NY PUBLIC LIBRARY
THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
3 3333 12071 1698
KEADiHO BOOM
BOOM
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SING-SONG
MACMILLAN AND LONDON
CO., LIMITED BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK
BOSTON CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO
DALLAS
THE MACMILLAN
CO.
OF CANADA,
TORONTO
LTD,
;!fe> toyW-V^.
SING-SONG RHYME BOOK
A NURSERY
BY
CHRISTINA
G.
ROSSETTI
WITH ONE PUNDRL'D ixo TvVKNTY ILLUSTRATIONS BY
ARTHUR HUGHES ENGRAVED BY THE BROTHERS DALZIEL
MACMILLAN AND ST.
CO., LIMITED MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON
191
5
Originally published elsewhere. First edition published by I\Iacmillan
and
Co., 1893.
" Illustrated Pocket Classics for the Young"
Reprinted
'
t
,
*
c
1915.
, c
*-
*
'
(,
C
ei *
c
c
*
r
t
"
1907.
RHYMES DEDICATE D
WITHOUT PERMISSION TO
THE BABY WHO SUGGESTED
:-
T I> t M
iO Li J-T '
1 1
5th ST
CONTENTS PAGE
A A A A A A
BABY'S cradle with no
plum is not a plum diamond or a coal ? frisky
lamb
it
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
were ringing motherless soft lambkin
Angels
at
.
101
80
.
linnet in a gilded cage
is
.15 .12
........ .21 ...... ...... ....... .... ..... ...... ..... ....... ......
house of cards
An emerald
A A A A A A
in
city
All the bells
A
baby
as
green
.115 107 63
as grass
.
.
.
.
the foot
.102 i
pin has a head, but has
no hair
56
pocket handkerchief to
hem
43
ring
upon her
comes up white hen sitting toadstool
Baby cry Baby
lies so last
95
finger
rose has thorns as well as
honey
in a night
.
.
.
.121
42 86
6
132
asleep
IX
SING-SONG PAGE
Blind from Boats
my
birth
on the
sail
Bread and milk
Brown and
rivers
...
furry
little
Crimson
Willie
curtains
my
Crying,
Currants on
little
let
41
down your milk
wee
round
27 1T 9
.
my
mother's bed
...
one, footsore and
bush
a
.
weary
131
.
?
19
.
87
Dancing on the hill-tops Dead in the cold, a song-singing thrush "
Ding
a
ding"
.
Eight o'clock
Ferry
me
across the water
Fly away, "
fly
Goodbye
Growing
in fear,
goodbye
in the vale
my
is
sea
.
in sorrow
garden bed
like a harebell
Hop-o'-my-thumb and
linnets say
.
trembling from little
Jack
its
Homer
hop here and be seen Hopping How many seconds in a minute ? Hurt no living thing frog,
'
.
Hear what the mournful
Hope
.
away over the
Heartsease in
1
1O 3
.
for breakfast
Brownie, Brownie, Clever
9
.
birth .
.
.....
CONTENTS
xi
PAGE
am
I
a
King
ladybird
I
caught a
little
I
dreamt
caught a
I
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
dug and dug amongst the snow all were rain and never sun
.
.
.
.
.
.
I
little
.
owl
If
.
If a
mouse could
If a
pig wore a wig
fly
-73
.
.
.
.106 .112
.11 .25 -75
....... ...... ....... .
.
.
.
.
.
hope grew on a bush If I were a Oueen If
If stars dropped out of heaven If the
moon came from heaven
If the sun could
tell
husband
I
I
have a Poll parrot have but one rose in the world
I
know
.
In the I
Is
planted the
what
hand
a
moon
.
tired
?
Lie a-bed
Love me,
!
a
.
.
.
.
34
.124 .127 .126
.
.
.
.
.
.114
.
.
.
.
.133
.79
.
....
.
.
?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
109
89
71
.123 51
' !
.
...... ..... ....... .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
mil king-pail
Minnie and Mattie
.
70
.
meadow
.
.
love you
Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
Margaret has
in the
kookoorookoo
.
I
.
she looks so pale
January cold desolate " Kookoorookoo
.
.
baby, such a baby
meadow
.
......
have
a
.
us half
I
a little
.
44
5
135 2
.134 78
30
SING-SONG
xil
PAGE
Minnie bakes oaten cakes
Mix
a
pancake
.
.
.
.
.
.
Motherless baby and babylcss mother
Mother shake
the cherry-tree
My My
baby has
a father
baby has
a
Oh,
fair to see
and
mottled
.
a
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
-55
.
.
.
.
.23
.
.
....
.
Lady Moon, your horns point toward One and one are two .
O
the grassy banks
O O
.
little
fell
baby
.
asleep
bob cherry Pussy has a whiskered face at
.
.
.
,
.
.
.
.
.118 .128
.46 .28
.
.
.
.
.100
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
4.
wind, where have you been wind, why do you never rest
Playing
.
the east
3
.......26
come ashore
sailor,
Our
.
.130
.
O
On
.
.85 .81
.
mother
fist
.
.18 .88
..... ..... ...... ...... .
.
.
.
.
68
Roses blushing red and white
93
Rosy maiden Winifred Rushes in a watery place
90
Seldom " can't Sing
me
Stroke a
a
song
flint,
....... ........
and there
is
nothing
Swift and sure the swallow
The The
city
29
"
mouse
admire .
.
.
.
.
.
..... .......
lives in a
days are clear
.
to
house
45
76 36 1
1
I
60 39
CONTENTS
xiii
PAGE
The dear old woman in the The dog lies in his kennel The horses of the sea The lily has an air
lane
.... .... .
.
.
.
.
.
The lily has a smooth stalk The peach tree on the southern The peacock has a score of eyes There
is
but one
There
is
one that has
.
.
a
wall
Wee
.
.
.
.
head without an eye
.
in the
husband
10
69 no
-77 .104 .120
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.117 .116 38
82
83
....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.72 .108
.
.
-35
.
.
.
.113
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
sings
40
.
.
?
62
.
.
?
mounting skylark
74 o
fields
?
a
1
67
year
What are heavy ? sea-sand and sorrow What does the bee do ? What does the donkey bray about What do the stars do What is pink a rose is pink What will you give me for my pound
When
.
children.
the ivy bush
tvee
.
.
Three plum buns Twist me a crown of wind-flowers
Under
.
.
.
.
little
.
.
The rose that blushes rosy red The rose with such a bonny blush The summer nights are short The wind has such a rainy sound Three
.
..... -37 ..... ..... .... ...... .......
May
There's snow on the
.
.61 .129
-53 .50
..... ?
.
97
SING-SONG
xiv
PAGE
When When
fishes set
umbrellas up
the cows
come home
Where innocent
Who Why
the milk
.
coining
.
.66 .
92 59
........22
wind
did baby die
?
a falcon
98
.
24
robins in the hedge
Your brother has
i.,
.
bright-eyed daisies are
has seen the
Wrens and
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.13
IHt .
Jfi
Angels
at the foot,
And Angels at the head, And like a curly little lamb
My
pretty babe in bed.
B
Love me,
I
love you,
Love me, my baby Sing
it
Sing
high, sing it
as
may
it
;
low,
be.
Mother's arms under you,
Her Sing
it
eyes above you high, sing
Love me,
I
it
;
low,
love you.
My
baby has a father and a mother, Rich
little
baby
Fatherless, motherless,
I
know
Forlorn as
may
Poor
baby
little
!
be !
:
another
Our
little
baby
And may
fell
asleep,
not wake again
For days and days, and weeks and weeks But then he
And come And
'Jl
wake
again,
with his own pretty look,
kiss
Mamma
again.
;
" Kookoorookoo
Crows
kookoorookoo
the cock before the
" Kikirikee
Roses
!
morn
kikirikee
!
!
in the east are born.
!
kookoorookoo
Early birds begin their singing '
Kikirikee
The
;
'
" Kookoorookoo
(
' !
!
kikirikee
' !
;
" !
day, the day, the day
is
springing.
Baby
Oh At
cry-
fie
!
the physic in the cup
Gulp
And
it
twice
gulp
Baby gulp
it
it
thrice,
up.
:
Eight o'clock
;
The postman's knock Five letters for Papa
One
for
;
Lou,
And none And
!
for you,
three for dear
Mamma.
\
Bread and milk for breakfast,
And And
a
On
woollen frocks to wear,
crumb
for robin redbreast
the cold days of the year.
s
There
's
And While
snow on the
fields,
cold in the cottage, I sit
in the
chimney nook
Supping hot pottage.
My
clothes are soft and
Fold upon
But
I
warm,
fold,
'm so sorry for the poor
Out
in the cold.
Dead
in
Dead
at the foot
the cold, a song-singing thrush,
Weave him Dig him Raise
a coffin of rush,
a grave
him
a
of a snowberry bush,-
where the
soft
tombstone of snow.
10
mosses grow,
I
dug and dug amongst
And
the snow,
thought the flowers would never grow
dug and dug amongst the sand, And still no green thing came to hand. I
Melt,
To But
O
snow
!
the
warm winds blow
.
thaw the flowers and melt the snow all
the winds
from every land
Will rear no blossom from the sand.
ii
;
;
A
city
A
dumb-bell
A A A A
party rat
not a plum
is
plum
is
is
no
bell,
not a rat
though ;
sailor's cat is
not a cat
soldier's
is
frog
captain's log
is
;
;
not a frog
not a log.
12
;
dumb
;
Your brother Your
sister
But what
is
has a falcon,
has a flower
left for
mannikin,
Born within an hour
I '11
nurse you on
?
knee,
my
knee,
rock you, rock you, in
my
arms,
My I '11
;
My
own
little
my son
least little one.
;
Hear what "
But
We
built our nest
cruel boys
And "
the mournful linnets say
:
compact and warm,
came round our way
took our summerhouse by storm.
They crushed the eggs so neatly laid So now we sit with drooping wing,
And
watch the ruin they have made,
Too
late to build,
too sad to sing." 14
;
A
baby's cradle with no baby in
A
baby's grave where
autumn
The
sweet soul gathered
home
The body
waiting here.
it,
leaves drop sere
to Paradise,
;
Hop-o'-my-thumb and
What do you mean
little
Jack Horner,
by, tearing
and fighting
Sturdy dog Trot close round the corner, I
never caught him growling and biting.
16
?
Hope
is
trembling from
like a harebell
its
birth,
Love
is
Faith
is
like a lily lifted
Love
is
like a lovely rose the world's delight
like a rose the
Harebells and sweet
But the rose with
joy of
the earth
;
high and white,
lilies
all its
all
show
a thornless
;
growth,
thorns excels them both.
O
wind,
why do you never
Wandering, whistling
to
rest,
and
fro,
Bringing rain out of the west,
From
the
dim north bringing snow
18
?
Crying,
my
little
one, footsore and weary
Fall asleep, pretty one, I
warm on my
?
shoulder
:
must tramp on through the winter night dreary,
While
You
are
the
my
Sleep soft, Sleep
snow
falls
one, and
my
warm and
I
on me colder and
have not another
darling,
my
soft in the
Dreaming of pretty
colder.
;
trouble and treasure
;
arms of your mother,
things,
dreaming of pleasure.
Growing
in the vale
the uplands hilly,
By
Growing
straight
and
frail,
Lady Daffadowndilly. In a golden crown,
And
a scant green
While
gown
the spring blows chilly,
Lady Daffadown, Sweet Daffadowndilly. 20
A
linnet in a gilded cage,
A
linnet
on
a
bough,
In frosty winter one might doubt
Which
But
let
And Which
bird
is
luckier now.
the trees burst out in leaf, nests be
on the bough,
linnet
the luckier bird,
Oh who
is
could doubt
21
it
now
?
Wrens and
robins in the hedge,
Wrens and
robins here and there
;
Building, perching, pecking, fluttering,
Everywhere
22
!
My baby has a mottled fist, My baby has a neck in creases My baby kisses and kissed,
;
is
For he
's
the very thing for kisses.
23
K^'
did baby die,
Making Father Mother cry ?
sigh,
Flowers, that bloom to die,
Make no
reply
Of "why?" But bow and
die.
If
all
were rain and never sun,
No bow If
all
could span the
were sun and never
There
'd be
no rainbow
hill
;
rain, still.
O
wind, where have you been,
That you blow so sweet
Among
the violets
Which blossom
at
your
The honeysuckle waits For Summer and for But
?
feet.
heat.
violets in the chilly Spring
Make
the turf so sweet.
Brownie, Brownie,
White
as
dew and pure
as
For
know where
And you
No
down your milk
swansdown and smooth
Fresh I
let
shall
as
snow
as silk,
:
the cowslips blow,
have a cowslip wreath
sweeter scented than your breath.
27
On
the grassy banks
Lambkins
Woolly
at their
sisters,
Jumping While
their
pranks
;
woolly brothers
off their feet
woolly mothers
Watch by them and
bleat.
Rushes
And
A
in a
watery place,
reeds in a hollow
;
soaring skylark in the sky,
A
darting swallow
And where Ripe
;
pale blossom used to
fruit to follow.
29
hang
Minnie and Mattie
And Out
fat little
in the country,
Spending
Such
a day.
a bright day,
With
And
May,
the sun glowing,
the trees half in leaf,
And
the grass growing.
Pinky white pigling Squeals through his snout,
Woolly white lambkin Frisks
Cluck
!
all
cluck
Summons Ducklings
Yellow
Cluck
!
the nursing hen
!
her folk,-
all
downy
cluck
the
!
mother hen
her chickens
peck the dainty
Found
soft
as yolk.
Summons
To
about.
bits
in her pickings.
Minnie and Mattie
And May
carry posies,
Half of sweet
violets,
Half of primroses. Give the sun time enough,
Glowing and glowing,
He
'11
rouse the roses
And
bring them blowing. 3*
Don't wait for roses
Losing to-day,
O
Minnie, Mattie,
And
wise
little
May.
Violets and primroses
Blossom to-day
For Minnie and Mattie
And
fat little
May.
Heartsease in
With
my
garden bed,
sweetwilliam white and red,
Honeysuckle on J
my J
wall
:
Heartsease blossoms in
When But
And
my
heart
sweet William comes to it
withers
when we
the honey-trumpets 33
part,
fall.
call,
If
I
were a Queen,
What would I
'd
I
I 'd
?
wait on you.
were a King,
What would I 'd
do
make you King,
And If
I
I
do
?
make you Queen.
For
c>J
J
I
'd
marry you.
34
What
are
What
are brief?
What
are frail
What
are deep
heavy? sea-sand and sorrow
:
to-day and to-morrow
:
Spring blossoms and youth
?
?
the ocean and truth.
35
:
Stroke a .Strike
a
fire.
flint, flint,
and there
is
nothing to admire
and forthwith
flash
:
out sparks of
pe^^ ^w^- 'v^-v-
1
SI
Jl;
There
And There
is
:
but one
but one
in the year,
May
sometimes is
-;
'
May May
is
wet and cold
;
in the year
Before the year grows old.
Yet though
With Its
it
least
be the
chilliest
May,
of sun and most of showers,
wind and dew,
its
night and day,
Bring up the flowers. 37
The summer
Where
nights are short
northern days are long
For hours and hours lark
:
after lark
Trills out his song.
The summer Where
days are short
southern nights are long
:
Yet short the night when nightingales Trill out their song. o 38
The
days are
after day,
Day
When
clear,
April
That
's
here,
leads to
May,
And June Must
follow soon
:
Stay, June, stay If only
And
we could
June
!
39
!-
stop the
moon
M,
Twist
me
That
To
I
a
crown of wind-flowers
may
fly
;
away
hear the singers at their song,
And
players at their play.
Put on your crown of wind-flowers But whither would you go
Beyond the surging of
And Alas
!
the sea
the storms that blow.
your crown of wind-flowers
Can never make you I
?
twist
And
them
in a
fly
:
crown to-day,
to-night they die. 40
:
Brown and furry Caterpillar in a hurry,
Take your walk
To
the shady leaf, or stalk,
Or what
not,
Which may
No
be the chosen spot.
toad spy you,
Hovering
bird of prey pass
Spin and die,
To
live again a butterfly.
41
by you
;
A
toadstool comes
Learn the
An
in a night,
lesson, little folk
oak grows on
But then
up
it is
a
hundred
an oak.
:
years,
A
pocket handkerchief to hem-
Oh
dear,
How many Before
Yet
oh dear, oh dear stitches
it 's
done,
set a stitch
And
stitch
Till stitch
And
by
after
it
will take
I fear.
and then a
and
stitch,
stitch away,
stitch the
work
!
is
43
hem
play
!
is
done-
wore
If a pig
What
could we say
Treat him
And If his
as a
" say
tail
What
a wig,
gentleman,
Good
day."
chanced to could we do
Send him to the
To
fail,
?-
tailoress
get one new.
44
?
Seldom "
1
can't,'
Seldom " don't
Never " shan't," Never " won't.
45
" ;
I
and
That
2
me and
for
's
2-
you.
and 2 are 4
That
3
are
i
's
and
a couple more.
3 are 6
Barley-sugar sticks.
4 and 4
are 8
Tumblers
5
and
at the gate.
5 are
10
Bluff seafaring men. 46
6 and 6 are 12
Garden
7
and
lads
7 are
and
8 are
bent on sporting.
16
doctor
Pills the
delve.
14
Young men 8
who
9 and 9 are
1
's
mixing.
8
Passengers kept waiting.
10 and 10 are 20
Roses
1 1
pleasant plenty
and
Sums
1 1
are 22
for brother
12 and
1
!
2 are
George
to do.
24
Pretty pictures, and no more.
47
How many
seconds in a minute
Sixty,
and no more
How
many minutes
in
in
?
it.
an hour
?
Sixty for sun and shower.
How
many hours in a day ? Twenty-four for work and play. 48
How
many days
in a
week
?
Seven both to hear and speak.
How
many weeks
Four,
as the swift
How many Twelve
How
No
many
makes
years in an age says the sage.
ages in time
?
one knows the rhyme.
49
?
runn'th.
in a year
the almanack
many
month
moon
months
One hundred
How
in a
?
?
clear.
What
will
you give me
for
my pound
?
Full twenty shillings round.
What
will
you give me
Twelve pence
What Four
will
to give
I
you give me
farthings, just so
for
'm for
my
shilling
willing.
my
many.
penny
?
?
January cold desolate
February
all
;
dripping wet
March wind ranges April changes
;
;
Birds sing in tune
To And
flowers of
May,
sunny June
Brings longest day In scorched July J *
The storm-clouds Lightning-torn
August bears September
fly
;
corn,
fruit
;
;
;
Iii
rough o October
Earth must disrobe her Stars
fall
In keen
and shoot
November
And
night
And
cold
is loi.
is
stro'-g
In bleak December.
;
;
What By
pink
a rose
?
is
pink
the fountain's brink.
What In
is
its
What
is
a
?
poppy
's
red
barley bed. is
Where
What
red
blue
the sky
?
is
blue
the clouds float thro'.
is
white
a
?
swan
is
white
Sailing in the light.
What
is
yellow
?
pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow. 53
What
is
With
small flowers between.
What
is
In the
What
green
violet
green,
twilight. ?
orange
Just an orange
is
clouds are violet
?
summer is
the grass
?
why, an orange,
!
54
Mother shake
the cherry-tree,
Susan catch a cherry
Oh how Let
One
's
funny that be merry
for brother,
Two
for
;
will be,
!
one for
sister,
mother more,
Six for father, hot and tired,
Knocking
at the 55
door.
A pin has a head, but has no hair A clock has a face, but no mouth there ;
Needles have eyes, but they cannot see
A
fly
has a trunk without lock or key
A timepiece may lose, but cannot win A corn-field dimples without a chin A hill has no leg, but has a foot A wine-glass a stem, but not a root ;
;
;
;
;
;
;
A A
watch has hands, but no thumb or finger boot has a tongue, but
is
no singer
Rivers run, though they have no feet
A
saw has
teeth, but
it
does not eat
;
;
Ash-trees have keys, yet never a lock
And
;
;
baby crows, without being a cock.
;
Hopping I '11
frog,
hop here and be
seen,
not pelt you with stick or stone
Your cap
is
laced and your coat
Good-bye, we
'11
let
is
:
green
each other alone.
Plodding toad, plod here and be looked
You
;
the finger of scorn
is
crooked
at
at,
:
But though you 're lumpish, you 're harmless too
You
won't hurt me, and 53
I
won't hurt you.
;
Where
innocent bright-eyed daisies
With Each
blades of grass between,
daisy stands
Out of
up
like a star
a sky of green.
59
are,
The
city
mouse
The garden mouse
He 's
lives in a
bower,
sees the pretty plants in flower.
city
mouse
eats
bread and cheese
The garden mouse
We
;
friendly with the frogs and toads,
And The
house
lives in a
will not grudge
Poor
little
eats
him
what he can
;
seeds and stalks,
timid furry man.
60
;-
What
does the donkey bray about
What
does the pig grunt through his snout
What
does the goose
Oh, Nurse, I
'11
if
mean by
you can
tell
me
?
a hiss
?
this,
give you such a kiss.
The cockatoo
calls
"
cockatoo,"
The magpie chatters " how d' ye do The jackdaw bids me " go away," Cuckoo
cries
What do
" cuckoo
?
'
the others say 61
half the day ?
:
?
*fo*&&tf
r>
'*}
Three plum buns
To
eat here at the stile
In the clover meadow,
For we have walked
One
for you,
And Give
To
it
one
and one for me,
left
to the
a mile.
over
:
boy who shouts
scare sheep
from the
62
clover.
A
motherless soli lambkin
Alone upon
No
a hill
mother's fleece *o shelter him
And wrap him from I '11
the cold
:-
run to him and comfort him, I '11
I '11
;
fetch him, that
care for
Until he
him and
's
I will
feed
him
strong and bold.
;
"7?
Dancing on the Singing
hill-tops,
in the valleys,
Laughing with the echoes,
Merry
little
Alice.
Playing games with lambkins In the flowering valleys,
Gathering pretty posies,
Helpful
little 64
Alice.
If her father's cottage
Turned
And
he owned the hill-tops
And She
into a palace,
'd
the flowering valleys,
be none the happier,
Happy
little
Alice.
When
fishes set
umbrellas up
If the rain-drops run,
Lizards will want their parasols
To
shade them from the sun.
66
The peacock has a score of eyes, With which he cannot see ;
The
cod-fish has a silent sound,
However
No
that
dandelions
may
tell
be
;
the time,
Although they turn
to clocks
;
Cat's-cradle does not hold the cat,
Nor
foxglove
fit
67
the fox.
Pussy has a whiskered
face,
Kitty has such pretty ways
Doggie scampers when
And
;
I call,
has a heart to love us all
68
The dog
And And
lies in his
kennel,
Puss purrs on the rug,
baby perches on
For me
to love
my
knee
and hug.
Pat the dog and stroke the
Kach
And
in its
decree O
cuddle and kiss
And
baby
kiss
69
me.
cat,
; '
my
baby,
If
hope grew on
And
What
a bush,
joy grew on a
nosegay for the plucking
a
There would be
But oh
!
When What
tree,
in
!
windy autumn,
frail
should
flowers wither,
we do
Fading together 70
?
for
hope and joy,
JTi
I
planted a hand
And I
there
came up
a palm,
planted a heart
And Then
I
there
came up balm.
planted a wish,
But there sprang
a thorn,
While heaven frowned with thunder
And
earth sighed forlorn.
Under
One
And
the ivy bush sits
sighing,
under the willow tree
One Under
sits
crying
:-
the ivy bush
Cease from your sighing,
But under the willow Lie
down
a-dying.
72
tree
I
am
a
King,
Or an Emperor I
rather,
wear crown-imperial
And
prince's-feather
Golden-rod
;
the sceptre
is
"
I
And
wield and wag, a broad purple flag-flower
Waves
for
my
flag.
Elder the pithy
With old-man and These are Green
my
sage,
councillors
in old age
;
Lords-and-ladies in silence
Stand round
me and
wait,
While gay ragged-robin
Makes bows
at
73
my
gate.
There
And
is
one that has a head without an eye,
there
's
one that has an eye without
You may find the And when
answer
if
you
try
;
all is said,
Half the answer hangs upon
74
a thread
!
a
head
:
mouse could
If a
Or
Or
if a
I 'd
He
Or
sprat could
walk and
talk,
like to be like him.
might
if a
It
fly,
crow could swim,
mouse could
If a
Or
if a
fly
fly,
away
;
crow could swim,
might turn him grey
if a sprat
What would
;
could walk and talk, he find to say
75
?
me
Sing
a
What
song
shall I sing
Three merry
Dancing Light and
As Tell
birds
me
sisters
in a ring, fleet
their feet
upon the wing.
shall I tell
mournful
And
upon
a tale
What
Two
?
?-
sisters,
a tolling knell,
Tolling ding and tolling dong,
Ding dong
bell.
76
The
lily
And And
has an
air,
the snowdrop a grace,
the sweetpea a way,
And
the heartsease a face,-
Yet there
's
nothing like the rose
When
she blows.
77
Margaret has
And
a milking-pail,
she rises early
Thomas
;
has a threshing-flail,
And
he
's
up betimes.
Sometimes crossing through the grass
Where They
say
By
the
dew
lies
pearly,
"Good-morrow"
the leafy limes.
as they pass
In the
meadow
what
Bluebells, buttercups,
And
in the
meadow?
meadowsweet,
fairy rings for the children's feet
In the meadow.
In the garden- -what in the garden
?
Jacob's-ladder and Solomon's-seal,
And
Love-lies-bleeding beside All-heal In the garden.
79
A
frisky
And
lamb
a frisky child
Playing their pranks In a cowslip
The sky
all
:
blue
And
the air
And
the fields
And
meadow
all
mild all
sun
the lanes half shadow.
80
Mix
a pancake,
Stir a
pancake,
Pop
it
in the
pan
;
Fry the pancake, Toss the pancake, Catch
it
Si
if
you
can.
The wind
has such a rainy sound
Moaning through
The
sea has such a
the town,
windy sound,
Will the ships go down
The
apples in the orchard
Tumble from Oh,
?
their tree.-
will the ships
In the windy
go down, go down,
sea
?
82
Three
On
little
children
the wide wide earth,
Motherless children
Cared for from
By tender Three
On
little
their birth
angels.
children
the wide wide sea,
Motherless childrenSafe as safe can be
With guardian 83
angels.
JHu
'>*,?
Fly away,
fly
v M .,
away over the
Sun-loving swallow, for
Come
again,
come
again,
sea,
summer
is
come back
done
;
to me,
Bringing the summer and bringing the sun.
S4
Minnie bakes oaten
Minnie brews
cakes, ale,
All because her Johnny
Home And
coming
sea.
she glows like a rose,
Who And
from
's
was so
pale,
" Are you sure the church clock goes
Says she.
?
A
white hen sitting
On
white eggs three
:
Next, three speckled chickens
As plump
An
as
plump can
be.
owl, and a hawk,
And
a bat
come
But chicks beneath
to see
:
their mother's
Squat safe as safe can
86
be.
wing
Currants on a bush,
And
And
figs
upon
cherries
And Ned
on
a stem, a
bending bough,
to gather them.
Playing at bob cherry
Tom
and Nell and
Cherry bob
There
Tom
's
Hugh
cherry bob
!
bob
a
:
!
for you.
bobs a cherry
For gaping snapping Hugh, While curly-pated Nelly Snaps
at
it
too.
Look, look, look
Oh
what
The wind With
is
a sight to see
!
playing cherry bob
the cherry tree.
88
I
have but one rose
And my one Oh, when There
my
'11
in the world,
rose stands a-drooplng
single rose
is
dead
be but thorns for stooping.
89
\ /'
Rosy maiden Winifred,
With
a milkpail
on her head,
Tripping through the corn,
While
the
dew
lies
on the wheat
In the sunny morn. Scarlet shepherd's-weatherglass
Spreads wide open at her feet
As
they pass
;
Cornflowers give their almond smell
While she brushes
And
a lark sings
"All
is
well." 90
by,
from the sky
Blind from
Where I sit
my
birth,
flowers are springing
on earth
All dark.
Hark
A
!
lark
hark is
singing,
His notes For me Till
!
are all for me,
his
mirth
some day
I
:-
shall see
Beautiful flowers
And
birds in bowers
Where
all
Joy Bells are ringing.
When
the cows
come home
the milk
Honey 's made while the bees Duck and drake on the rushy
are
is
coming,
humming
lake,
And
the deer live safe in the breezy brake
And
timid, funny, brisk
Winks
his nose
and
little
sits all
92
bunny,
sunny.
;
;
Roses blushing red and white,
For delight
;
Honeysuckle wreaths above, For love
Dim
;
sweet-scented heliotrope,
For hope Shining
;
lilies tall
For royal
Dusky
state
pansies, let
For memory
With
and
violets
straight,
;
them be ;
of fragrant breath,
For death. 93
"
Ding
a ding,"
The
sweet bells sing,
And
say
"
Come,
For
a
:
all
be gay
'
wedding day.
"
Dong a The bells
And "
call
Weep
For
dong," sigh long, :
one,
weep
a funeral. 94
all
A
ring
upon her
Walks
With
the bridegroom
At her
A
veil
At
tall
and handsome
side.
upon her forehead,
Walks
With
finger,
the bride,
the bride,
the bridegroom proud and merry
her side.
Fling flowers beneath the footsteps
Of
the bride
;
Fling flowers before the bridegroom
At her
side. 95
"
Ferry
me
across the water,
Do, boatman, do." " If you I '11
"
1
Ve
a
penny
in
your purse
ferry you."
have
a
penny
in
my
purse,
And my eyes are blue So ferry me across the water, ;
Do, boatman, do." "
Step into
my
ferry-boat,
Be they black or
And
for the
I '11
penny
ferry you." 96
blue, in
your purse
When
a
mounting skylark sings
In the sunlit I
know
summer morn,
that heaven
And on But when
know Only
up on high,
earth are fields of corn.
a
nightingale sings
In the moonlit I
is
not
if
summer
earth
that heaven
97
is
is
even,
merely earth, heaven.
H
J-'
Who
has seen the wind
Neither
I
nor you
?
:
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind
Who
is
passing
thro'.
has seen the wind
Neither you nor
But when the
The wind
trees is
I
?
:
bow down
passing by.
98
their heads
/
The
horses of the sea
Rear
a
foaming
crest,
But the horses of the land Serve us the best.
The
horses of the land
Munch While
corn and clover,
the foaming sea-horses
Toss and turn over.
99
sailor,
come
What
have you brought for
Red
ashore,
coral, white coral,
Coral from the
1
me ?
sea.
did not dig
it
from the ground,
Nor pluck
it
from
Feeble insects made In the stormy
sea.
IOO
it
a tree
;
A
diamond or
a coal
?
A diamond, if you please Who cares about a clumsy coal :
Beneath the summer trees
A
diamond or
A
a coal
coal, sir, if
One comes
What
you
to care
?
?
please
:
about the coal
time the waters freeze.
101
An
A A
as
green as grass
ruby red
as
blood
;
;
as blue as heaven sapphire shines
A
A
is
emerald
flint lies in
diamond
To An
is
the
mud.
a brilliant stone,
catch the world's desire
a fiery spark opal holds
But
a flint holds fire.
IO2
;
;
;
-V.-x.
Boats
sail
And
on the
rivers,
sail
on the
ships
But clouds that
Are
There
As
sail
seas
;
across the sky
prettier far than these.
are bridges
pretty as
on the
you
please
rivers, ;
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And
And
overtops the
builds a road
Is prettier far
trees,
from earth
than these.
103
to sky,
The
lily
has a
smooth
stalk,
Will never hurt your hand
But the rose upon her Is
briar
lady of the land.
There
's
And
sweetness in an apple tree,
profit in the corn
But lady of Is a rose
When She
And
;
all
;
beauty
upon
a thorn.
with moss and honey tips her
bending
briar,
half unfolds her glowing heart,
She sets the world on
fire.
Hurt no
living thing
:
Ladybird, nor butterfly,
Nor moth Nor
Nor
with dusty wing,
cricket chirping cheerily,
grasshopper so light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor Nor harmless worms that
beetle fat,
creep.
I
caught
That I
a little ladybird
caught a
That
Come
far
flies
is
little
back,
weary of
My She
's
;
lady wife
both staid and gay.
my
Back from I
away
far
my
scarlet ladybird,
away
;
dolly wife,
wife that cannot play.
such a senseless wooden thing
She stares the livelong day
;
Her wig of gold is stiff and cold And cannot change to grey. 1
06
All the bells were ringing
And
all
When
the birds were singing,
Molly
sat
down
For her broken
O
you
silly
doll
Moll
crying :
!
Sobbing and sighing
For
When And
a
broken
all
all
doll,
the bells are ringing,
the birds are singing.
107
Wee
wee husband,
Give I
me some money,
have no comfits,
And
Wee I
I
wee
have no honey.
wifie,
have no money,
Milk, nor meat, nor bread to Comfits, nor honey.
1
08
eat,
I
have a
And
little
he
is
The winds Fly
gone to
sea,
that whistle
home
The winds
husband
to me.
that sigh about
Return again to him So
I
would
Were
round
fly,
if
only
light of limb.
109
;
I
me
his ship
The
dear old
Is sick
We
'11
And
We
'11
And And
go
woman
in the lane
and sore with pains and to her this afternoon,
take her tea and eggs and cakes.
stop to
make
brew some
the kettle boil,
tea,
and
set the tray,
poach an egg, and toast
And
aches,
a cake,
wheel her chair round,
IIO
if
we may.
Swift and sure the swallow,
Slow and sure the
snail
Slow and sure may miss Swift and sure
may
:
his
fail.
way,
(C
I
dreamt
And
"
I
little
may hunt
owl "
for ever :
not find such an one.
dreamt
And
caught a
the bird was blue
" But you
And
I
I set
a sunflower,
red as blood
it
grew-
" But such a sunflower never
Bloomed beneath the 112
sun.'
What
does the bee do
?
Bring home honey.
And what Bring
does Father do
?
home money.
And what Lay out
And what
does Mother do the money.
does baby do?
Eat up the honey.
ii
?
I
have a Poll parrot,
And
Poll
is
my
And my nurse is And my sister "Polly!"
doll,
Polly, Poll.
cried Polly,
" Don't tear Polly dolly
While soft-hearted Poll Trembled
for the doll. 114
i
>
A
house of cards Is
neat and small
Shake the It
must
:
table, fall.
Find the Court cards
One by one Raise
it,
Now
roof it 's
;
it,-
done
Shake the table
That
's
!
the fun.
:-
The
rose with such a
What If
it 's
bonny
blush,
has the rose to blush about
the sun that
What 's
in the
makes her
flush,
sun to flush about
116
?
?
The
rose that blushes rosy red,
She must hang her head
The
lily
She
;
that blows spotless white,
may
stand upright.
117
Oh,
fair to see
Bloom-laden cherry
Arrayed
An
tree,
sunny white
in
;
April day's delight,
Oh,
fair to see
Oh,
fair to see
!
Fruit-laden cherry tree,
With
balls
Decking Oh,
of shining red
a leafy head,
fair to see
!
118
Clever
little
Willie wee,
Bright-eyed, blue-eyed
Merry
little
With
Margery
her hair
all
yellow.
Little Willie in his heart Is a sailor
And
on the
sea,
he often cons a chart
With
little
sister
Margery.
119
fellow
;
The
peach tree on the southern wall
Has basked
Her
score of peaches great and small
Bloom
A
so long beneath the sun,
rosy, every one.
peach for brothers, one for each,
A
peach for you and a peach for
But the biggest,
rosiest,
downiest peach
For Grandmamma with her
120
me
tea.
;
A I
rose has thorns as well as honey,
'11
An
not have her for love or iris
grows so
That she
shall be
Snowdrops
straight
and
like the
like a spear
snow would
would
fright
Convolvulus but blooms to die
;
me
chill
kill
Dragon's-mouth might bark or
121
;
fine,
no friend of mine
Nightshade would caress and Crocus
money
me me
bite
;
;
;
me
;
;
A
wind-flower suggests a sigh
Love-lies-bleeding
And
makes me
poppy-juice would drive
But give me
holly, bold
and
me
me mad
;
holly leaf and berry
For the day when
I
make merry.
122
;
jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly
Pluck
;
sad
Is the
moon
tired
Within her misty
?
she looks so pale
veil
:
She scales the sky from east to west,
And
takes no rest.
Before the coming of the night
The moon shows papery white Before the dawning of the day
She fades away.
;
'Jft
If stars dropped out of heaven,
And
if
flowers took their place,
The sky would
And
look very
fair,
fair earth's face.
Winged
To
still
angels might
pluck the
fly
to us
stars,
But we could only long
Beyond
down
for flowers
the cloudy bars. 124
"
Goodbye
in fear,
Goodbye, and
Never " "
to
goodbye
all
Goodbye
sorrow,
in vain,
meet again,
Never
in
my
dear-
to part again."
to-day,
goodbye to-morrow,
Goodbye till earth shall wane, Never to meet again, my dear" Never to part again."
125
If the sun could
That he
tell
us half
hears and sees,
Sometimes he would make us laugh, Sometimes make us cry
Think of
all
the birds that
Homes among Think of
the trees
cruel boys
who
Birds that cannot
126
:
make ;
take
fly.
If the
moon came from
Talking
What
all
the way,
could she have to
And what
heaven,
tell us,
could she say
?
"I've seen a hundred pretty things,
And
seen a hundred gay
But only think
And do
:
I
;
peep by night '
not peep by day
127
!
O
Lady Moon, your horns
point toward the east
Shine, be increased
O
;
Lady Moon, your horns point toward the
Wane, be
at rest.
128
west.
What do
Up
the stars do
in the sky,
Higher than the wind can blow,
Or Each
the clouds can
star in its
own
fly j
glory
Circles, circles still
As
it
was
And do
lit
to shine
its
;
and
Maker's
129
?
set,
will.
Motherless baby and babyless mother,
Bring them together to love one another.
130
Crimson curtains round Silken soft as
may
be
my
mother's bed,
;
Cool white curtains round about
For
I
am
but a baby.
my
bed,
Baby
lies
so fast asleep
That we cannot wake her Will the Angels clad
:
in white
Fly from heaven to take her
Baby
lies
so fast asleep
That no pain can grieve her Put
a
?
snowdrop
in her
hand,
Kiss her once and leave her.
132
;
I
know
a baby, such a baby,-
Round
blue eyes and cheeks of pink,
Such an elbow furrowed with dimples,
Such
a wrist
where creases sink.
" Cuddle and love me, cuddle and love me,
Crows the mouth of
coral pink
:
Oh, the bald head, and, oh, the sweet
And,
oh, the sleepy eyes that
133
wink
lips, !
1
Lullaby, oh, lullaby
!
Flowers are closed and lambs are sleeping Lullaby, oh, lullaby Stars are up, the
moon
is
Lullaby, oh, lullaby
While the
!
peeping !
birds are silence keeping,
(Lullaby, oh, lullaby Sleep,
my
;
baby,
fall
!)
a-sleeping,
Lullaby, oh, lullaby
134
!
;
Lie a-bed, Sleepy head,
Shut up eyes, bo-peep Till
;
daybreak
Never wake Baby,
:
sleep.
Tr
.
AHV
,
5th ST
135
Printed
by R.
&
R. CLARK, LIMITED, Edinburgh.
