMPLE SIMON

Simple Simon met a pieman Going to the fair: Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Let me taste your ware."

Says the pieman to Simple Simon, "Show me first your penny." Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Indeed I haven't any."

Simple Simon went a fishing Just to catch a whale: All the water he had got Was in his mother's pail.

Simple Simon went to look If plums grew on a thistle; He pricked his fingers very much, Which made poor Simon whistle.



132

A FARMER WENT TROTTING

A farmer went trotting upon his gray mare, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

A raven cried "Croak!" and they all tumbled down, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! The mare broke her knees, and the farmer his crown, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

The mischievous raven flew laughing away, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! And vowed he would serve them the same the next day, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!



133

TOM THE PIPER'S SON

Tom he was a piper's son, He learned to play when he was young, But all the tunes that he could play, Was "Over the hills and far away"; Over the hills, and a great way off, And the wind will blow my top-knot off.

Now Tom with his pipe made such a noise, That he pleased both the girls and boys, And they stopped to hear him play, "Over the hills and far away."

Tom with his pipe did play with such skill, That those who heard him could never keep still; Whenever they heard him they began to dance, Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance.

As Dolly was milking her cow one day, Tom took out his pipe and began to play; So Doll and the cow danced "the Cheshire round," Till the pail was broke and the milk ran on the ground.

He met old dame Trot with a basket of eggs, He used his pipes and she used her legs; She danced about till the eggs were all broke, She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke.

He saw a cross fellow was beating an ass, Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass; He took out his pipe and played them a tune, And the jackass's load was lightened full soon.



134

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY

When I was a little boy, I lived by myself, And all the bread and cheese I got, I put upon my shelf.

The rats and the mice, They made such a strife, I had to go to London To buy me a wife.

The streets were so broad, And the lanes were so narrow, I had to bring my wife home On a wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow broke, And my wife had a fall; Down tumbled wheelbarrow, Little wife and all.



135

THE BABES IN THE WOOD

My dear, you must know that a long time ago, Two poor little children whose names I don't know, Were stolen away on a fine summer's day, And left in a wood, as I've heard people say. Poor babes in the wood, poor babes in the wood! So hard was the fate of the babes in the wood.

And when it was night, so sad was their plight, The sun it went down, and the stars gave no light. They sobbed and they sighed, and they bitterly cried, And the poor little things they lay down and died.

And when they were dead, the robins so red, Brought strawberry leaves, and over them spread. And all the day long, the branches among, They sang to them softly, and this was their song: Poor babes in the wood, poor babes in the wood! So hard was the fate of the babes in the wood.



136

THE FOX AND HIS WIFE

The fox and his wife they had a great strife, They never ate mustard in all their whole life; They ate their meat without fork or knife, And loved to be picking a bone, e-oh!

The fox jumped up on a moonlight night; The stars they were shining, and all things bright; Oh, ho! said the fox, it's a very fine night For me to go through the town, e-oh!

The fox when he came to yonder stile, He lifted his ears and he listened awhile! Oh, ho! said the fox, it's but a short mile From this unto yonder wee town, e-oh!

The fox when he came to the farmer's gate, Who should he see but the farmer's drake; I love you well for your master's sake, And long to be picking your bone, e-oh!

The gray goose she ran round the haystack, Oh, ho! said the fox, you are very fat; You'll grease my beard and ride on my back From this into yonder wee town, e-oh!

The farmer's wife she jumped out of bed, And out of the window she popped her head: Oh, husband! oh, husband! the geese are all dead, For the fox has been through the town, e-oh!

The farmer he loaded his pistol with lead, And shot the old rogue of a fox through the head; Ah, ha! said the farmer, I think you're quite dead; And no more you'll trouble the town, e-oh!



137

FOR WANT OF A NAIL

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; For want of the shoe, the horse was lost; For want of the horse, the rider was lost; For want of the rider, the battle was lost; For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost; And all for the want of a horseshoe nail!



138

A MAN OF WORDS

A man of words and not of deeds Is like a garden full of weeds; And when the weeds begin to grow, It's like a garden full of snow; And when the snow begins to fall, It's like a bird upon the wall; And when the bird away does fly, It's like an eagle in the sky; And when the sky begins to roar, It's like a lion at the door; And when the door begins to crack, It's like a stick across your back; And when your back begins to smart, It's like a penknife in your heart; And when your heart begins to bleed, You're dead, and dead, and dead, indeed.



139

The first stanza of this jingle was long attributed to Longfellow as an impromptu made on one of his children. He took occasion to deny this, as well as the authorship of the almost equally famous "Mr. Finney had a turnip." The last two stanzas bear evidence of a more sophisticated origin than that of real nursery rhymes. Mr. Lucas, in his Book of Verses for Children, gives two different versions of these stanzas.

JEMIMA

There was a little girl, and she had a little curl, Right down the middle of her forehead, When she was good, she was very, very good, But when she was bad, she was horrid.

One day she went upstairs, while her parents, unawares, In the kitchen down below were occupied with meals, And she stood upon her head, on her little truckle-bed, And she then began hurraying with her heels.

Her mother heard the noise, and thought it was the boys, A playing at a combat in the attic, But when she climbed the stair and saw Jemima there, She took and she did whip her most emphatic!



140

The following was one of the favorite "toy-book" texts of the eighteenth century. These little books generally had a crude woodcut and one stanza of text on a page. It can be seen how easily this story lends itself to illustration. Each stanza is a chapter, and the story-teller could continue as long as his inventiveness held out. In one edition there are these additional lines:

"Old Mother Hubbard sat down in a chair, And danced her dog to a delicate air; She went to the garden to buy him a pippin, When she came back the dog was a-skipping."

MOTHER HUBBARD AND HER DOG

Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard, To get her poor dog a bone; But when she came there, The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker's To buy him some bread; But when she came back, The poor dog was dead.

She went to the joiner's To buy him a coffin; But when she came back, The poor dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish, To get him some tripe; But when she came back He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the fishmonger's To buy him some fish; And when she came back He was licking the dish.

She went to the ale-house To get him some beer; But when she came back The dog sat in a chair.

She went to the tavern For white wine and red; But when she came back The dog stood on his head.

She went to the hatter's To buy him a hat; But when she came back He was feeding the cat.

She went to the barber's To buy him a wig; But when she came back He was dancing a jig.

She went to the fruiterer's To buy him some fruit; But when she came back, He was playing the flute.

She went to the tailor's To buy him a coat; But when she came back, He was riding a goat.

She went to the cobbler's To buy him some shoes; But when she came back, He was reading the news.

She went to the seamstress To buy him some linen; But when she came back, The dog was spinning.

She went to the hosier's To buy him some hose; But when she came back, He was dressed in his clothes.

The dame made a curtsy, The dog made a bow; The dame said, "Your servant," The dog said, "Bow, wow."



141

This story of a bird courtship and marriage with its attendant feast and tragedy, all followed by the long dirge of No. 142, constitutes one of the longest nursery novels. Its opportunities for the illustrator are very marked, and a copy illustrated by the children themselves would be an addition to the joy of any schoolroom.

THE COURTSHIP, MERRY MARRIAGE, AND PICNIC DINNER OF COCK ROBIN AND JENNY WREN;

TO WHICH IS ADDED

THE DOLEFUL DEATH OF COCK ROBIN

It was a merry time When Jenny Wren was young, So neatly as she danced, And so sweetly as she sung, Robin Redbreast lost his heart: He was a gallant bird; He doft his hat to Jenny, And thus to her he said:—

"My dearest Jenny Wren, If you will but be mine, You shall dine on cherry pie, And drink nice currant wine. I'll dress you like a Goldfinch, Or like a Peacock gay; So if you'll have me, Jenny, Let us appoint the day."

Jenny blushed behind her fan, And thus declared her mind: "Then let it be to-morrow, Bob, I take your offer kind— Cherry pie is very good! So is currant wine! But I will wear my brown gown, And never dress too fine."

Robin rose up early At the break of day; He flew to Jenny Wren's house, To sing a roundelay. He met the Cock and Hen, And bid the Cock declare, This was his wedding-day With Jenny Wren, the fair.

The Cock then blew his horn, To let the neighbors know, This was Robin's wedding-day, And they might see the show. And first came parson Rook, With his spectacles and band, And one of Mother Hubbard's books He held within his hand.

Then followed him the Lark, For he could sweetly sing, And he was to be clerk At Cock Robin's wedding. He sang of Robin's love For little Jenny Wren; And when he came unto the end, Then he began again.

Then came the bride and bridegroom; Quite plainly was she dressed, And blushed so much, her cheeks were As red as Robin's breast. But Robin cheered her up: "My pretty Jen," said he, "We're going to be married And happy we shall be."

The Goldfinch came on next, To give away the bride; The Linnet, being bride's maid, Walked by Jenny's side; And, as she was a-walking, She said, "Upon my word, I think that your Cock Robin Is a very pretty bird."

The Bullfinch walked by Robin, And thus to him did say, "Pray, mark, friend Robin Redbreast, That Goldfinch, dressed so gay; What though her gay apparel Becomes her very well, Yet Jenny's modest dress and look Must bear away the bell."

The Blackbird and the Thrush, And charming Nightingale, Whose sweet jug sweetly echoes Through every grove and dale; The Sparrow and Tom Tit, And many more, were there: All came to see the wedding Of Jenny Wren, the fair.

"O then," says parson Rook, "Who gives this maid away?" "I do," says the Goldfinch, "And her fortune I will pay: Here's a bag of grain of many sorts, And other things beside; Now happy be the bridegroom, And happy be the bride!"

"And will you have her, Robin, To be your wedded wife?" "Yes, I will," says Robin, "And love her all my life." "And will you have him, Jenny, Your husband now to be?" "Yes, I will," says Jenny, "And love him heartily."

Then on her finger fair Cock Robin put the ring; "You're married now," says parson Rook, While the Lark aloud did sing: "Happy be the bridegroom, And happy be the bride! And may not man, nor bird, nor beast, This happy pair divide."

The birds were asked to dine; Not Jenny's friends alone, But every pretty songster That had Cock Robin known. They had a cherry pie, Besides some currant wine, And every guest brought something, That sumptuous they might dine.

Now they all sat or stood To eat and to drink; And every one said what He happened to think; They each took a bumper, And drank to the pair: Cock Robin, the bridegroom, And Jenny Wren, the fair.

The dinner-things removed, They all began to sing; And soon they made the place Near a mile round to ring. The concert it was fine; And every bird tried Who best could sing for Robin And Jenny Wren, the bride.

Then in came the Cuckoo, And he made a great rout: He caught hold of Jenny, And pulled her about. Cock Robin was angry, And so was the Sparrow, Who fetched in a hurry His bow and his arrow.

His aim then he took, But he took it not right; His skill was not good, Or he shot in a fright; For the Cuckoo he missed, But Cock Robin killed!— And all the birds mourned That his blood was so spilled.



142

THE BURIAL OF POOR COCK ROBIN

Who killed Cock Robin? "I," said the Sparrow, "With my bow and arrow; And I killed Cock Robin."

Who saw him die? "I," said the Fly, "With my little eye; And I saw him die."

Who caught his blood? "I," said the Fish, "With my little dish; And I caught his blood."

Who made his shroud? "I," said the Beetle, "With my little needle; And I made his shroud."

Who will be the parson? "I," said the Rook; "With my little book; And I will be the parson."

Who will dig his grave? "I," said the Owl, "With my spade and shovel; And I'll dig his grave."

Who will be the clerk? "I," said the Lark, "If 'tis not in the dark; And I will be the clerk."

Who'll carry him to the grave? "I," said the Kite, "If 'tis not in the night; And I'll carry him to the grave."

Who will be the chief mourner? "I," said the Dove, "Because of my love; And I will be chief mourner."

Who will sing a psalm? "I," said the Thrush, As she sat in a bush; "And I will sing a psalm."

Who will bear the pall? "We," said the Wren, Both the Cock and the Hen; "And we will bear the pall."

Who will toll the bell? "I," said the Bull, "Because I can pull." And so, Cock Robin, farewell.

All the birds of the air Fell to sighing and sobbing When they heard the bell toll For poor Cock Robin.



143

The following tale was edited (1885) for children by John Ruskin from a version "written principally by a lady of ninety (Mrs. Sharp.)" Ruskin himself added the third, fourth, eighth, and ninth stanzas, because "in the old books no account is given of what the cats learned when they went to school, and I thought my younger readers might be glad of some notice of such particulars." But he thought his rhymes did not ring like the real ones, of which he said: "I aver these rhymes to possess the primary value of rhyme—that is, to be rhythmical in a pleasant and exemplary degree." The book was illustrated with quaint woodcuts for each stanza after the edition of 1823, with additional drawings for the four new stanzas by Kate Greenaway, one of the most famous illustrators of children's books. Ruskin commends the result "to the indulgence of the Christmas fireside, because it relates nothing that is sad, and portrays nothing that is ugly."

DAME WIGGINS OF LEE, AND HER SEVEN WONDERFUL CATS

Dame Wiggins of Lee Was a worthy old soul, As e'er threaded a nee- dle, or wash'd in a bowl; She held mice and rats In such antipa-thy, That seven fine cats Kept Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The rats and mice scared By this fierce whisker'd crew, The poor seven cats Soon had nothing to do; So, as any one idle She ne'er loved to see, She sent them to school, Did Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The Master soon wrote That they all of them knew How to read the word "milk" And to spell the word "mew." And they all washed their faces Before they took tea: "Were there ever such dears!" Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

He had also thought well To comply with their wish To spend all their play-time In learning to fish For stitlings; they sent her A present of three, Which, fried, were a feast For Dame Wiggins of Lee.

But soon she grew tired Of living alone; So she sent for her cats From school to come home. Each rowing a wherry, Returning you see: The frolic made merry Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The Dame was quite pleas'd And ran out to market; When she came back They were mending the carpet. The needle each handled As brisk as a bee; "Well done, my good cats," Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

To give them a treat, She ran out for some rice; When she came back, They were skating on ice. "I shall soon see one down, Aye, perhaps, two or three, I'll bet half-a-crown," Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

When spring-time came back They had breakfast of curds; And were greatly afraid Of disturbing the birds. "If you sit, like good cats, All the seven in a tree, They will teach you to sing!" Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

So they sat in a tree, And said "Beautiful! Hark!" And they listened and looked In the clouds for the lark. Then sang, by the fireside, Symphonious-ly A song without words To Dame Wiggins of Lee.

They called the next day On the tomtit and sparrow, And wheeled a poor sick lamb Home in a barrow. "You shall all have some sprats For your humani-ty, My seven good cats," Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

While she ran to the field, To look for its dam, They were warming the bed For the poor sick lamb: They turn'd up the clothes All as neat as could be; "I shall ne'er want a nurse," Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

She wished them good night, And went up to bed: When, lo! in the morning, The cats were all fled. But soon—what a fuss! "Where can they all be? Here, pussy, puss, puss!" Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The Dame's heart was nigh broke, So she sat down to weep, When she saw them come back Each riding a sheep: She fondled and patted Each purring tom-my: "Ah! welcome, my dears," Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The Dame was unable Her pleasure to smother, To see the sick lamb Jump up to its mother. In spite of the gout, And a pain in her knee, She went dancing about: Did Dame Wiggins of Lee.

The Farmer soon heard Where his sheep went astray, And arrived at Dame's door With his faithful dog Tray. He knocked with his crook, And the stranger to see, Out the window did look Dame Wiggins of Lee.

For their kindness he had them All drawn by his team; And gave them some field-mice, And raspberry-cream. Said he, "All my stock You shall presently see; For I honor the cats Of Dame Wiggins of Lee."

He sent his maid out For some muffins and crumpets; And when he turn'd round They were blowing of trumpets. Said he, "I suppose She's as deaf as can be, Or this ne'er could be borne By Dame Wiggins of Lee."

To show them his poultry, He turn'd them all loose, When each nimbly leap'd On the back of a goose, Which frighten'd them so That they ran to the sea, And half-drown'd the poor cats Of Dame Wiggins of Lee.

For the care of his lamb, And their comical pranks, He gave them a ham And abundance of thanks. "I wish you good-day, My fine fellows," said he; "My compliments, pray, To Dame Wiggins of Lee."

You see them arrived At their Dame's welcome door; They show her their presents, And all their good store. "Now come in to supper, And sit down with me; All welcome once more," Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee.



144

This is the perfect pattern of all the accumulative stories, perhaps the best known and most loved of children among all nursery jingles. Halliwell thought it descended from the mystical Hebrew hymn, "A kid, a kid," found in the Talmud. Most commentators since have followed his example in calling attention to the parallel, though scholars have insisted that the hymn referred to is a late interpolation. The hymn opens:

"A kid, a kid, my father bought, For two pieces of money: A kid, a kid.

"Then came the cat, and ate the kid, That my father bought," etc.

Then came the dog and bit the cat, then the staff and beat the dog, then the fire and burned the staff, then water and quenched the fire, then the ox and drank the water, then the butcher and slew the ox, then the angel of death and killed the butcher, and the hymn concludes:

"Then came the Holy One, blessed be He! And killed the angel of death, That killed the butcher, That slew the ox, That drank the water, That quenched the fire, That burned the staff, That beat the dog, That bit the cat, That ate the kid, That my father bought For two pieces of money: A kid, a kid."

There is an elaborate interpretation of the symbolism of this hymn, going back at least as far as 1731, in which the kid denotes the Hebrews, the father is Jehovah, the cat is the Assyrians, the dog is the Babylonians, the staff is the Persians, the fire is Greece under Alexander, the water is the Roman Empire, the ox is the Saracens, the butcher is the crusaders, the angel of death is the Turkish power, while the concluding accumulation shows that God will take vengeance on the enemies of the chosen people. This is the interpretation in barest outline only. Without the key no one would ever guess its hidden meaning. Fortunately, "The House That Jack Built" has no such hidden meaning. But the important point is that such accumulative stories are almost as old as human records, and, like so many other possessions of the race, seem to have come to us from the Far East.

THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

This is the house that Jack built.

This is the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cock that crowed in the morn, That waked the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the farmer sowing his corn, That kept the cock that crowed in the morn, That waked the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.



145

THE EGG IN THE NEST

There was a tree stood in the ground, The prettiest tree you ever did see; The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground, And the green grass growing all around.

And on this tree there was a limb, The prettiest limb you ever did see; The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood, The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground, And the green grass growing all around.

And on this limb there was a bough, The prettiest bough you ever did see; The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree, The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood, The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground, And the green grass growing all around.

Now on this bough there was a nest, The prettiest nest you ever did see; The nest on the bough, and the bough on the limb, The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood, The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground, And the green grass growing all around.

And in the nest there were some eggs, The prettiest eggs you ever did see; Eggs in the nest, and the nest on the bough, The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree, The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood, The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground, And the green grass growing all around, And the green grass growing all around.



146

The following story is the same as that of the Norwegian tale "The Husband Who Was to Mind the House" (No. 170). In the Halliwell version the final lines read,

"If his wife didn't do a day's work in her life, She should ne'er be ruled by he."

A later reading, now generally accepted, avoids the bad grammar by changing to direct discourse.

CHANGE ABOUT

There was an old man, who lived in a wood, As you may plainly see; He said he could do as much work in a day, As his wife could do in three. With all my heart, the old woman said, If that you will allow, To-morrow you'll stay at home in my stead, And I'll go drive the plough:

But you must milk the Tidy cow, For fear that she go dry; And you must feed the little pigs That are within the sty; And you must mind the speckled hen, For fear she lay away; And you must reel the spool of yarn, That I spun yesterday.

The old woman took a staff in her hand, And went to drive the plough: The old man took a pail in his hand, And went to milk the cow; But Tidy hinched, and Tidy flinched, And Tidy broke his nose, And Tidy gave him such a blow, That the blood ran down to his toes.

High! Tidy! ho! Tidy! high! Tidy! do stand still; If ever I milk you, Tidy, again, 'Twill be sore against my will!

He went to feed the little pigs That were within the sty; He hit his head against the beam, And he made the blood to fly. He went to mind the speckled hen, For fear she'd lay astray, And he forgot the spool of yarn His wife spun yesterday.

So he swore by the sun, the moon, and the stars, And the green leaves on the tree, "If my wife doesn't do a day's work in her life, She shall ne'er be ruled by me."



SECTION III

FAIRY STORIES—TRADITIONAL TALES



BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. STANDARD GENERAL COLLECTIONS

Jacobs, Joseph, English Fairy Tales, More English Fairy Tales, Celtic Fairy Tales, More Celtic Fairy Tales, Indian Fairy Tales, Europa's Fairy Tales.

Lang, Andrew, The Blue Fairy Book, The Red Fairy Book, The Green Fairy Book, The Yellow Fairy Book.

The Perrault stories are included in the first. Many other volumes named by colors (Violet, Orange, etc.) were made under Mr. Lang's direction, but these four include the cream.

II. NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

ENGLISH: Campbell, J. F., Popular Tales of the West Highlands. 4 vols. Halliwell, J. O., Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales. Hartland, E. S., English Fairy and Folk Tales.

GERMAN: Grimm, J. and W., Kinder und Hausmaerchen (Household Tales).

Translated by Edgar Taylor as Grimm's Popular Stories (55 stories, 1823-1827), and illustrated by George Cruikshank. Best reprint is in one volume with introduction by John Ruskin.

Translated complete by Margaret Hunt (2 vols., 1884), Introduction by Andrew Lang.

Other excellent translations of selected stories by Mrs. Lucas and by Lucy Crane.

INDIAN: Frere, Mary, Old Deccan Days. Knowles, J. H., Folk Tales of Kashmir. Steel, Flora Annie, Tales of the Punjab. (Notes by Captain R. C. Temple.) Stokes, Maive, Indian Fairy Tales.

IRISH: Curtin, J., Hero Tales of Ireland. Graves, A. P., The Irish Fairy Book. Hyde, Douglas, Beside the Fire. Joyce, P. W., Old Celtic Romances. Wilde, Lady Constance, Ancient Irish Legends. Yeats, W. B., Irish Fairy Tales.

ITALIAN: Crane, T. F., Italian Popular Tales.

NORSE: Asbjoernsen, P. C., and Moe, J., Norske Folke-eventyr (Norwegian Folk Tales, 1842-1844, with subsequent additions).

Translated by Sir George Webbe Dasent in Popular Tales from the Norse and Tales of the Fjeld; by H. L. Braekstad in Round the Yule Log and Fairy Tales from the North.

SLAVIC: Bain, R. Nesbit, Cossack Fairy Tales, Russian Folk Tales.

III. THE SCIENCE OF FOLKLORE

Cox, Roalfe, Cinderella. (Introduction by Lang.) Clouston, W. A., Popular Tales and Fictions. 2 vols. Gomme, G. L., Folklore as an Historical Science. Hartland, E. S., The Science of Fairy Tales. Keightly, Thomas, Fairy Mythology. Lang, Andrew, Perrault's Popular Tales. (Introduction.) MacCulloch, J. A., The Childhood of Fiction.

IV. PEDAGOGY

Adler, Felix, The Moral Instruction of Children, pp. 63-79. Kready, Laura F., The Study of Fairy Tales. (Indispensable.) MacClintock, P. L., Literature in the Elementary School, pp. 92-112. McMurry, Charles, Special Method in Reading, pp. 47-69.



SECTION III: FAIRY STORIES—TRADITIONAL TALES

INTRODUCTORY

The forty-three tales in this section have been chosen (1) in the light of what experience shows children most enjoy, (2) to represent as fully as possible the great variety of our traditional inheritance, (3) to afford an opportunity of calling attention to additional riches in various collections, and (4) to suggest a fair minimum of the amount of such material to be used with children. As in all such questions of judgment, there must inevitably be differences of opinion. Many will doubtless find stories missing that seem necessary even to so small a list, while others will find tales included that may seem questionable. Such a selection can be, and is intended to be, only tentative, a starting point from which there are many lines of departure.

Folklore. These tales are all from the traditional field. They are mainly of anonymous and popular origin, handed down orally by peasants. The investigation of their origin, distribution, and interrelations belongs to the science of folklore. A good-sized library could be filled entirely with the books concerned with the studies and disputations in this interesting field. While the folklorists have very much of value to tell the teacher, their questions may be largely ignored until the latter is quite fully acquainted with a large body of the acknowledged masterpieces among folk stories, especially those which the schools have taken to themselves as useful in elementary work. Teachers interested in pursuing the matter further—and it is to be hoped there are many such—will find suggestions in the notes at the head of each tale and in the preceding bibliography that may prove serviceable in directing them some little way. Each book will point the student to many others; when he is once started on the road of investigation, there will open up many unexpected and fascinating vistas.

Objections to fairy tales. These objections seem to fall as a rule under two main heads. First, there are those who object to any stimulation of the fanciful in children, and who would have us confine ourselves to what they call realities. They would eliminate as far as possible all the imaginings of children. The make-believe world so dear to infancy has no place in their creed. Second, there are those who doubt the moral tendency of all fairy tales. They observe that many of these tales come to us from a cruder and coarser social state than our own, that they contain elements of a superstitious and animistic past, that they often deal with cruelties and horrors, trickeries and disloyalties, that they are full of romantic improbabilities and impossibilities. It may as well be admitted at once that the folklore of the world contains many stories to which these and other objections are valid.

Is there a proper line of defense for fairy tales? Dr. Felix Adler, who certainly cannot be accused of being insensible to realities, puts the case thus, as between defenders and objectors: "I venture to think that, as in many other cases, the cause of the quarrel is what logicians call an undistributed middle—in other words, that the parties to the dispute have each a different kind of fairy tale in mind. This species of literature can be divided broadly into two classes—one consisting of tales which ought to be rejected because they are really harmful, and children ought to be protected from their bad influence, the other of tales which have a most beautiful and elevating effect, and which we cannot possibly afford to leave unutilized." Dr. Adler proceeds to point out that the chief pedagogic values of the latter class are (1) that they exercise and cultivate the imagination, and (2) that they stimulate the idealizing tendency.

John Ruskin, another teacher who constantly in his writings throws the emphasis upon the necessity of a true ethical understanding, has this to say about the mischievous habit of trying to remake the fairy story in the service of morals: "And the effect of the endeavor to make stories moral upon the literary merit of the work itself, is as harmful as the motive of the effort is false. For every fairy tale worth recording at all is the remnant of a tradition possessing true historical value;—historical, at least in so far as it has naturally arisen out of the mind of a people under special circumstances, and arisen not without meaning, nor removed altogether from their sphere of religious faith. It sustains afterwards natural changes from the sincere action of the fear or fancy of successive generations; it takes new color from their manner of life, and new form from their changing moral tempers. As long as these changes are natural and effortless, accidental and inevitable, the story remains essentially true, altering its form, indeed, like a flying cloud, but remaining a sign of the sky; a shadowy image, as truly a part of the great firmament of the human mind as the light of reason which it seems to interrupt. But the fair deceit and innocent error of it cannot be interpreted nor restrained by a wilful purpose, and all additions to it by art do but defile, as the shepherd disturbs the flakes of morning mist with smoke from his fire of dead leaves." Instead of retouching stories "to suit particular tastes, or inculcate favorite doctrines," Ruskin would have the child "know his fairy tale accurately, and have perfect joy or awe in the conception of it as if it were real; thus he will always be exercising his power of grasping realities: but a confused, careless, and discrediting tenure of the fiction will lead to as confused and careless reading of fact." Still further, Ruskin defends the vulgarity, or commonness of language, found in many of the tales as "of a wholesome and harmless kind. It is not, for instance, graceful English, to say that a thought 'popped into Catherine's head'; but it nevertheless is far better, as an initiation into literary style, that a child should be told this than that 'a subject attracted Catherine's attention.'"

Finally, we cannot forbear adding one more quotation, from the most delightful of attacks upon the attackers of fairy tales, by Miss Repplier: "That which is vital in literature or tradition, which has survived the obscurity and wreckage of the past, whether as legend, or ballad, or mere nursery rhyme, has survived in right of some intrinsic merit of its own, and will not be snuffed out of existence by any of our precautionary or hygienic measures. . . . Puss in Boots is one long record of triumphant effrontery and deception. An honest and self-respecting lad would have explained to the king that he was not the Marquis of Carabas at all; that he had no desire to profit by his cat's ingenious falsehoods, and no weak ambition to connect himself with the aristocracy. Such a hero would be a credit to our modern schoolrooms, and lift a load of care from the shoulders of our modern critics. Only the children would have none of him, but would turn wistfully back to those brave old tales which are their inheritance from a splendid past, and of which no hand shall rob them." And upon this ultimate fact that in literature the final decision rests with the audience appealed to, the discussion may end.

How to use fairy stories. Briefly, the whole matter may be summed up thus: Know your story perfectly. Don't read it (unless you can't do better). Tell it—with all the graces of voice and action you can command. Tell it naturally and simply, as the folk-tellers did, not with studied and elaborate "elocutionary" effects. Tell it again and again. If you do it well, the children will not soon tire of it—and they will indicate what you should do next!

SUGGESTIONS

(Books referred to by authors' name are listed in bibliography.)

The one important full-length discussion for teachers on the whole subject of the fairy tale is Kready's A Study of Fairy Tales. It is enthusiastic rather than severely critical, and that adds to its helpfulness. It has exhaustive bibliographies. The Ruskin quotations above are from his introduction to Taylor's Grimm; it may be found also in his collected works, in On the Old Road. Miss Repplier's "Battle of the Babies" in her Essays in Miniature should be read entire. A thoroughly stimulating article is Brian Hooker's "Narrative and the Fairy Tale," Bookman, Vol. XXXIII, pp. 389, 501; see also his "Types of Fairy Tales," Forum, Vol. XL, p. 375. For the scientific phase start with Hartland's Science of Fairy Tales. For pedagogy see Adler, MacClintock, McMurry.



147

Many English folk tales have doubtless been lost because no one made a serious attempt to collect them until railroads, newspapers, and popular education had greatly changed the life of the English folk and destroyed many of the traditions. For the preservation of many folk tales that we have, English-speaking peoples are indebted to the scholarly antiquarian James Orchard Halliwell (afterwards Halliwell-Phillips, 1820-1889), who in the year 1842 edited a collection of The Nursery Rhymes of England for the Percy Society. He followed it a few years later with Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales. They have long been regarded as the basic books in their field. These two collections were reprinted as Nursery Rhymes and Tales. This one-volume edition is the one referred to in the following pages. Halliwell should be remembered as the first person to collect in a scientific way the folk literature of England. He gathered these rhymes and tales from the mouths of the folk, from chapbooks, and from many other sources and endeavored to tell them as they had been told by the folk.

"The Old Woman and Her Pig" is perhaps the most familiar of all nursery stories. It belongs to the type of story known as the "accumulative," of which "The House That Jack Built" is the purest model. In such a story there is a constant repetition of the plot, with an addition or slight change at each repetition, until at the end there is a quick unwinding which carries us back to the initial situation and solves the difficulty with which the story started. Halliwell gives two versions of this particular story. It is so widespread that many slight variations would be expected in successful retellings of it. The traditional version which follows seems to be the favorite with primary teachers. It introduces at the sixth stage the attractive rhyme "I see by the moonlight, etc.," which originally formed part of another nursery tale.

THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG

Once upon a time, an old woman was sweeping her little house, when, to her great joy, she found a silver sixpence.

"What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I think I will go to market and buy a pig." So the next day, she went to market, and bought a nice little white pig. She tied a string to one of the pig's legs, and began to drive him home.

On the way, the old woman and her pig came to a stile, and she said,—

"Please, pig, get over the stile." But the pig would not.

Just then a little dog came trotting up, and the old woman said to him,—

"Dog, dog, bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the dog would not.

So the old woman held up her stick, and said,—

"Stick, stick, beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the stick would not.

So the old woman gathered some bits of wood together to make a fire, and set them on fire, and then threw her stick into the fire, and said,—

"Fire, fire, burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the fire would not.

So the old woman fetched a pail of water that was standing near, and said,—

"Water, water, quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the water would not.

Then the old woman saw an ox coming; so she said,—

"Ox, ox, drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't go. I see by the moonlight, It's long past midnight; Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago." But the ox would not.

So the old woman turned round, and saw a butcher, and she said,—

"Butcher, butcher, kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't go. I see by the moonlight, It's long past midnight; Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago." But the butcher would not.

So the old woman took a rope out of her pocket, and said,—

"Rope, rope, hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't go. I see by the moonlight, It's long past midnight; Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago." But the rope would not.

Just then a large brown mouse ran across the meadow, and she said,—

"Mouse, mouse, gnaw rope; Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't go. I see by the moonlight, It's long past midnight; Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago." "Yes," said the mouse, "I will if you will give me some cheese."

So the old woman put her hand in her pocket, and found a nice piece of cheese; and when the mouse had eaten it,

The mouse began to gnaw the rope, The rope began to hang the butcher, The butcher began to kill the ox, The ox began to drink the water, The water began to quench the fire, The fire began to burn the stick, The stick began to beat the dog, The dog began to bite the pig, And the pig began to go.

But what time the old woman and her pig got home, you, nor I, nor nobody knows.



148

Teachers and parents owe a greater debt of gratitude to Joseph Jacobs than to any other modern student of folklore. He was born in Australia in 1854, spent most of his life in scholarly pursuits in England, and died in America in 1916. In his six volumes of English, Celtic, Indian, and European fairy tales he gave the world versions of its best known and most representative folk stories in a form suited to children while remaining true in all essentials to the original oral versions of the folk. This combination of scientific accuracy and literary workmanship is very rare. In the introductions and notes to these various volumes may be found a wealth of information which the general reader can understand without the necessity of special training in the science of folklore. And best of all, these volumes can be had at prices that are comparatively cheap.

The following story of "Henny-Penny" is given in the fine version by Joseph Jacobs in his English Fairy Tales. He heard it as a child in Australia and he thinks "the fun consists in the avoidance of all pronouns, which results in jawbreaking sentences." This story is also very familiar in the Halliwell version called "Chicken-Licken," and there are numerous European parallels.

HENNY-PENNY

One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the cornyard when—whack!—something hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" said Henny-penny; "the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king."

So she went along, and she went along, and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. "Where are you going, Henny-penny?" says Cocky-locky. "Oh! I'm going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny. "May I come with you?" says Cocky-locky. "Certainly," says Henny-penny. So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

They went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Ducky-daddles. "Where are you going to, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?" says Ducky-daddles. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. "May I come with you?" says Ducky-daddles. "Certainly," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Goosey-poosey. "Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles?" said Goosey-poosey. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles. "May I come with you?" said Goosey-poosey. "Certainly," said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Turkey-lurkey. "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" says Turkey-lurkey. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. "May I come with you, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" said Turkey-lurkey. "Oh, certainly, Turkey-lurkey," said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?" And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey said to Foxy-woxy: "We're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling." "Oh! but this is not the way to the king, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey," says Foxy-woxy; "I know the proper way; shall I show it you?" "Oh, certainly, Foxy-woxy," said Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave. But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "This is the short way to the king's palace; you'll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you come after, Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey." "Why of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?" said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far, but turned round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So at last at first Turkey-lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't got far when "Hrumph," Foxy-woxy snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and "Hrumph," off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles waddled down, and "Hrumph," snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles' head was off and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey and Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave, and he hadn't gone far when "Snap, Hrumph!" went Foxy-woxy and Cocky-locky was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey, and Ducky-daddles.

But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill him, he called out to Henny-penny. But she turned tail and off she ran home, so she never told the king the sky was a-falling.



149

The favorite story of "Teeny-Tiny" is taken from Halliwell, who obtained it from oral tradition, and by whom it was, apparently, first put into print. "This simple tale," he says, "seldom fails to rivet the attention of children, especially if well told. The last two words should be said loudly with a start." Many modern story-tellers seem to prefer modified forms of this story, presumably owing to a feeling on their part that the bone and the churchyard have gruesome suggestions. Carolyn S. Bailey gives one of the best of these modified forms in her Firelight Stories, where the woman goes into a field instead of the churchyard, finds a hen at the foot of a tree, thinks this is a chance to have an egg for her breakfast, puts the hen in her reticule, goes home, puts the hen in her cupboard, and goes upstairs to take a nap. Of course the "teeny-tiny" goes in at every point. Substituting "hen" for "bone," the story continues substantially as given below.

TEENY-TINY

Once upon a time there was a teeny-tiny woman lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet, and went out of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk. And when this teeny-tiny woman had gone a teeny-tiny way, she came to a teeny-tiny gate; so the teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny gate, and went into a teeny-tiny churchyard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had got into the teeny-tiny churchyard, she saw a teeny-tiny bone on a teeny-tiny grave, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny self, "This teeny-tiny bone will make me some teeny-tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper." So the teeny-tiny woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to her teeny-tiny house.

Now when the teeny-tiny woman got home to her teeny-tiny house, she was a teeny-tiny tired; so she went up her teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny bed, and put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny cupboard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep a teeny-tiny time, she was awakened by a teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard, which said:

"GIVE ME MY BONE!"

And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head under the teeny-tiny clothes and went to sleep again. And when she had been to sleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice again cried out from the teeny-tiny cupboard a teeny-tiny louder,

"GIVE ME MY BONE!"

This made the teeny-tiny woman a teeny-tiny more frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head a teeny-tiny farther under the teeny-tiny clothes. And when the teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard said again a teeny-tiny louder,

"GIVE ME MY BONE!"

And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny bit more frightened, but she put her teeny-tiny head out of the teeny-tiny clothes, and said in her loudest teeny-tiny voice,

"TAKE IT!"



150

The very old story that follows is taken from Halliwell, and is, according to Jacobs, scarcely more than a variant of "The Old Woman and Her Pig." Like that story, "The Cat and the Mouse" appeals to small people by its pronounced rhythmical structure, accentuated by the rhyme which marks the transition to each new section, and by the "run" at the close.

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

The cat and the mouse Played in the malt-house:

The cat bit the mouse's tail off. "Pray, puss, give me my tail."

"No," said the cat, "I'll not give you your tail till you go to the cow and fetch me some milk."

First she leapt, and then she ran, Till she came to the cow, and thus began:

"Pray, cow, give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."

"No," said the cow, "I will give you no milk till you go to the farmer and fetch me some hay."

First she leapt, and then she ran, Till she came to the farmer, and thus began:

"Pray, farmer, give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."

"No," said the farmer, "I'll give you no hay till you go to the butcher and fetch me some meat."

First she leapt, and then she ran, Till she came to the butcher, and thus began:

"Pray, butcher, give me meat, that I may give farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."

"No," said the butcher, "I'll give you no meat till you go to the baker and fetch me some bread."

First she leapt, and then she ran, Till she came to the baker, and thus began:

"Pray, baker, give me bread, that I may give butcher bread, that butcher may give me meat, that I may give farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."

"Yes," said the baker, "I'll give you some bread, But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head."

Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse gave butcher bread, and butcher gave mouse meat, and mouse gave farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse hay, and mouse gave cow hay, and cow gave mouse milk, and mouse gave cat milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail again.



151

The following story is in the most familiar version of Halliwell's collection. Another much-used form of the story may be found in Lang's Green Fairy Book, in which the pigs are distinctly characterized and given the names of Browny, Whitey, and Blacky. Jacobs uses the Halliwell version in his English Fairy Tales, but prefixes to it an opening formula which seems to have been much in use by old story-tellers as a way of beginning almost any oral story for children:

"Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme And monkeys chewed tobacco, And hens took snuff to make them tough, And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!"

THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Once upon a time there was an old sow with three little pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him:

"Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house."

Which the man did, and the little pig built a house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said:

"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

To which the pig answered:

"No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin chin."

The wolf then answered to that:

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze and said:

"Please, man, give me that furze to build a house."

Which the man did, and the pig built his house. Then along came the wolf, and said:

"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin chin."

"Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and he ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said:

"Please, man, give me those bricks to build a house with."

So the man gave him the bricks, and he built his house with them. So the wolf came, as he did to the other little pigs, and said:

"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, no, by the hair on my chinny chin chin."

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could not get the house down. When he found that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said:

"Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips."

"Where?" said the little pig.

"Oh, in Mr. Smith's Home-field, and if you will be ready to-morrow morning I will call for you, and we will go together and get some for dinner."

"Very well," said the little pig, "I will be ready. What time do you mean to go?"

"Oh, at six o'clock."

Well, the little pig got up at five and got the turnips before the wolf came (which he did about six), who said:

"Little pig, are you ready?"

The little pig said: "Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner."

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be up to the little pig somehow or other, so he said:

"Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree."

"Where?" said the pig.

"Down at Merry-garden," replied the wolf, "and if you will not deceive me I will come for you at five o'clock tomorrow and we will go together and get some apples."

Well, the little pig bustled up the next morning at four o'clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but he had farther to go and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming, which, as you may suppose, frightened him very much. When the wolf came up he said:

"Little pig, what! are you here before me? Are they nice apples?"

"Yes, very," said the little pig. "I will throw you down one."

And he threw it so far that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home. The next day the wolf came again and said to the little pig:

"Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this afternoon. Will you go?"

"Oh, yes," said the pig, "I will go. What time shall you be ready?"

"At three," said the wolf. So the little pig went off before the time as usual, and got to the fair and bought a butter-churn, which he was going home with, when he saw the wolf coming. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into the churn to hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little pig's house and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came down the hill past him. Then the little pig said:

"Hah, I frightened you, then. I had been to the fair and bought a butter-churn, and when I saw you, I got into it and rolled down the hill."

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he would eat up the little pig and that he would get down the chimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water and made up a blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.



152

How great calamities sometimes grow out of small causes is illustrated in an old proverbial saying of Poor Richard (see No. 137). The favorite English folk-tale version of this theme, taken from Halliwell, is given below. It takes the form of an accumulative droll, or comic story. The overwhelming catastrophe at the end is so complete and so unexpected that it has a decidedly humorous effect.

TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE

Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse both lived in a house, Titty Mouse went a leasing and Tatty Mouse went a leasing, So they both went a leasing.

Titty Mouse leased an ear of corn, and Tatty Mouse leased an ear of corn, So they both leased an ear of corn.

Titty Mouse made a pudding, and Tatty Mouse made a pudding, So they both made a pudding.

And Tatty Mouse put her pudding into the pot to boil, But when Titty went to put hers in, the pot tumbled over, and scalded her to death.

Then Tatty sat down and wept; then a three-legged stool said: "Tatty, why do you weep?" "Titty's dead," said Tatty, "and so I weep." "Then," said the stool, "I'll hop," so the stool hopped.

Then a broom in the corner of the room said: "Stool, why do you hop?" "Oh!" said the stool, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and so I hop." "Then," said the broom, "I'll sweep," so the broom began to sweep.

"Then," said the door, "Broom, why do you sweep?" "Oh!" said the broom, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and so I sweep." "Then," said the door, "I'll jar," so the door jarred.

"Then," said the window, "Door, why do you jar?" "Oh," said the door, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, and so I jar."

"Then," said the window, "I'll creak," so the window creaked. Now there was an old form outside the house, and when the window creaked, the form said: "Window, why do you creak?" "Oh!" said the window, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and so I creak."

"Then," said the old form, "I'll run round the house"; then the old form ran round the house. Now there was a fine large walnut-tree growing by the cottage, and the tree said to the form: "Form, why do you run round the house?" "Oh!" said the form, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, and so I run round the house."

"Then," said the walnut-tree, "I'll shed my leaves," so the walnut-tree shed all its beautiful green leaves. Now there was a little bird perched on one of the boughs of the tree, and when all the leaves fell, it said: "Walnut-tree, why do you shed your leaves?" "Oh!" said the tree, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, and so I shed my leaves."

"Then," said the little bird, "I'll moult all my feathers," so he moulted all his pretty feathers. Now there was a little girl walking below, carrying a jug of milk for her brothers' and sisters' supper, and when she saw the poor little bird moult all its feathers, she said: "Little bird, why do you moult all your feathers?" "Oh!" said the little bird, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its leaves, and so I moult all my feathers."