Chapter 7

A meadow for the little lambs; A honey hive for bees; And pretty nests for singing birds Among the leafy trees. There's rest for all the little ones In one place or another; But who has half so sweet a place As baby with her mother?

The little chickens cuddle close, Beneath the old hen's wing; "Peep! Peep!" they say; "we're not afraid Of dark or any thing." So, safe and sound, they nestle there, The one beside the other; But safer, happier, by far, Is baby with her mother.

Mary F. Butts.

_Good-Night_

Little baby, lay your head On your pretty cradle-bed; Shut your eye-peeps, now the day And the light are gone away; All the clothes are tucked in tight; Little baby dear, good-night.

Yes, my darling, well I know How the bitter wind doth blow; And the winter's snow and rain Patter on the window-pane: But they cannot come in here, To my little baby dear;

For the window shutteth fast, Till the stormy night is past; And the curtains warm are spread Round about her cradle-bed: So till morning shineth bright, Little baby dear, good-night.

Jane Taylor.

_Nursery Song_

As I walked over the hill one day, I listened, and heard a mother-sheep say, "In all the green world there is nothing so sweet As my little lamb, with his nimble feet; With his eye so bright, And his wool so white, Oh, he is my darling, my heart's delight!" And the mother-sheep and her little one Side by side lay down in the sun; And they went to sleep on the hill-side warm, While my little lammie lies here on my arm.

I went to the kitchen, and what did I see But the old gray cat with her kittens three! I heard her whispering soft: said she, "My kittens, with tails so cunningly curled, Are the prettiest things that can be in the world. The bird on the tree, And the old ewe she, May love their babies exceedingly; But I love my kittens there, Under the rocking-chair. I love my kittens with all my might, I love them at morning, noon, and night. Now I'll take up my kitties, the kitties I love, And we'll lie down together beneath the warm stove." Let the kittens sleep under the stove so warm, While my little darling lies here on my arm.

I went to the yard, and I saw the old hen Go clucking about with her chickens ten; She clucked and she scratched and she bustled away, And what do you think I heard the hen say? I heard her say, "The sun never did shine On anything like to these chickens of mine. You may hunt the full moon and the stars, if you please, But you never will find ten such chickens as these. My dear, downy darlings, my sweet little things, Come, nestle now cozily under my wings." So the hen said, And the chickens all sped As fast as they could to their nice feather bed. And there let them sleep, in their feathers so warm, While my little chick lies here on my arm.

Mrs. Carter.

_How They Sleep_

Some things go to sleep in such a funny way: Little birds stand on one leg and tuck their heads away;

Chickens do the same, standing on their perch; Little mice lie soft and still as if they were in church;

Kittens curl up close in such a funny ball; Horses hang their sleepy heads and stand still in a stall;

Sometimes dogs stretch out, or curl up in a heap; Cows lie down upon their sides when they would go to sleep.

But little babies dear are snugly tucked in beds, Warm with blankets, all so soft, and pillows for their heads.

Bird and beast and babe--I wonder which of all Dream the dearest dreams that down from dreamland fall!

Unknown.

_Baby-Land_

Which is the way to Baby-Land? Any one can tell; Up one flight, To your right; Please to ring the bell.

What can you see in Baby-Land? Little folks in white, Downy heads, Cradle-beds, Faces pure and bright.

What do they do in Baby-Land? Dream and wake and play, Laugh and crow, Shout and grow, Jolly times have they.

What do they say in Baby-Land? Why, the oddest things; Might as well Try to tell What a birdie sings.

Who is the queen of Baby-Land? Mother kind and sweet; And her love, Born above, Guides the little feet.

George Cooper.

_Lullaby_

Baby wants a lullaby; Where should mother find it? In a bird's nest rocked on high; Birdie, birdie lined it; Find it under birdie's wing,-- Soft birdie's feather;-- O the downy, downy thing! O the summer weather!

Baby wants a lullaby; Where shall sister find it? In a soft cloud of the sky, With white wool behind it; Watch you may, but cannot guess If the cloud has motion, Such a perfect calm there is In the airy ocean.

O the land of Lullabies! Where shall father find it? Safe in mother's breast it lies, With her arms to bind it; O a soft and sleepy song! Sleep, baby blossom! Sleep is short, sleep is long, Sweet is mother's bosom!

William Brighty Rands.

_A Cradle Song_

What does little birdie say In her nest at peep of day? Let me fly, says little birdie, Mother, let me fly away. Birdie, rest a little longer, Till the little wings are stronger. So she rests a little longer, Then she flies away.

What does little baby say, In her bed at peep of day? Baby says, like little birdie, Let me rise and fly away. Baby, sleep a little longer, Till the little limbs are stronger. If she sleeps a little longer, Baby too shall fly away.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

_Good-night Prayer for a Little Child_

Father, unto Thee I pray, Thou hast guarded me all day; Safe I am while in Thy sight, Safely let me sleep to-night.

Bless my friends, the whole world bless, Help me to learn helpfulness; Keep me ever in Thy sight: So to all I say Good-night.

Henry Johnstone.

_The Sleepy Song_[10]

As soon as the fire burns red and low And the house upstairs is still, She sings me a queer little sleepy song, Of sheep that go over the hill.

The good little sheep run quick and soft, Their colors are gray and white; They follow their leader nose and tail, For they must be home by night.

And one slips over, and one comes next, And one runs after behind; The gray one's nose at the white one's tail, The top of the hill they find.

And when they get to the top of the hill They quietly slip away, But one runs over and one comes next-- Their colors are white and gray.

And over they go, and over they go, And over the top of the hill The good little sheep run quick and soft, And the house upstairs is still.

And one slips over and one comes next, The good little, gray little sheep! I watch how the fire burns red and low, And she says that I fall asleep.

Josephine Daskam Bacon.

[Footnote 10: From "Poems," copyright, 1903, by Chas. Scribner's Sons.]

_Minnie and Winnie_

Minnie and Winnie Slept in a shell. Sleep, little ladies! And they slept well.

Pink was the shell within, Silver without; Sounds of the great sea Wandered about.

Sleep, little ladies! Wake not soon! Echo on echo Dies to the moon.

Two bright stars Peeped into the shell. "What are they dreaming of? Who can tell?"

Started a green linnet Out of the croft; Wake, little ladies! The sun is aloft.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

_Queen Mab_

A little fairy comes at night; Her eyes are blue, her hair is brown, With silver spots upon her wings, And from the moon she flutters down.

She has a little silver wand, And when a good child goes to bed, She weaves her wand from right to left, And makes a circle round its head.

And then it dreams of pleasant things-- Of fountains filled with fairy fish, And trees that bear delicious fruit, And bow their branches at a wish;

Of arbors filled with dainty scents From lovely flowers that never fade, Bright flies that glitter in the sun, And glow-worms shining in the shade;

And talking birds with gifted tongues For singing songs and telling tales, And pretty dwarfs to show the way Through fairy hills and fairy dales.

Thomas Hood.

_A Boy's Mother_[11]

My mother she's so good to me, Ef I was good as I could be, I couldn't be as good--no, sir!-- Can't any boy be good as her.

She loves me when I'm glad er sad; She loves me when I'm good er bad; An', what's a funniest thing, she says She loves me when she punishes.

I don't like her to punish me,-- That don't hurt,--but it hurts to see Her cryin'.--Nen _I_ cry; an' nen We both cry an' be good again.

She loves me when she cuts an' sews My little cloak an' Sund'y clothes; An' when my Pa comes home to tea, She loves him most as much as me.

She laughs an' tells him all I said, An' grabs me up an' pats my head; An' I hug _her_, an' hug my Pa, An' love him purt' nigh much as Ma.

James Whitcomb Riley.

[Footnote 11: _From "Rhymes of Childhood," copyright, 1905, and by special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Company._]

_Our Mother_

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky, Hundreds of shells on the shore together, Hundreds of birds that go singing by, Hundreds of birds in the sunny weather,

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn, Hundreds of bees in the purple clover, Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn, But only one mother the wide world over.

Unknown.

Said I to myself, here's a chance for me, The Lilliput Laureate for to be! And these are the Specimens I sent in To Pinafore Palace. Shall I win?

William Brighty Rands.

* * * * *

INDEX

A BOY'S MOTHER, 238

A cat came fiddling, 55

A CRADLE SONG, 233

A DEWDROP, 129

A farmer went trotting, 23

A HAPPY CHILD, 121

A little boy and a little girl, 77

A little boy once played so loud, 178

A LITTLE BOY'S POCKET, 180

A little fairy comes at night, 237

Although my clothes are fine and gay, 211

A meadow for the little lambs, 226

A MUSIC BOX, 211

A MYSTERY, 138

Angels at the foot, 219

ANNIE'S GARDEN, 134

A pocket handkerchief to hem, 214

A pool in a garden green, 149

A. APPLE PIE, 182

A PUPPY'S PROBLEM, 168

AROUND THE WORLD, 115

As I walked over the hill one day, 228

As I was going o'er Westminster bridge, 96

As I was going to St. Ives, 96

As I went through the garden gap, 95

As round as an apple, as deep as a cup, 94

As soft as silk, as white as milk, 95

As soon as the fire burns red and low, 234

A sunshiny shower, 102

A swarm of bees in May, 101

As the days grow longer, 102

As Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks, 57

A TEA-PARTY, 114

A THOUGHT, 205

A WAS AN ANT, 190

A was an ant, 190

A was once an apple-pie, 182

Baa, baa, black sheep, 32

BABY-LAND, 231

Baby mustn't frown, 128

Baby wants a lullaby, 232

Baby wants his breakfast, 34

BABY'S BREAKFAST, 34

BABY'S FRIENDS, 29

BABY'S JOURNEYS, 21

BABY'S HUSH-A-BYES, 15

BABY'S PLAYS, 3

BEES, 133

Bees don't care about the snow, 133

Bessy Bell and Mary Gray, 43

Betty Pringle had a little pig, 33

Between the hill and the brook, ook, ook, 54

Black within and red without, 93

Blow, wind, blow! and go, mill, go! 8

Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea, 39

BOSSY AND THE DAISY, 161

Bow-wow-wow! 8

Brave news is come to town, 58

Brow bender, 3

Bye, baby bunting, 15

CHICKENS IN TROUBLE, 163

Children go, 111

Clap, clap handies, 5

CLOTHES, 211

Cock crows in the morn, 101

Come, Charles, blow the trumpet, 112

Come hither, little puppy-dog, 51

Come hither, sweet Robin, 34

COME LITTLE LEAVES, 151

"Come, little leaves," said the wind one day, 151

Come! supper is ready, 159

COUNTING OUT, 114

Cross-patch, 105

CUDDLE DOWN DOLLY, 117

Curly Locks! Curly Locks! wilt thou be mine? 43

Cushy, cow bonny, let down thy milk, 33

Dance, little baby, dance up high, 22

Dance to your daddy, 6

Dear, dear! what can the matter be? 53

Dear mother, how pretty, 221

DEEDS OF KINDNESS, 208

Ding, dong, bell, 78

"Don't pick all the flowers!" cried Daisy one day, 139

Down in a dark dungeon I saw a brave knight, 94

DO YOU GUESS IT IS I? 97

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY STARS? 224

Do you know how many stars, 224

Do you know what's in my pottet? 180

Eight fingers, 8

Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess, 95

EMPLOYMENT, 213

Evening red and morning gray, 102

Every evening Baby goes, 25

EXTREMES, 178

Fairies, fairies, come and be fed, 199

Father, unto Thee I pray 234

FEEDING THE FAIRIES, 199

Flour of England, fruit of Spain, 96

Flowers from clods of clay and mud! 138

FOLLOW ME! 111

FOOT SOLDIERS, 5

For every ill beneath the sun, 103

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, 105

FOUR PETS, 168

Gay go up and gay go down, 60

Girls and boys, come out to play, 60

God watches o'er us all the day, 206

GOOD ADVICE, 210

GOOD-NIGHT, 227

GOOD-NIGHT PRAYER FOR A LITTLE CHILD, 234

Goosey, goosey, gander, 48

Go to bed first, 104

GRANDMOTHER'S WISDOM, 101

Great King Sun is out in the cold, 137

GUESS-ME-QUICKS, 93

Hearts, like doors, will ope with ease, 105

He that would thrive, 101

Here sits the Lord Mayor, 3

Hey! diddle diddle, 50

Hey diddle, dinkety, poppety, pet, 24

Hey, my kitten, my kitten, 24

Hickory, dickory, dock, 55

Higher than a house, higher than a tree, 94

High on the top of an old pine-tree, 147

HOSPITALITY, 176

How do the pussy-willows grow? 136

HOW DOTH THE LITTLE BUSY BEE, 207

How doth the little busy bee, 207

How many days has my baby to play? 6

HOW THEY SLEEP, 230

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, 94

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky, 239

Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree-top, 15

Hush thee, my babby, 15

I am a gold lock, 59

I am a little Music Box, 211

I am a little thing, 97

If all the seas were one sea, 57

If all the world were apple-pie, 59

If all were rain and never sun, 133

IF EVER I SEE, 212

If ever I see, 212

If wishes were horses, 105

If you sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger, 104

I had a little bird, 165

I had a little doggy that used to sit and beg, 30

I had a little husband, 80

I had a little nut tree, nothing would it bear, 97

I had a little pony, 30

I LIKE LITTLE PUSSY, 170

I like little Pussy, 170

I'll tell you a story, 48

I'LL TRY, 210

I'm a pretty little thing, 134

In flow'ry Japan, the home of the fan, 116

In go-cart so tiny, 115

In little Annie's garden, 134

In marble walls as white as milk, 93

INSCRIPTION FOR MY LITTLE SON'S SILVER PLATE, 205

In summer I am very glad, 119

Intery, mintery, cutery-corn, 114

IN TRUST, 215

"I," said the duck. "I call it fun", 131

I saw a ship a-sailing, 62

I see a nest in a green elm-tree, 126

It is very nice to think, 205

It's coming, boys, 215

It was a merry time, 67

I went to the wood and got it, 95

1. I went up one pair of stairs, 60

JACK HORNER, 40

Jack Homer was a pretty lad, 40

Jack and Jill went up the hill, 41

Jack Sprat could eat no fat, 78

January brings the snow, 125

John Ball shot them all, 89

KEEPING STORE, 119

KINDNESS TO ANIMALS, 207

Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly away home, 29

LADY MOON, 222

Lady moon, lady moon, 222

LEARNING TO PLAY, 215

Little baby, lay your head, 227

Little Bo-Peep, she lost her sheep, 81

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn, 42

Little children, never give, 207

Little drop of dew, 129

LITTLE JACK FROST, 152

Little Jack Frost went up the hill, 152

"Little maid, pretty maid, whither goest thou?" 78

Little Miss Muffet, 42

Little Nan Etticoat, 94

Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree, 33

Little Tom Tucker, 41

"_Lock the dairy door!_" Oh, hark, the cock is crowing proudly! 177

Long legs, crooked thighs, 94

LOST, 177

Lucy Locket lost her pocket, 42

LULLABY, 232

March winds and April showers, 102

Mary had a pretty bird, 29

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, 43

MEADOW TALK, 139

Merry are the bells, and merry would they ring, 7

MINNIE AND WINNIE, 236

Minnie and Winnie, 236

Monday's child is fair of face, 106

My dear, do you know, 75

My house is red--a little house, 121

My Lady Wind, my Lady Wind, 106

My maid Mary, 43

My mother she's so good to me, 238

MY SHIP AND I, 115

Nine grenadiers, with bayonets in their guns, 180

No, little worm, you need not slip, 143

Now, Lamb, no longer naughty be, 167

NURSERY HEROES AND HEROINES, 39

NURSERY NONSENSE, 47

NURSERY NOVELS, 67

NURSERY SONG, 228

O come to the garden, dear brother, and see, 154

Oh, who is so merry, 200

O it's I that am the captain of a tidy little ship, 115

Old King Cole, 44

Old Mother Goose, when, 47

O mother, mother! I'm so cold, 163

Once a little Baby, 219

ONE AND ONE, 120

One misty, moisty morning, 58

ONE, TWO, 6

One, two, 6

On yonder hill there stands a tree, 88

OUR MOTHER, 239

O winds that blow across the sea, 130

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man! 4

Pat it, kiss it, 4

Pease porridge hot, 4

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater, 78

Peter White will ne'er go right, 53

PLAYGROUNDS, 119

PRAISE GOD, 206

Praise God for wheat, so white and sweet, 206

Pretty Moo-cow, will you tell, 161

Pussicat, wussicat, with a white foot, 49

Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, 32

Pussy has a whiskered face, 168

Pussy sits beside the fire, 31

PUSSY WILLOW, 135

Pussy Willow wakened, 135

QUEEN MAB, 237

RAIN, 132

Rainbow at night, 103

RAIN IN SPRING, 133

RHYMES ABOUT A LITTLE WOMAN, 24

Riddle me, riddle me, riddle me ree, 93

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, 21

Right up into Bossy's eyes, 161

Ring the bell, 4

Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green, 15

Said a Snake to a Frog with a wrinkled skin, 176

Said Robin to his pretty mate, 145

Said the Table to the Chair, 197

Said this little fairy, 9

See-saw sacradown, 22

Seldom "can't," 210

Seven sweet singing birds up in a tree, 179

Shoe the horse, and shoe the mare, 5

Simple Simon met a pieman, 41

Sing a song of sixpence, 80

Six little mice sat down to spin, 32

Sleep, baby, sleep! 16

SNAKE STORY, 174

SNOW, 154

SNOWDROPS, 137

Solomon Grundy, 50

Some things go to sleep in such a funny way, 230

So soft and gentle falls the rain, 133

SPRING QUESTIONS, 136

STITCHING, 214

SUN AND RAIN, 133

Suppose the little cowslip, 208

Ten snowy white pigeons are standing in line, 10

THE BABY'S BIRTHDAY, 112

THE BARNYARD, 10

The bee is a rover, 150

THE BROWN THRUSH, 146

THE CITY MOUSE AND THE GARDEN MOUSE, 145

The city mouse lives in a house, 145

THE CHILD AND THE WORLD, 126

THE CHILD'S STAR, 224

THE CLUCKING HEN, 162

THE COW, 159

THE COW, 161

THE DARLING BIRDS, 166

The darling birds are warm, 166

THE DAISY, 134

THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF COCK ROBIN, 73

THE DIFFERENCE, 8

THE DREAM OF A BOY WHO LIVED AT NINE-ELMS, 180

THE DREAM OF A GIRL WHO LIVED AT SEVEN-OAKS, 179

THE EYES OF GOD, 206

THE FAIRY, 200

THE FASTIDIOUS SERPENT, 173

THE FEAST OF THE DOLL, 116

THE FIVE LITTLE FAIRIES, 9

The friendly cow all red and white, 159

THE FUNNIEST THING IN THE WORLD, 165

The funniest thing in the world, I know, 165

THE GARDEN YEAR, 125

THE GOOD MOLLY COW, 159

THE GRAVEL PATH, 128

The ground was all covered with snow one day, 153

THE HAPPY WORLD, 150

The King of France, and four thousand men, 55

THE LAMB, 167

The lion and the unicorn, 49

THE LITTLE DOVES, 147

The little priest of Felton, 78

The man in the moon, 53

The man in the wilderness asked me, 59

THE MELANCHOLY PIG, 176

THE NEW MOON, 221

The north wind doth blow, 30

THE ORPHAN'S SONG, 165

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY, 149

THE OWL AND THE EEL AND THE WARMING-PAN, 173

The owl and the eel and the warming-pan, 173

THE PALACE BED-TIME, 219

THE PALACE GARDEN, 125

THE PALACE JEST-BOOK, 173

THE PALACE PETS, 159

THE PALACE PLAYTIME, 111

THE PIGEONS, 10

THE QUEEN-MOTHER'S COUNSEL, 205

The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, 76

THE RABBITS, 54

The rain is raining all around, 132

THE ROBIN TO HIS MATE, 145

THE SLEEPY SONG, 234

THE SNAIL, 143

The Snail he lives in his hard round house, 143

THE SNOW-BIRD'S SONG, 153

THE STAR, 223

The star that watched above your sleep has just put out his light, 224

THE STORY OF BABY'S BLANKET, 219

THE STORY OF BABY'S PILLOW, 220

THE SWEETEST PLACE, 226

THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR, 197

THE WIND'S SONG, 130

There is one that has a head without an eye, 97

THE WORM, 143

There was a butcher cut his thumb, 62

There was a crooked man, 49

There was a girl in our town, 95

There was a little man, 82

There was a little nobby colt, 29

There was a little Serpent and he wouldn't go to school, 174

There was a man in our town, 50

There was an old man, 58

There was an old woman went up in a basket, 44

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, 56

There was a Pig, that sat alone, 176

There was a snake that dwelt in Skye, 173

There were two birds sat on a stone, 56

There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the tree, 146

These are the Eggs that were put in a nest, 220

They sent me to bed, dear, so dreadfully early, 117

They that wash on Monday, 103

Thirty days hath September, 103

Thirty white horses upon a red hill, 93

This is the house that Jack built, 84

This is the key of the kingdom, 87

This is the way the ladies ride, 24

This little pig went to market, 5

Three little kittens, they lost their mittens, 83

Three children sliding on the ice, 57

Three wise men of Gotham, 49

'Tis all the way to Toe-town, 5

To market, to market, 22

Tom, he was a piper's son 39

TREE ON THE HILL, 88

TWENTY FROGGIES, 142

Twenty froggies went to school, 142

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 223

Two legs sat upon three legs, 96

Two little girls are better than one, 120

Two Robin Redbreasts built their nest, 210

Upon a great black horse-ily, 54

Upon a tall piano stool, 215

Warm, hands, warm, daddy's gone to plough, 4

WATCHING ANGELS, 219

We have bags and bags of whitest down, 119

What are little boys made of, made of? 51

What does little birdie say, 233

When good King Arthur ruled this land, 77

When I was a bachelor, 79

When Jacky's a very good boy, 102

When little Birdie bye-bye goes, 16

When Midget was a puppy, 168

When the Farmer's day is done, 10

When the wind is in the east, 104

When thou dost eat from off this plate, 205

WHERE DO ALL THE DAISIES GO, 225

Where do all the daisies go? 225

Which is the way to Baby-Land? 231

WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND? 129

Who has seen the wind? 129

Who killed Cock Robin? 73

WHO LIKES THE RAIN? 131

Who'll come and play with me here under the tree, 213

Will you take a walk with me, 162

You see, merry Phillis, that dear little maid, 114

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