Mother Goose Read online

  MY BOOK OF

  MOTHER GOOSE

  NURSERY RHYMES

  This Book belongs to

  “LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON A TUFFET EATING OF CURDS AND WHEY.”

  MY BOOK OF

  MOTHER GOOSE

  NURSERY RHYMES

  ILLUSTTRATED BY

  JENNIE HARBOUR

  EDITED BY CAPT. EDRIC VREDENBURG

  LIST OF COLOUR PLATES

  LITTLE MISS MUFFET

  ORANGES AND LEMONS

  SEE-SAW, MARGERY DAW

  DAFFY-DOWN DILLY

  MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB

  THE QUEEN OF HEARTS

  CURLY-LOCKS, CURLY-LOCKS

  LITTLE BO-PEEP

  MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY

  COME, MY CHILDREN

  OLD KING COLE

  RIDE A COCK-HORSE

  “Bye, Baby Bunting”

  ‘This is her son jack, a plain-looking lad.’

  THE NEW DRESS

  ITdoes not matter who you are, but there is no mistake about it, you like new dresses! Daddy and his boys are pleased and proud in their new suits; Mother and the girls are in love with their frocks and gowns, and even the toddlers are delighted with their fine clothes.

  New hats, new shoes, fresh ribbons and laces and pretty pinafores to match your pretty faces are a joy indeed!

  And that is why dear Old Mother Goose is being presented to you again in this lovely book. It is Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes dressed up again to please you, looking entirely new and charming, just as beautiful as can be.

  See the White Lady on a White Horse with her crowd of little followers in their gay apparel, Would you not wish to join them?, or long to dance with the others around the dainty little figure of Daffy-Down Dilly? or See-saw with Margery Daw and pick those rosy apples and pluck the starlike flowers? And why not walk with Mary’s little Lamb in the green wood-land picture?

  Surely there are many happy days in store for you in the land of the new Old Mother Goose that you have now before you?

  Edric Vredenburg,

  “Jack’s goose and her gander grew very fond”

  Old Mother Goose

  OLD MOTHER GOOSE, WHEN

  SHE WANTED TO WANDER,

  WOULD RIDE THROUGH THE AIR

  ON A VERY FINE GANDER.

  MOTHER GOOSE HAD A HOUSE

  ’TWAS BUILT IN A WOOD,

  WHERE AN OWL AT THE DOOR

  FOR SENTINEL STOOD.

  THIS IS HER SON JACK,

  A PLAIN-LOOKING LAD;

  HE IS NOT VERY GOOD,

  NOR YET VERY BAD.

  SHE SENT HIM TO MARKET,

  A LIVE GOOSE HE BOUGHT,

  “HERE, MOTHER,” SAID HE,

  “IT WILL NOT GO FOR NAUGHT.”

  JACK’S GOOSE AND HER GANDER

  GREW VERY FOND;

  THEY’D BOTH EAT TOGETHER

  OR SWIM IN ONE POND.

  JACK FOUND ONE MORNING,

  AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD,

  HIS GOOSE HAD LAID HIM

  AN EGG OF PURE GOLD.

  JACK RODE TO HIS MOTHER,

  THE NEWS FOR TO TELL;

  SHE CALLED HIM A GOOD BOY

  AND SAID IT WAS WELL.

  THEN JACK WENT A-COURTING

  A LADY SO GAY,

  AS FAIR AS THE LILY,

  AND SWEET AS THE MAY.

  BUT THEN THE OLD SQUIRE

  CAME BEHIND HIS BACK,

  AND BEGAN TO BELABOUR

  THE SIDES OF POOR JACK.

  THEN OLD MOTHER GOOSE

  THAT INSTANT CAME IN,

  AND TURNED HER SON JACK

  INTO FAMED HARLEQUIN.

  SHE THEN, WITH HER WAND,

  TOUCHED THE LADY SO FINE,

  AND TURNED HER AT ONCE

  INTO SWEET COLUMBINE.

  THE GOLD EGG IN THE SEA

  WAS THROWN AWAY THEN,—

  WHEN JACK JUMPED IN,

  AND GOT IT BACK AGAIN.

  JACK’S MOTHER CAME BY,

  AND CAUGHT THE GOOSE SOON,

  AND MOUNTING ITS BACK,

  FLEW UP TO THE MOON.

  I Had a Little Nut-tree

  I HAD A LITTLE NUT-TREE; NOTHING WOULD IT BEAR

  BUT A SILVER NUTMEG AND A GOLDEN PEAR;

  THE KING OF SPAIN’S DAUGHTER CAME TO VISIT ME,

  AND ALL WAS BECAUSE OF MY LITTLE NUT-TREE.

  I SKIPPED OVER WATER, I DANCED OVER SEA,

  AND ALL THE BIRDS IN THE AIR COULDN’T CATCH ME.

  Little Miss Muffet

  LITTLE MISS MUFFET

  SAT ON A TUFFET

  EATING OF CURDS AND WHEY;

  THERE CAME A BIG SPIDER,

  AND SAT DOWN BESIDE HER,

  AND FRIGHTENED MISS MUFFET AWAY.

  Oranges and Lemons

  GAY GO UP AND GAY GO DOWN,

  TO RING THE BELLS OF LONDON TOWN.

  HALFPENNY AND FARTHINGS

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. MARTIN’S.

  ORANGES AND LEMONS,

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. CLEMENT’S.

  PANCAKES AND FRITTERS

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. PETER’S.

  TWO STICKS AND AN APPLE,

  SAY THE BELLS OF WHITECHAPEL.

  KETTLES AND PANS,

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. ANN’S.

  YOU OWE ME TEN SHILLINGS,

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. HELEN’S.

  WHEN WILL YOU PAY ME?

  SAY THE BELLS OF OLD BAILEY.

  WHEN I GROW RICH,

  SAY THE BELLS OF SHOREDITCH.

  PRAY WHEN WILL THAT BE?

  SAY THE BELLS OF STEPNEY.

  “‘ORANGES AND LEMONS.’

  SAY THE BELLS OF ST. CLEMENTS.”

  I AM SURE I DONT KNOW,

  SAYS THE GREAT BELL OF BOW.

  HERE COMES THE LANTERN TO LIGHT YOU TO BED,

  HERE COMES THE CHOPPER TO CHOP OFF YOUR HEAD.

  Dunce, Dance

  DUNCE, DUNCE, DOUBLE D,

  CANNOT LEARN HIS A B C–

  PUT THE CAP ON, THEN YOU’LL SEE

  WHAT A SILLY BOY IS HE,

  DUNCE, DUNCE, DOUBLE D.

  Pease Porridge Hot

  PEASE PORRIDGE HOT,

  PEASE PORRIDGE COLD,

  PEASE PORRIDGE IN THE POT,

  NINE DAYS OLD.

  SPELL ME THAT WITHOUT. A P,

  AND A SCHOLAR YOU WILL BE.

  (T-H-A-T)

  The Babes in the Wood

  MY DEAR, DO YOU KNOW

  HOW 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.

  AND WHEN IT WAS NIGHT,

  SO SAD WAS THEIR PLIGHT,

  THE SUN IT WENT DOWN,

  AND THE MOON 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,

  THEY SANG THEM THIS SONG:

  “POOR BABES IN THE WOOD,

  POOR BABES IN THE WOOD,

  WE PRAY YOU REMEMBER

  THE BABES IN THE WOOD?”

  Tom, Tom, the Pipers Son

  TOM, TOM, THE 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 THEY BEGAN FOR 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 FOR 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 PIPE 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.

  A Former went Trotting

  A FARMER WENT TROTTING

  UPON HIS GREY 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!

  A Cat came Fiddling

  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 HUMBLE-BEE;

  PIPE, CAT-DANCE, MOUSE—

  WE’LL HAVE A WEDDING AT OUR GOOD HOUSE.

  There was an Old Crow

  THERE WAS AN OLD CROW SAT UPON A CLOD;

  THERE’S AN END OF MY SONG—THATS ODD!

  London Bridge is Broken Down

  LONDON BRIDGE IS BROKEN DOWN,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  LONDON BRIDGE IS BROKEN DOWN,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  HOW SHALL WE BUILD IT UP AGAIN?

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  HOW SHALL WE BUILD IT UP AGAIN?

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  SILVER AND GOLD WILL BE STOLE AWAY,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  SILVER AND GOLD WILL BE STOLE AWAY,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  BUILD IT UP AGAIN WITH IRON AND STEEL.

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  BUILD IT UP WITH IRON AND STEEL,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  IRON AND STEEL WILL BEND AND BOW,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  IRON AND STEEL WILL BEND AND BOW,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  BUILD IT UP WITH WOOD AND CLAY,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  BUILD IT UP WITH WOOD AND CLAY,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  WOOD AND CLAY WILL WASH AWAY,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  WOOD AND CLAY WILL WASH AWAY,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  BUILD IT UP WITH STONE SO STRONG,

  DANCE O’ER MY LADY LEE;

  HUZZA! ‘TWILL LAST FOR AGES LONG,

  WITH A GAY LADYE.

  See-Saw, Margery Daw

  SEE-SAW, MARGERY DAW,

  JOHNNY SHALL HAVE A NEW MASTER,

  HE SHALL HAVE BUT A PENNY A DAY,

  BECAUSE HE CANT WORK ANY FASTER.

  Who Ever Saw a Rabbit

  WHO EVER SAW A RABBIT,

  DRESSED IN A RIDING-HABIT,

  GALLOP OFF TO SEE HER FRIENDS IN THIS STYLE?

  I SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED

  IF MY LADY IS CAPSIZED

  BEFORE SHE HAS RIDDEN HALF A MILE.

  “SEE-SAW, MARGERY DAW.

  JOHNNY SHALL HAVE A NEW MASTER.”

  There Were Three Jovial Welshmen

  THERE WERE THREE JOVIAL WELSHMEN,

  AS I HAVE HEARD THEM SAY,

  AND THEY WOULD GO A-HUNTING

  UPON ST. DAVID’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 OT CUT AWAY.

  AND ALL THE DAY THEY HUNTED,

  AND NOTHING COULD THEY FIND

  BUT A HEDGEHOG IN A BRAMBLE-BUSH,

  AND THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND.

  THE FIRST SAID IT WAS A HEDGEHOG,

  THE SECOND HE SAID, “NAY”;

  THE THIRD IT WAS A PIN-CUSHION,

  AND THE PINS STUCK IN WRONG WAY.

  AND ALL THE NIGHT THEY HUNTED,

  AND NOTHING COULD THEY FIND

  BUT A HARE IN A TURNIP-FIELD,

  AND THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND.

  THE FIRST SAID IT WAS A HARE,

  THE SECOND HE SAID, “NAY”;

  THE THIRD SAID IT WAS A CALF,

  AND THE COW HAD RUN AWAY.

  AND ALL THE DAY THEY HUNTED,

  AND NOTHING COULD THEY FIND

  BUT AN OWL IN A HOLLY TREE,

  AND THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND.

  ONE SAID IT WAS AN OWL,

  THE OTHER HE SAID, “NAY”;

  THE THIRD SAID ‘TWAS AN OLD MAN,

  AND HIS BEARD GROWING GREY.

  My Maid Mary

  MY MAID MARY,

  SHE MINDS HER DAIRY,

  WHILE I GO HOEING AND MOWING EACH MORN;

  MERRILY RUNS THE REEL

  AND THE LITTLE SPINNING-WHEEL,

  WHILST I AM SINGING AND MOWING MY CORN.

  There was an Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe

  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,

  AND WHIPPED THEM ALL SOUNDLY, AND SENT THEM TO BED.

  As I was Going to St. Ives

  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?

  A Carrion Crow

  A CARRION CROW SAT ON AN OAK,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  WATCHING A TAILOR SHAPE HIS CLOAK;

  SING HEIGH HO, THE CARRION CROW,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  WIFE, BRING ME MY OLD BENT BOW,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  THAT I MAY SHOOT YON CARRION CROW;

  SING HEIGH HO, THE CARRION CROW,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  THE TAILOR HE SHOT, AND MISSED HIS MARK,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO,

  AND SHOT HIS OWN SOW QUITE THROUGH THE HEART;

  SING HEIGH HO, THE CARRION CROW,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  WIFE, BRING BRANDY IN A SPOON,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE
, HI DING DO

  FOR OUR OLD SOW IS IN A SWOON;

  SING HEIGH HO, THE CARRION CROW,

  FOL DE RIDDLE, LOL DE RIDDLE, HI DING DO.

  Little Boy Blue

  LITTLE BOY BLUE, COME BLOW UP YOUR HORN,

  THE SHEEP’S IN THE MEADOW, THE COW’S IN THE CORN;

  WHERE’S THE LITTLE BOY THAT LOOKS AFTER THE SHEEP?

  HE’S UNDER THE HAYCOCK FAST ASLEEP.

  GO WAKE HIM, GO WAKE HIM.

  OH! NO, NOT I;

  FOR IF I WAKE HIM, HE’LL CERTAINLY CRY.

  Bell-Horses, Bell-Horses

  BELL-HORSES, BELL-HORSES, WHAT TIME OF DAY?

  ONE O’CLOCK, TWO O’CLOCK,

  OFF AND AWAY!

  Old Mother Hubbard

  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,