Hey! Willie Winkie,
Are you coming then?
The cat's singing gay tunes
To the sleeping hen.
The dog is lying on the floor,
And does not even peep;
But here's a wakeful laddie,
That will not fall asleep.
Anything but sleep, you rogue,
Glowing like the moon;
Rattling in a stone jug,
With an iron spoon.
Rumbling, tumbling all about
Crowing like a cock;
Screaming like I don't know what
Waking sleeping folks.
Hey! Willie Winkie!
Can't you keep him still,
Wriggling off a body's knee
Like a very eel.
That has with sleep a battle,
Before he's done with play,
A wee, wee, dumpy, toddling lad
That runs the livelong day.
[Illustration]