Most mothers and fathers realize that long before children are old
enough to read there is a rich treasury of rhythm and song and story
that may be given them. To make this treasury available is the purpose
of this volume.
Finger-plays and action-plays, in which Froebel found so rich a meaning,
do much to help the baby to know and control his fingers and hands, to
enable him to discover the other parts of his body, to awaken his
intelligence and to bring him into affectionate companionship with his
father and mother. Here we have gathered not only the traditional ones,
which the mother and father may remember from their own early childhood;
but also many that will be fresh and new.
Mother Goose long ago established her throne as Queen of the Nursery.
There is something about her short ditties, always full of rhythm,
sometimes of sense, and frequently of the most elemental humor, that
appeals to the baby mind as nothing else does. A proof of the worth of
her songs and stories would be found if any of us should try to write
better. We have brought together many familiar ones and some unfamiliar
(for Mother Goose lived in many times and many lands), and have
illustrated them with some new and charming drawings and color-plates.
Children as young as three are ready for the simplest sort of stories,
but it is so hard for us grown-ups to become children again that many of
us have found difficulty in suiting our language and thought to their
eager but unfurnished minds. These bedtime stories and little tales of
babies and animals and girls and boys are therefore a real godsend.
Soon comes the time when the little folk are ready to learn about the
letters and the numbers and the days of the week. Rhymes to help this
first memorizing will be welcome.
Most of the stories in this book are illustrated by pictures, some are
told entirely by them. The choice of these illustrations was made from
our best modern knowledge about little children. It is now recognized
that they like simple incidents, about themselves or the familiar things
around them, drawn in clear outline or with strong color. There are
certain artists, too, who seem to have retained their own childlikeness
better than others, and such were called upon to illustrate this
volume.
* * * * *
CONTENTS
PAGE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION vii
INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME ONE xv
#FATHER AND MOTHER PLAYS#
BABY'S TEN LITTLE LIVE PLAYTHINGS 2
By J. K. Barry
MONDAY 4
By Edith Goodyear
FINGER PLAY 5
By Edith Goodyear
COUNTING THE FINGERS 6
AN OLD NORSE FINGER PLAY 6
BABY'S TOES 6
BABY'S TOES 7
By Edith A. Bentley
THIS IS THE WAY MY FINGERS STAND 8
THUMBKIN, POINTER 8
NAMING THE FINGERS 8
By Laura E. Richards
ROBERT BARNS 8
"SHALL I, OH! SHALL I?" 8
JACK, BE NIMBLE 9
TWO LITTLE HANDS 9
PAT A CAKE 9
CLAP YOUR HANDS 9
THE BIRD'S NEST 10
A Froebel Finger Play
TWO LITTLE BLACKBIRDS 10
MASTER SMITH 10
LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST 10
GREETING 10
A PLAY FOR THE ARMS 10
THE LITTLE WINDOW 10
A Froebel Finger Play
SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE 11
THE PIGEON HOUSE 11
A Froebel Finger Play
SAID THIS LITTLE FAIRY 12
A BURROWING GAME 12
PAT A CAKE 12
A Froebel Finger Play
A KNEE GAME 12
A FOOT PLAY 12
PUTTING THE FINGERS TO SLEEP 13
TEN LITTLE SQUIRRELS 14
MY LITTLE GARDEN 15
THE FAMILY 16
By Emilie Poulsson
JOHNNY SHALL HAVE A NEW BONNET 18
#RIDING SONGS FOR FATHER'S KNEE#
TO MARKET RIDE THE GENTLEMEN 19
HERE GOES MY LORD 19
A FARMER WENT TROTTING 20
UP TO THE CEILING 20
THE MESSENGER 20
CATCH HIM, CROW 20
RIDE A COCK-HORSE 21
THIS IS THE WAY 21
RIDE AWAY, RIDE AWAY 21
TO MARKET, TO MARKET 21
TROT, TROT, THE BABY GOES 21
By Mary F. Butts
RIDE A COCK-HORSE 22
HERE WE GO 22
#MOTHER GOOSE SONGS AND STORIES#
WHO ARE THESE? 24
I SAW A SHIP A-SAILING 25
GOOSEY, GOOSEY, GANDER 25
THE WIND 25
ONCE I SAW A LITTLE BIRD 25
RING-A-RING-A-ROSES 25
CROSS PATCH 26
HAPPY LET US BE 26
THE OLD WOMAN IN THE BASKET 26
THE FOX AND THE OLD GRAY GOOSE 28
JACK AND JILL 29
WILLY BOY 29
BONNY LASS 29
OH, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? 30
BOBBY SHAFTOE 30
DING-DONG-BELL 30
LONDON BRIDGE 31
GREEN GRAVEL 32
OLD MOTHER HUBBARD 32
LITTLE BO-PEEP 34
COME OUT TO PLAY 35
LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST 35
LITTLE BOY BLUE 36
MY MAID MARY 36
HARK! HARK! 37
BOW-WOW-WOW 37
BLOW, WIND, BLOW 37
BYE, BABY BUNTING 37
THREE LITTLE KITTENS 38
TOM WAS A PIPER'S SON 39
DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY 40
BILLY BOY 40
THREE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM 41
LITTLE TOMMY TUCKER 41
PUSSY AND THE MICE 41
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY 41
CHINESE MOTHER-GOOSE RHYMES 42
By Prof. Isaac Taylor Headland
#MOTHER GOOSE CONTINUED#
By Anna Marion Smith
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT 45
LITTLE BOY BLUE 45
PAT-A-CAKE 46
DICKORY DOCK 46
HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON? 47
HARK! HARK! 47
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN 48
HUMPTY DUMPTY 51
THE QUEEN OF HEARTS 54
ONE MISTY, MOISTY MORNING 54
OLD KING COLE 55
PUSSY SITS BESIDE THE FIRE 56
THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW 56
I HAD A LITTLE HUSBAND 57
THERE WAS A MAN IN OUR TOWN 57
SEE SAW, SACARADOWN 57
SING A SONG O' SIXPENCE 58
I LOVE LITTLE PUSSY 58
THE HORNER BROTHERS 59
By Elizabeth Raymond Woodward
A LITTLE OLD MAN 60
JINGLES 60
SAILING 61
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
AN UP-TO-DATE PUSSY-CAT 62
By Adeline Knapp
MISERY IN COMPANY 63
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
COURT NEWS 64
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
A MESSAGE TO MOTHER GOOSE 65
By Ellen Manly
#SLEEPY-TIME SONGS AND STORIES#
SWEET AND LOW 72
By Alfred, Lord Tennyson
THE SLEEPY-TIME STORY 73
By Gertrude Smith
THE GO SLEEP STORY 75
By Eudora S. Bumstead
THE GENTLE DARK 78
By W. Grahame Robertson
THE FERRY FOR SHADOWTOWN 78
HUSH-A-BYE, BABY 78
THE KITTEN AND THE FALLING LEAVES 78
By William Wordsworth
LATE 79
By Josephine Preston Peabody
A BLESSING FOR THE BLESSED 80
By Laurence Alma-Tadema
MY DOLLY 80
THE CHILD AND THE WORLD 80
EVENING SONG 80
By C. Frances Alexander
ROCK-A-BYE, BABY 80
THE SANDMAN 81
By Margaret Vandergrift
THE FAIRY FOLK 81
By Robert Bird
QUEEN MAB 82
By Thomas Hood
LULLABY 82
By Gertrude Thompson Miller
KENTUCKY BABE 82
MY POSSESSIONS 83
THE WAKE-UP STORY 83
By Eudora S. Bumstead
#FIRST STORIES FOR VERY LITTLE FOLK#
ABOUT SIX LITTLE CHICKENS 86
By S. L. Elliott
"TRADE-LAST" 88
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
PHILIP'S HORSE 89
THE KITTEN THAT FORGOT HOW TO MEW 90
By Stella George Stern
WHAT COULD THE FARMER DO? 93
By George William Ogden
FLEDGLINGS 97
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
"TIME TO GET UP!" 98
By Ellen Foster
MAGGIE'S VERY OWN SECRET 100
By Sara Josephine Albright
THE GOOD LITTLE PIGGIE AND HIS FRIENDS 102
By L. Waldo Lockling
BABY'S PARADISE 105
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
DISOBEDIENCE 106
FOR A LITTLE GIRL OF THREE 108
By Uncle Ned
A FUNNY FAMILY 109
LITTLE BY LITTLE 110
#LITTLE STORIES THAT GROW BIG#
THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT 111
GIANT THUNDER BONES 112
By Stella Doughty
THE HOUSE THAT JILL BUILT 116
By Carolyn Wells
THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG 119
THE LAMBIKIN 121
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE 123
HENNY-PENNY 124
THREE GOATS IN THE RYEFIELD 127
Adapted by Cecilia Farwell
TEENY TINY 129
SONG OF THE PEAR TREE 130
COCK-ALU AND HEN-ALIE 131
By Mary Howitt
THERE IS THE KEY OF THE KINGDOM 136
#FUN FOR VERY LITTLE FOLK#
NO DOGS ALLOWED AT LARGE 137
By Culmer Barnes
TOMMY AND HIS SISTER AND THEIR NEW PONY-CART 138
By Dewitt Clinton Falls
THE ADVENTURES OF THREE LITTLE KITTENS 139
By Culmer Barnes
THE LITTLE KITTENS' SURPRISE 140
By Culmer Barnes
TED'S FOOLISH WISH 141
By Charles Fitch Lester
NONSENSE RHYME 142
TIMOTHY TRUNDLE 143
By Frederick Moxon
A DREAM OF GLORY 148
By Charles Fitch Lester
PICTURES 149
By Culmer Barnes
THE REUNION OF THE BRUIN FAMILY AT THE SEA SHORE 150
By Culmer Barnes
THE BABY MICE ARE INSTRUCTED BY THEIR FOND PAPA 151
By Culmer Barnes
ROLY POLY ON VACATION 152
By Culmer Barnes
MOTHER GOOSE'S LAST TROLLEY RIDE 153
By Culmer Barnes
IVAN AND THE WOLF 154
By Culmer Barnes
HOMEWARD BOUND 154
By Culmer Barnes
THEIR LITTLE JAR 156
By Bell
LITTLE ESKI AND THE POLAR BEAR 158
By Culmer Barnes
#FUNNY VERSES AND PICTURES#
THE FROG'S FIASCO 160
By D. K. Stevens
THE MUSICAL TRUST 164
By D. K. Stevens
THE CAUTIOUS CAT 168
By D. K. Stevens
THREE LITTLE BEARS 171
By M. C. McNeill
THE SNOWMAN 172
By W. W. Ellsworth
#ANIMAL STORIES#
TINY HARE AND THE WIND BALL 173
By A. L. Sykes
HOW TINY HARE MET CAT 176
By A. L. Sykes
THE WEE HARE AND THE RED FIRE 179
By A. L. Sykes
THE GOOD KING 182
By Margaret and Clarence Weed
EARLY AND LATE 184
By W. S. Reed
THE LITTLE PINK PIG AND THE BIG ROAD 185
By Jasmine Stone Van Dresser
JUGGERJOOK 188
By L. Frank Baum
WHAT YOU BURYING, A BONE 194
THE LITTLE GRAY KITTEN 194
By Mary Lawrence Turnbull
PUSSY'S WHEELS 197
By Annie W. McCullough
THE SMALL GRAY MOUSE 198
By Nathan Haskell Dole
THE RABBIT, THE TURTLE, AND THE OWL 200
HOMES 201
By Annie W. McCullough
MEAL-TIME IN THE BEAR-PITS AT THE ZOO 202
By I. W. Taben
THE FINE GOOD SHOW 204
By Jessie Wright Whitcomb
GAY AND SPY 208
THE BALLAD OF A RUNAWAY DONKEY 212
By Emilie Poulsson
THE THREE BEARS 220
THE LITTLE BEAR'S STORY 221
By C. F. Holder
THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG 224
By The Brothers Grimm
THE WEE ROBIN'S CHRISTMAS SONG 226
A Scotch Story, attributed to Robert Burns
Adapted by Jennie Ellis Burdick
THE FOX 228
THREE COMPANIONS 229
By Dinah Maria Mulock-Craik
"'FRAID CAT!" 230
By Frank Munro
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY 231
By Mary Howitt
#EVERY-DAY VERSES#
A LITTLE GENTLEMAN 233
By Alden Arthur Knipe
TIME FOR EVERYTHING 233
By Alden Arthur Knipe
UMBRELLAS AND RUBBERS 234
By Alden Arthur Knipe
WHISPERING IN SCHOOL 234
By Alden Arthur Knipe
RECESS 235
By Alden Arthur Knipe
AFTER SCHOOL 235
By Alden Arthur Knipe
MONDAY'S LESSONS 235
By Alden Arthur Knipe
AT DINNER 236
By Alden Arthur Knipe
VALOR 237
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
A DOMESTIC TRAGEDY 238
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THE CAPITALIST 239
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
IN MERRY ENGLAND 240
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THE GOOSE GIRL 241
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THE PHILOSOPHER 242
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THIRSTY FLOWERS 243
By Alden Arthur Knipe
SHARING WITH OTHERS 243
By Alden Arthur Knipe
POCKETS 244
By Alden Arthur Knipe
WAITING FOR DINNER 244
By Alden Arthur Knipe
THE CRITIC 245
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
DIPLOMACY 246
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
IF I WERE QUEEN 247
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THOUGHTS IN CHURCH 248
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
#THE DAYS OF THE WEEK#
THIS IS THE WAY 249
DAYS OF BIRTH 250
THE WASHING 250
SOLOMON GRUNDY 250
BABY'S PLAY DAYS 250
WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE? 251
SEVEN LITTLE MICE 251
By Stella George Stern
VISITING 252
LITTLE TOMMY'S MONDAY MORNING 252
By Tudor Jenks
ST. SATURDAY 254
By Henry Johnstone
#NUMBER RHYMES#
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 255
OVER IN THE MEADOW 255
By Olive A. Wadsworth
COUNTING APPLE-SEEDS 256
TWINS 257
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
THE RHYME OF TEN LITTLE RABBITS 258
By Kate N. Mytinger
IN JULY 260
By A. S. Webber
THE WISH OF PRISCILLA PENELOPE POWERS 262
By Mrs. John T. Van Sant
WINKELMAN VON WINKEL 262
By Clara Odell Lyon
TEN LITTLE COOKIES 263
OUR BABY 263
LONG TIME AGO 264
By Elizabeth Prentiss
BUCKLE MY SHOE 264
#STORIES FOR LITTLE GIRLS#
A PAIR OF GLOVES 265
By H. G. Duryee
A VERY LITTLE STORY OF A VERY LITTLE GIRL 268
By Alice E. Allen
EDITH'S TEA PARTY 269
By Lois Walters
REBECCA 271
By Eleanor Piatt
DOROTHEA'S SCHOOL GIFTS 272
By Eunice Ward
THE LOST MONEY 276
By Bolton Hall
A DUTCH TREAT 277
By Amy B. Johnson
THE JINGLE OF THE LITTLE JAP 283
By Isabel Eccleston Mackay
THE SEVENTH BIRTHDAY OF THE LITTLE
COUSIN FROM CONSTANTINOPLE 284
By Emma C. Dowd
LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD 286
Retold from Grimm
DOLLY'S DOCTOR 288
THUMBELINA 288
By Hans Christian Andersen
THE FOX AND THE LITTLE RED HEN 294
THE SHOEMAKER AND THE LITTLE ELVES 294
By The Brothers Grimm
THE GINGERBREAD BOY 296
#STORIES FOR LITTLE BOYS#
MISCHIEF 297
By Rosamond Upham
WILLIE AND HIS DOG DIVER 299
By H. N. Powers
GORDON'S TOY CASTLE ON THE HILL 300
By Everett Wilson
HANS THE INNOCENT 302
Written and Illustrated by M. I. Wood
A REAL LITTLE BOY BLUE 304
By Caroline S. Allen
TRAVELS OF A FOX 306
Adapted by Cecilia Farwell
OEYVIND AND MARIT 308
#HAPPY DAYS#
WHAT THE CAT AND HEN DID 313
By Alice Ralston
DOT'S BIRTHDAY CAKE 316
NED AND ROVER AND JACK 317
I HAD A LITTLE KITTEN 318
HOW POLLY HAD HER PICTURE TAKEN 319
By Everett Wilson
IDLE BEN 321
THE HOLE IN THE CANNA-BED 321
By Isabel Gordon Curtis
THE CONCEITED MOUSE 323
By Ella Foster Case
#RHYMES CONCERNING MOTHER#
A BOY'S MOTHER 325
By James Whitcomb Riley
MOTHER 325
By Rose Fyleman
THE GOODEST MOTHER 325
MOTHER'S WAY 326
By Carrie Williams
WHO IS IT? 326
By Ethel M. Kelley
MY DEAREST IS A LADY 327
By Miriam S. Clark
HOW MANY LUMPS? 327
WHEN MOTHER GOES AWAY 328
By Clara Odell Lyon
AN OLD SONG--"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!" 328
By Blanche Elizabeth Wade
#UNCLES AND AUNTS AND OTHER RELATIVES#
GRANDMOTHER'S MEMORIES 329
By Helen A. Byrom
GREAT-AUNT LUCY LEE 330
By Cora Walker Hayes
OUR VISITORS 334
By Isabel Lyndall
BEAUTIFUL GRANDMAMMA 338
THANKSGIVING DAY 340
By Lydia Maria Child
GRANDMA'S MINUET 340
AUNT JAN 341
By Norman Gale
AFTER TEA 342
#AMUSING ALPHABETS#
TINGLE, TANGLE TITMOUSE 343
AN ENGLISH ALPHABET 344
NONSENSE ALPHABET 346
PAST HISTORY 348
By Edward Lear
THE APPLE PIE 351
WHO'S WHO IN THE ZOO 352
By Carolyn Wells
A WAS AN ARCHER 357
A LITTLE FOLKS' ALPHABET 358
By Carolyn Wells
CHILD HEALTH ALPHABET 360
By Mrs. Frederick Peterson
HERE'S A, B, C, D 363
OUR STORIES 364
* * * * *
#FATHER PLAYS AND MOTHER PLAYS#
[Illustration: Figs. 1 though 5 and So big!]