Chapter 3

A big, fat potato lay down on a clod In the shade of some burdock and tall goldenrod, And he dreamed he were king of the whole garden plot, With a palace and throne, and a crown with a lot Of jewels and diamonds and gold till it shone Like the front of a show when the lights are turned on. He had to be minded by all of the plants; When he whistled the radishes knew they must dance; When he tooted his horn the cucumbers must sing To a vegetable crowd gathered round in a ring. He made all the cabbages stand in a row While a sunflower instructed them just how to grow; The bright yellow pumpkins he painted light blue; Took the clothes off the scare-crow and made him buy new. He strutted and sputtered and thought it was grand To be king and commander o'er all the wide land. But at last he woke up with an awful surprise And found a blind mole kicking sand in his eyes.

A BUNDLE OF HAY

A bundle of hay From Baffin's Bay, A johnny-cake from Rome, A man and a mule From Ultima Thule To carry the cargo home.

PETER, POPPER

Peter, popper, dopper, Dan, Catch a moonbeam if you can; Climb a cedar ten feet high And pick the planets from the sky. You're a wonder, little man-- Peter, popper, dopper, Dan.

OLD FATHER ANNUM

Old Father Annum on New Year's Day Picked up his bag of months and years, Thrust in his hand in a careless way, And pulled a wee fellow out by the ears. "There you are," said he to the waiting crowd, "He's as good as any I have in my pack. I never can tell, but I hope to be proud Of the little rascal when I come back."

THE TIPPANY FLOWER

O what will you take for a tippany flower, And what will you take for a pansy? I'll take a smile for the tippany flower, And a kiss for the pretty pansy.

HERE COMES A CABBAGE

Here comes a cabbage with a bonnet on its head, A pretty purple bonnet with a bow of blue and red; And here comes a bottle with a collar 'round its neck, A handsome linen collar, too, without a spot or speck; Next comes a meat-saw, his job is biting beef, And according to the cleaver he has gold in all his teeth; And last of all there comes along, amid the ringing cheers, A princely Indian corn-stalk with rings in both his ears.

PLENTY

There are plenty feathers on a hen And prickers on a rose, There is plenty roaring in a den Of lions, goodness knows;

There are plenty fishes in the lake And islands in the sea; There are plenty raisins in this cake For even you and me.

THE RUNAWAYS

A pipe and a spoon and a tenpenny nail Stole a tin dishpan and went for a sail. But the cook he grew curious, Fussy, and furious; Gathered his trappings, and went on their trail. He found them that night in a pitiful plight, And sent them all home on the ten o'clock mail.

THE SALESMAN

Hi! Hi! Who will buy A wee little cloud for the pretty blue sky? Some are purple, some are red, And all are soft as a feather bed. Hi! Little children, won't any one buy One little cloud for the pretty blue sky?

A RACE, A RACE TO MOSCOW

A race, a race to Moscow, Before the close of day! A race, a race to Moscow, A long, long way! First comes a butterfly a-riding on a frog, Next comes a water rat a-floating on a log; A caterpillar on the fence, a hopper in the hay-- Who'll get to Moscow before the close of day?

A PRINCE FROM PEPPERVILLE

A prince came down from Pepperville In satin and in lace, He wore a bonnet on his head And whiskers on his face.

And when he came to Battleburg This is what befell: He gave the king and cabinet A half a peanut shell.

BOATS

Hitch up your cattle And drive to Seattle To see all the boats come in,-- From Kibi and Kobi And Panama Dobi And some from the Islands of Myn. They're bringing us rices And cocoa and spices And pineapples done up in tin, And maybe Aunt Dinah Will come back from China If ever the boats get in.

PRETTY THINGS

Pretty poppies, Pretty trees, Pretty little lettuce-leaves, Pretty pebbles, Red and brown, Pretty floating thistle-down. Pretty baby, Curly head, Standing in a pansy-bed, Pretty clouds All white and curled-- O the great, big pretty world!

DID YOU EVER?

Did you ever go to the watering trough And watch the sparrows drink? Did you ever go to Potter's pond And see the divers sink? Did you ever steal to the barn at night And watch the hoot-owls think?

HOOTEM, TOOTEM, CLEAR THE TRACK

Hootem, tootem, clear the track! I caught a coon on Kamiak! Colonel Clapp and Uncle Rome Have hired a hack to bring it home.

DOCTOR DRAKE

On a hummock by the lake Stands the home of Doctor Drake, Poor old doctor, how he works! Week by week he never shirks--

Pulling teeth for guinea-fowl, Soothing puppies when they howl, Whittling out a hickory peg For a gander's broken leg,

Giving medicine away About a hundred times a day, Linseed oil and elder-bark To a croaking meadowlark,

Nasty, bitter yarrow-tea To a tipsy bumble-bee, A poultice made of plantain leaves To cure a rabbit with the heaves.

Fever, colic, cramp, or stitch, Kitten-croup or beaver's-itch, Any kind of pain or ache Is cured by dear, old Doctor Drake.

BABIES

Come to the land where the babies grow, Like flowers in the green, green grass. Tiny babes that swing and crow Whenever the warm winds pass, And laugh at their own bright eyes aglow In a fairy looking-glass.

Come to the sea where the babies sail In ships of shining pearl, Borne to the west by a golden gale Of sun-beams all awhirl; And perhaps a baby brother will sail To you, my little girl.

TWENTY THIEVES FROM ALBION

Twenty thieves from Albion, All with butcher knives, Coming on the dead run, Fighting for their lives.

See the man from our town. In a fancy vest, Knocking all the big ones down, Chasing all the rest.

AS I CAME OUT OF GRUNDY GREET

As I came out of Grundy Greet Four cats were marching down the street

One was long and gray and thin With lots of whiskers on his chin,

And one was round and sleek and fat (He must have been a butcher's cat).

One was dapper, slight, and frail, With bells and tassels on his tail,

And one had starey yellow eyes Almost as big as pumpkin pies.

These four came marching down the street As I came out of Grundy Greet.