MATERIALS FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING AT RUDOLF STEINER (WALDORF) SCHOOLS — Privately Printed — Rhythms, Rhymes Games and Songs for the Lower School Second, revised edition Selected, arranged and edited by Christoph Jaffke in cooperation with the “dagogische Forschungsstelle beim Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen Stuttgart 1992CONTENTS Preface Praise and Prayer . Time and Seasons . Wind and Weather — The Elements . Animals and Plants Finger Plays. ince od: gensscra des Sieraatasaeacd tnetane'e 8 Counting-Out Rhymes and Number Rhymes .. . Fun in Sounds and Rhythms Little Dialogues Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body .. People and Occupations Daily Activities . . Classroom Games . Singing Games .. Songs .. Appendix: A Few Stories for Classes | to Ill... . Index of First Lines ........ 0. sees ee eres - 116Man kann von den Leuten billigerweise ebensowenig pratendieren, da sie poetisch sind, als daB sie gesund sein sollen” — das hat Eichendorff gesagt; einmal aber, als Kinder, miissen sie’s gewesen sein: der Kinder- reim bezeugt es, und bezeugt so die Aligegenwart der Poesie. Sie ist ein Lebensmittel. Der Kinderreim gehért zum poetischen Existenzminimum. Das macht sein zahes und unzerstérbares Leben aus.? Hans Magnus Enzensberger Die Sprache ist ausgeflossen in die Nichternheit des Lebens . . . Der Dichter, indem er sich nicht dem Prosazusammenhang der Sprache iiber- laBt, sondern zu dem inneren Erleben zuriickgeht, zu dem inneren Er- fihlen, zu der inneren Gestaltung der Sprache, versucht zuriickzukehren zu dem inspirierten Urelement der Sprache. Und man médchte sagen: eine jede wahre Dichtung, die kleinste und die gréBte, ist ein solcher Versuch, zu dem verlorengegangenen Wort wiederum zuriickzukehren, aus dem nur auf die Nitzlichkeit gerichteten Leben einen Schritt zuriict zumachen zu denjenigen Zeiten, in denen sich noch das Weltenwesen in dem inneren Organismus des Sprechens offenbarte.? Rudolf Steiner 1) “Just as you cannot, in all fairness, expect of people to be in good health, so you cannot expect of them to be poetic,” — this was said by Eichendorff; once, however, as children, they must have been. The nursery rhyme bears witness to this and thus testifies to the omnipresence of poetry. It is the staff of life. The nursery rhyme is part of the poetical subsistence minimum. This constitutes its tenacious and imperishable life. By courtesy of the author. From: ALLERLEIRAUH. Frankfurt 1961 2) Language has seeped out into the prosy reality of life... The poet, by having nothing to do with the prose iement in language, and going back on the contrary to the inner experience, the inner feeling, the inner for 19 of language, is trying to return to its inspired original element. One could perhaps say that every true poem, the humblest as the greatest, is an attempt of this kind to return to the word that has been lost, to retrace the steps from the life organized for profit to times in which — in the inner speech organism — cosmic being was still revealed, By courtesy of the Rudolf Steiner-NachlaGverwaltung, Dornach/Switzerland. From: “The Alphabet. Lecture given in Dornach, 18. 12. 1921 (Manuscript translation 2 287, Rudolf Steiner House, London). SNGerman source: ,Das Alphabet, ein Ausdruck des Menschengeheimnisses”, in: Nordische und mitteleuropaische Geist impulse, GA 209PREFACE It seems appropriate to add to this collection a few remarks mainly intended for those who are just beginning to teach English in the lower classes of a Waldorf School ‘Any language teacher in a Waldorf School will find it essential to keep studying what Rudolf Steiner wrote and said in different contexts about language and the teaching of foreign languages. All of us realize, of course, that the “rhythmic” part is necessarily only one of the three elements which make up each and every lesson. With the contents of what we teach we appeal to the child’s faculty of thinking, with the activities in the class-room, or in the playground, we call upon the will — and the gateway to these polar faculties are, of course, the feelings. How do we understand one another? We understand the meaning of the words we speak, but on a deeper level we really take in the warmth and cold, the gaiety or gravity of anyone who speaks to us. This personal mood or feeling is, however, overlaid by something else, something the moods of sounds and words bring to us. Pop goes the weasel, ... Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, . . . Worra, worra, worra, . . . All of us remember being captivated by such sounds. Looking back we realize that it is not a single ‘s’ or ‘r’ or ‘o’ that catches our attention, but the repetition, a rhythmic repetition, growing louder and softer, faster and slower, waking us or making us drowsy, bringing laughter or calm. We may say that there are three steps to growing familiar with the sort of verses which we find in this collection. First, we enter into the mood, laughing or courageous, every-day or solemn. This mood may express itself in the movements of our feet and hands, stamping and clapping, hammering or tiptoeing. Once we get the movement into our limbs, this may even help us to remember words or melody. There is a special trap involved, as we all remember when we look back on children who have slurred over the words of a verse and become too strongly involved in the skipping or clapping patterns they enjoy. Observing the effect of our own teaching, we may wake up to the fact that a whole group of boys and girls merely mumble the “melody” and rhythm of @ verse without pronouncing the sounds — or only produce the sounds most loudly emphasized by the teacher. What has happened? Our own movement “blinds” us to the sounds of words just as our own dreams or thoughts do when we hear someone speak. We stop “listening” and are, as it were, deafened from within. In the same way, physical movement can work on us. To some children even movements they perceive seem to blot out sounds, let alone the meaning of sounds. So alternating with movement in Action Rhymes, Finger Plays or Singing Games we should try and create periods when the sounds of words themselves are the centre of attention. We whisper them to one another, we listen to a group of children, we divide the class into groups with this or that line to say. It is always astonishing to discover how clearly those children can speak who have listened in active silence to what others have been reciting or singing. Listening — don’t we all know how many different ways of listening we can find in a group of children? Often, their eyes tell us exactly how intensively the activity has taken hold of them — or how far away their attention has wandered. Eyes, lips, throat — all of them indicate this activity, or its absence! But this listening demands something else, a second, clearer, higher level of understanding. At first, we grasped ‘the mood, joined in the activity, entered into the sounds together. Now, there is a hunger to understand the “meaning”, the content. We can easily defeat this hunger by giving the meaning of words, of phrases in the native tongue. This may satisfy @ question, but it will have a blinding” effect on what is really being said. What /s really being said? Just as we, generally speaking, only understand a word from its context in the sentence, so a sentence is only ‘comprehended in and by the situation it illuminates. We understand the situation and this is the key to verse, phrase, word. So each of the verses in this collection can be seen as a crystallized situation which the teacher's imagination can dissolve. And whatever story we imagine to be the “situation” that has brought forth this crystal is right, for it unlocks the verse for the children’s imagination.This understanding has the clarity of a coherent dream picture. We have created this picture, knowing of its Quality. Thought and the translucence which it demands is in itself a realm of activity as different from language as are action and movement. More and more, observing the children and reflecting on what we have seen, we grow conscious of language moving back and forth between these two realms (which must necessarily be silent in themselves). In teaching — and learning — foreign languages, the element in which all speech lives becomes obvious. It is the element of breath, i.e. of rhythm. Only, in teaching, it is we ourselves who start this breathing process, introducing the rhythmic repetition of what the children have grasped. This repetition is again many-sided: we repeat dreamily, but must then take the step toconscious, wakeful repetition (e.g. small groups of children speak, mostly after having volunteered or been requested to do so, others listen, waiting for their turn to speak, maybe considerably later). Finally, a sense of achievement is reached: | can say this alone, | can sing it alone, | know what it is all about. Then it is time to drop that particular verse, even if this stage is not reached by everyone. — It is easy to see that in the course of a language lesson, various stages of “maturity” are being worked on. ‘And we are all aware that this part of the lesson is only a part of lower school work — conversation (e.g. about the weather, about a child's family or about his pets), playing shops, listening to stories, all need to be prepared ‘and continued, lesson by lesson. At first, keeping these braided threads in hand may seem quite an unmanageable task, but, as the year passes on and we try to keep account of the work done, we see that lesson by lesson, week by week, the children find their way into the language, using the three faculties of thinking, feeling and willing in a way appropriate to their age. But what is the method appropriate to language teaching during the first three years of school? We use the gift each growing child brings with him, the gift of imitation. It is a gift that diminishes, year by year. In class |, itis strong enough to shape a great part of daily teaching and learning. But more and more, a second gift takes its place. This is the ability the children develop to learn from an authority and their longing to know that what they have learnt is beautiful and right. And so the teacher turns into the “source” of language; our imagination, our sense of beauty and our sense of humour become gateways by which the children can enter the realm of the language we are teaching. We hope this collecti 1A will help you and your classes to enter this realm. It may be helpful to mention some of the practical aspects that are often brought up for discussion in our work with student: teachers. All language teachers should try to keep in close contact with the class teachers. Itisa great thrill for the children when, several weeks after they have encountered a sphere in main lesson it reappears in a new guise in language lessons (e.g. arithmetic, house building, farming, crafts) The stories offered as examples in the appendix to this collection are rich in repetitive rhythmic and rhyming elements. Stories interest the children most — and they join in saying the repetitive parts with great enthusiasm — when the ground has been prepared before the actual telling. In the case of This is the house that Jack built, for example, there must be some way of getting the children to like Jack before they ever hear of him building his house. Then movement and mime play their parts. Finally, of course, the priest could be offered a dark cowl (or, to choose a different example, Wee Willie Winkie a real nightgown) making it much easier for the children to slip into the parte As for the songs, some teachers may decide that they want to use only the familiar nursery rhymes on which they are based, but not the tunes given, or else make up their own tunes. During the first three grades ample use should be made of songs that are based on the pentatonic scale. Elisabeth Lebret, our colleague at the Toronto Waldorf School, has published a wonderful collection of her own PENTATONIC SONGS. They are suitable for many occasions, for the different seasons, for the times of day and for playing and acting. We should like to recommend this collection most warmly.We would also like to mention that we agree with those of our colleagues who feel that — even in the lower school — we are under no obligation to be musically puristic. Many traditional English tunes, think of London Bridge, the Muffin Man or | had a little nut-tree, are so essentially English, bring to life in the classroom so much of a typically English flavour that there is no need for us to have scruples about using them before class 1!!. A number of play s_ suitable for classes | to Ill — Plays from Fairy Tales and Ballads, Folk Tales, Fables and Stories, Seasonal Plays — have been collected and are available in the same series (two volumes): Plays for the Lower and Middle School, and More Plays for the Lower and Middle School. Both conscious pronunciation of individual sounds (t on gue twisters) and theintroductionof writing are best left until the very end of the third grade or the beginning of the fourth. Careful consultation between the Class teacher and both language teachers are, of course, essential As in the case of earlier volumes in this series this collection is not intended to set up any kind of binding curriculum of what should be taught to Waldorf classes at a particular stage. It is rather meant as a help for those colleagues who have not yet had much experience in teaching English to classes | to I!! and who are often looking for poems and songs that have proved their worth. Naturally, many colleagues will prefer to write their own material suitable for the classes they teach. In the name of all these ! would like to express our thanks to those native speakers of English who have taken so much trouble to revise and, if necessary, rewrite what has arisen from the living dialogue between children and teacher. To some experienced Waldorf teachers of English this collection might serve as an incentive to make available for a future edition things that they have successfully used in their classes and they would like to contribute to this collection. If anybody knows the author of verses found as anonymous in this collection the editor will be delighted to receive pertinent information for inclusion in a later edition. 1am greatly indebted and indeed most grateful to a large number of English teachers at Waldorf Schools who hhave sent me contributions for this collection. Many were generous enough to let me browse through the bulk of their typed or handwritten material that had sometimes accumulated over several decades. The grouping of the various poems and rhymes according to the table of contents and the index of first lines can only be understood as a rough guideline. You may, for instance, find a particular poem that is grouped under Fun in Sounds and Rhythm much more suitable for use as an Action Rhyme, and verses that appear in the chapter People and Occupations may just as well be found fit for use as Daily Activities or Action Rhymes.PRAISE AND PRAYER BE THOU A GUIDING STAR ABOVE ME, Be thou a shepherd to protect me, Be thou a beam of light to lead me, Be thou a rose of love within me, Be thou the beauty shining through me GOD MADE THE SUN, ‘And God made the tree. God made the mountains, ‘And God made me. | thank you, oh God, For the sun and the tree, For making the mountains, ‘And for making me. THE EARTH IS FIRM BENEATH MY FEET, The sun shines bright above, ‘And here | stand — so straight and strong, Al things to know and love. ON THE EARTH | STAND UPRIGHT; The Sun above by day gives light, ‘The moon and stars by night. BIRDS IN THE AIR ‘Stones on the land, Fishes in the water, I'm in God's hand. TWO EYES TO SEE WITH, Two ears to hear with, ‘A mouth to speak with, A mouth to eat with, ‘Two hands to work with, ‘Two hands to pray with. HANDS TO WORK AND FEET TO RUN, God's good gifts for me and you; Hands and feet he gave to us To help each other the whole day through. Eyes to see and ears to hear, God's good gifts for me and you; Eyes and ears he gave to us To help each other the whole day through. Minds to think and hearts to love, God’s good gifts for me and you; Minds and hearts he gave to us To help each other the whole day through. TO MY HOUSE I FIND MY WAY And with my blessed angel stay. From my little house | go — To scatter love to all | know. PRAYER. Thro’ the night Thy angels kept Watch above me while | slept. Now the dark has passed away. Thank Thee, Lord, for this new day. North and south and east and west May Thy holy name be blest; Everywhere beneath the sun, As in Heaven, Thy will be done. GOD BE IN MY HEAD AND IN MY UNDERSTANDING; God be in my eyes and in my looking; God be in my mouth and in my speaking; God be in my heart and in my thinking; God be at my end and at my departing. MAY GOD SHIELD ME, May God fill me, May God keep me, May God watch me. May God bring me To the land of Peace. From an old Gaelic prayer FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE NIGHT And for the pleasant morning light, For rest and food and loving care, And all that makes the world so fair Help us to do the things we should — To be to others kind and good In all we do, in all we say To grow more loving every day!Praise and Prayer THANK YOU FOR THE WORLD SO SWEET, Thank you for the food we eat; Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything. Find pentatonic tune on p. 117 PRAYER AT BEDTIME Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Bless the bed that I lie on. Before | lay me down to sleep, | pray the Lord my soul to keep. Four corners to my bed, Four angels there are spread; Two at the foot, two at the head: Four to carry me when I’m dead. | go by sea, | go by land: The Lord made me with His right hand. ‘Should any danger come to me, ‘Sweet Jesus Christ deliver me. He's the branch and I’m the flower, Pray God send me a happy hour; And should | die before | wake, | pray the Lord my soul to take. FOUR ANGELS TO MY BED, Two to bottom, two to head. Matthew, Mark and Luke and John, Bless the bed that | lie on Two to hear me when | pray, Two to bear my soul away. NEW EVERY MORNING IS THE LOVE Our waking and uprising prove, From sleep and darkness safely brought, Restored to life and power and thought. PRAISE Very early every morning All the birds awake and sing, Praising God that now the sunrise Warmth and light to earth will bring When the evening dusk is falling Loud and sweet again they sing, Praising God that now the sunset Dark and quiet sleep will bring. We His children also thank Him, Lift our hearts and gladly sing; For His gifts of light and darkness, Work and sleep, our praise we bring. Molly de Havas © SUN, SO BRIGHT, You give your light And warming love From Heaven above That life on earth May come to birth. May our eyes shine With light like thine, May our hearts know Thy warming glow, May our hands give Such strength to live — That we may be Assun like Thee Eileen Hutchins DEAREST SUN — WHEN YOU WARM US — Neither frost nor snow can harm us. Shine on Father, Mother, Sister, Brother — Shine on us all, ~ the whole day through, ‘And come back tomorrow, too. Eileen Hutchins THE GOLDEN SUN, SO GREAT AND BRIGHT, Warms the world with al its might. It makes the dark earth green and fair, Attends each thing with ceaseless care It shines on blossom, stone and tree, On bird and beast, on you and me Oh, may each deed throughout the day, May everything we do and say Be bright and strong and true, Oh, golden sun, like you! THE SUN IS IN MY HEART, He warms me with his power, ‘And wakens life and love In bird and beast and flowerThe stars above my head Are shining in my mind, As spirits of the world ‘That in my thoughts | find. The earth whereon | tread Lets not my feet go through, But strongly doth uphold The weight of deeds | do. Then | must thankful be That man on earth | dwell, To know and love the world And work ali creatures well A.C. Harwood CANTICLE TO THE SUN Praised be God for brother Sun, Who shines with splendid glow, He brings the golden day to us, Thy glory does he show! Praised be God for sister Moon And every twinkling star, They shine in heaven most bright and clear, All glorious they are. Praised be God for brother Wind ‘That storms across the skies, ‘And then grows still and silent moves ‘And sweetly sings and sighs. Praised be God for Water pure, Her usefulness we tell, So humble, precious, clean and good, ‘She works for us so well. Praised be God for brother Fire Friendly and wild and tame, Tender and warm, mighty and strong, A flashing, flaring, flame. Praised be God for Mother Earth Who keeps us safe and well, Whose Mother heart, all warm with love, Dark in her depths doth dwell St, Francis of Assisi — Transl. by Lawrence Edwards MORNING SUN With joy we greet the morning sun, Who shines with love on every one, Who shines in the sky, on the land and sea, And who fills me with light When he shines on me. Praise and Prayer SUN ‘The eye of the great God, The eye of the God of glory, The eye of the King of hosts, The eye of the King of the I Pouring upon us At each time and season, Pouring upon us Gently and generously. Glory to thee, thou glorious sun. Glory to thee, thou sun, Face of the God of life. I SEE THE MOON, And the moon sees me God bless the moon, And God bless me GOD BLESS OUR BREAD God guide our ways God give us grace Our Lord to please. BLESSINGS ON THE BLOSSOM, Blessings on the root, Blessings on the leaf and stem, Blessings on the fruit. GOD BLESS THE FIELD AND BLESS THE FURROW, Stream and branch and rabbit burrow, Hill and stone and flower and tree, From Britsil town to Wetherby — Bless the sun and bless the sleet, Bless the lane and bless the street, Bless the night and bless the day, From Somerset and all the way To the meadows of Cathay; Bless the minnow, bless the whale, Bless the rainbow and the hail, Bless the nest and bless the leaf, Bless the righteous and the thief, Bless the wing and bless the fin, Bless the air | travel in, Bless the mill and bless the mouse, Bless the miller’s bricken house, Bless the earth and bless the sea, God bless you and God bless me! Old English RhymePraise and Prayer FRUIT IN A BLOSSOM, And petals in a seed, Reeds in a river bed, Music in a reed: Stars in a firmament, Shining in the night, Sun in a galaxy, And planet in its light; Bones in the rosy blood Like land in the sea. Marrow in a skeleton, And | in me. Owen Barfield PRAISE THE LORD FOR ALL THE SEASONS, Praise Him for the gentle spring. Praise the Lord for glorious summer, Birds and beasts and everything, Praise the Lord who sends the harvest, Praise Him for the winter snows; Praise the Lord, all you who love Him, Praise Him, for all things He knows. WE PLOUGH THE FIELD AND SCATTER ‘The good seeds on the land, But they are fed and watered By God’s almighty hand. SUMMER, For flowers that bloom about our feet, For tender grass so fresh and sweet, For song of bird and hum of bee, For all things that we hear and see, Father in Heaven we thank Thee. For blue of streams, for blue of sky, For pleasant shade of branches high, For fragrant air and cooling breeze, For beauty of the blowing trees, Father in Heaven we thank Thee. R.W. Emerson THANKSGIVING When the corn is gathered, Stored in barn and shed — Then we all are thankful For our daily bread. Father, high in heaven, All by thee are fed; Hear thy children praise thee For our daily bread. THE KEY OF THE KINGDOM This is the key of the kingdom: In that kingdom isa city; In that city is a town; In that town there is a street: In that street there winds a lane; In that lane there is a yard; In that yard there is a house; In that house there waits a room; {In that room an,empty bed; ‘And on that bed a basket — A basket of sweet flowers; Of flowers, of flowers; A basket of sweet flowers. Flowers in a basket Basket on the bed; Bed in the chamber; Chamber in the house; House in the weedy yard; Yard in the winding lane; Lane in the broad street Street in the high town; ‘Town in the city; City in the kingdom — This is the key of the kingdom, Of the kingdom this is the key ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL, Alll creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful — ‘The Lord God made them all Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, — He made their glowing colours, He made their tiny wings. ‘The purple-headed mountain, The river running by, The sunset, and the morning ‘That brightens up the sky, The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, — He made them every one. The tall trees in the greenwood, ‘The meadows where we play, The rushes, by the water, We gather every dat He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well C.F. AlexanderPraise and Prayer LINES FROM INVOCATION OF PEACE Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you: Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you; Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you; Deep peace, pure grey of the dew to you. Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you! Deep peace of the running wave to you. Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. Fiona Macleod ST. MICHAEL O Michaél, St. Michaél, Thou Angel of the Lord, Give us the light Give us the strength Of thy victorious sword. Mighty thy bearing, Peaceful thy soul, Thine be the voice We follow to our goal, F.Geuter SWORD OF MICHAEL BRIGHTLY GLEAMING Down to earth its light is streaming. May we see its shining rays In the winter's darkest days. N.M. Ward ST. MICHAEL, BRAVE AND BRIGHT Who loves to live in the light — The fierce foe to fight — ‘And smite with swinging sword The dragon dark and dread — Defeat is his reward. Thou valiant Michael of the white steed Who subdued the dragon of darkness — For the love of God and the pains of Mary's Son, Spread over us thy wings, shield us all Celtic verse EARTH IS DARK AND FEAR IS LURKING — , St. Michail, Heaven’s Knight, Go before us now and lead us ~ Out of darkness, into light. THERE LIVED A NOBLE PRINCE, St. Michaél was his name. He held @ shining sword, ‘And mighty was his fame. There crawled a dragon black, As black as black could be, St. Michaé! killed the dragon, jeryone was free. THINK WISELY, Speak well, Stand upright — ‘And Michaél will lead me From darkness to light. W. 0 Field GENESIS: THE CREATION OF THE WORLD (11-5) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; anc darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ‘And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, And the evening and the morning were the first day. The Holy Bible (Authorized Version of 1611) In the beginning of creation, when God made heaven and earth, the earth was without form and void, with darkness over the face of the abyss, and a mighty wind that swept over the surface of the waters. God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light; and God saw that the light was good, and he separated light from darkness. He called the light day, and the darkness night. So evening came, and morning came, the first day. The New English BiblePraise and Prayer PSALM 23 The LORD is my shepherd; | shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. ‘Yea, though | walk through the valley of the shadow of death, will fear no evil: for thou art with me: Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life And | will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. PSALM 121 | will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth, He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. ‘The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand, The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. ‘The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul ‘The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy ‘coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (Authorized Version of 1611)NS SS ee, mweeOUmLeaOOe eee ema lume meee le TIME AND SEASONS THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR JANUARY BRINGS THE SNOW, Makes our feet and fingers glow. February brings the rain, ‘Thaws the frozen lake again. March orings breezes, loud and shri, Stirs the dancing daffodil April brings the primrose sweet, Scatters daisies at our feet May brings flocks of pretty lambs Skipping by their fleecy dams. June brings tulips, lilies, roses, Fills the children’s hands with posies Hot July brings cooling showers, Strawberries and gillyfiowers. ‘August brings the sheaves of corn, Then the harvest home is borne. Warm September brings the fruit; ‘Sportsmen then begin to shoot. Fresh October brings the pheasant; Then to gather nuts is pleasant. Dull November brings the blast: Then the leaves are whirling fast. Chill December brings the sleet Blazing fire, and Christmas treat. IN JANUARY THERE IS LOTS OF SNOW, All our cheeks and noses glow. In February there is rain and ice, To stay indoors is very nice In March the winds blow from the sea, We sit by the fire to drink our tea Then April comes with lots of showers, A little sun and pretty flowers May and June and then July, ‘Summer is here, cold days good-bye! ‘August brings us lots of sun, Lots of ices, lots of fun September makes the apples round, October drops them to the ground We play indoors in wet November, My friends come round and visit me, Another month and then December With Christmas and the Christmas tree. IN JANUARY FALLS THE SNOW, In February cold winds blow. (January comes with frost and snow, February brings us winds that blow.) In March peep out the early flowers, April comes with sunny showers. (March has winds and happy hours, April sends us sun and showers.) In May the roses bloom so aay, In June the farmer makes his hay. (May is pretty, sweet and gay, June has flowers in bright array.) (In May the children dance and play, In June the farmer. . July, how brightly shines the sun, In August harvest is begun. (In July the sun shines bright, August makes the apples ripe.) ‘September turns the green leaves brown, ‘October winds then shake them down, (September takes us back to school, October days begin to cool). November fills with bleak and smear, December comes and ends the year. (Grey and foggy is November, Cold and snowy is December. Cold and foggy is November, Christmas cometh in December.) (September takes us back to school, October days begin to cool. November brings the leaves to earth, December joy and Jesus’ birth.) JANUARY, COLD AND DESOLATE February all dripping wet; March wind ranges April changes. Birds sing in tune To flowers of May, ‘And sunny June Brings longest day. In scorched July ‘The storm-clouds fly. Lightning-torn August bears corn, September fruit: In rough October Earth must disrobe her: Stars fall and shoot In keen November; And night is long And cold is strong In bleak December Christina RossettiDAYS IN THE MONTH Thirty days have September, April, June, and November. February has twenty-eight But in leap-year, once in four, February has one day more. Time and Seasons THERE ARE TWELVE MONTHS IN ALL THE YEAR, As | hear many say, But the merriest month of all Is the merry month of May. THE SEASONS The world is waking up again, ‘And SPRING has just begun. The catkins on the willow-tree Turn yellow in the sun. March brings us bright and windy days, April gives us showers; Then May puts green leaves everywhere, Makes meadows full of flowers. Now every day the SUMMER sun Climbs higher in the sky; ‘The farmer's fields are stacked with hay In June and in July. Long holidays are here again, Blue sea and sandy beaches. ‘The time of sun-ripe fruit has come, Of pears and golden peaches. When AUTUMN comes, the weather’s calm, The sun is not so strong: The days are shorter than before, The nights are getting long, Summer flowers are fading now And die in late Septembs Yellow and red October leaves ‘Must fall in grey November. WINTER is here; the days are cold; ‘The clouds bring rain and snow. The roads are icy, slippery, Our steps must be quite slow. December brings us Christmas, ‘And January New Year; Then snowdrops say in February That SPRING will soon be here WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE BLACKBIRD comes And builds its nest, singing sweet and clear? When violets peep through the blades of grass? ‘These are the signs that spring is here. What does ist mean when the berries are ripe? When butterflies flit and honey-bees hum? When cattle stand under the shady trees? These are the signs that summer has come. What does it mean when the crickets chirp, ‘And away to the south the swallows steer When apples are falling and leaves grow brown? ‘These are the signs that autumn is here.” What does it mean when the days are short? When leaves are gone and brooks are dumb? When fields are white with drifted snow? These are the signs that winter has come The seasons come and the seasons go; The skies that were stormy grow bright and clear; ‘And so the beautiful, wonderful signs Go round and round through the changing YEAR, ON THE FIRST OF MARCH ‘The crows begin to search; By the first of April They are sitting still; By the first of May They've all flown away, Coming greedy back again With October's wind and rain SPRING IS SHOWERY, FLOWERY, BOWERY; Summer: hoppy, croppy, poppy; Autumn: slippy, drippy, nippy; Winter: breezy, sneezy, freezy.an nS = SE aS SS SS Time and Seasons SPRING SPRING, THE SWEET SPRING, IS THE YEAR'S PLEASANT KING; ‘Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring, Gold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing, Cuckoo, jug-iug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! The palm and may make country houses gay, Lambs frisk and play, the shepherds pipe all day, And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay, Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta.woo The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet, ‘Young lovers meet, old wives a-sunning sit, In every street these tunes our ears do greet, Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! LINES WRITTEN IN MARCH The cock is crowing, The stream is flowing, The lake doth glitter, The small birds twitter, ‘The green fields sleep in the sun. The oldest and youngest ‘Are at work with the strongest, The cattle are grazing, Their heads never raising, ‘There are forty feeding as one William Wordsworth SPRING IS COMING, SPRING IS COMING,” Birdies, build your nest; Weave together straw and feather, Doing each your best. Spring is coming, Flowers are coming too; Pansies, lilies, daffodillies, Now are coming through. is coming, Spring is coming, spring is coming, Al around is fair; Shimmer and quiver on the river, soy is everywhere. William Blake “Find music in PENTATONIC SONGS by E. Lebret THE ECHOING GREEN The sun does arise, ‘And make happy the skies, The merry bells ring To welcome the spring; The skylark and thrush, The birds of the bush, Sing louder around To the bells’ cheerful sound, While our sports shall be seen On the echoing green. Old John with white hair, Does laugh away care, Sitting under the oak, ‘Among the old folk. They laugh at our play, ‘And soon they all say “"Such were the joys ‘When we all, girls and boys, In our youth time were seen ‘On the Echoing Green”. Till the little ones weary No more can be merry. The sun does descend, ‘And our sports have an end. Round the laps of their mothers Many sisters and brothers, Like birds in their nest, Are ready for rest, And sport no more seen On the darkening Green. William Blake SOUND THE FLUTE! Now it’s mute. Birds delight; Day and night; Nightingale In the dale, Lark in the sky, Merrily, merrily, To welcome in the year Little boy, Full of joy; Little gir Sweet and small; Cock does crow, So do you. Merry voice, Infant noise, Merrily, merrily, To welcome in the year. (One more verse) William BlakeTime and Seasons PIPPA'S SONG ‘The year’s at the spring; The day's at the morn; Morning's at seven; The hill side’s dew-pearled; The lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorr God's in His heaven — All's right with the world! Robert Browning GOD SENDS HIS BRIGHT SPRING SUN To melt the ice and snow, To wake up the green-leaf buds, And make the flowers grow. SPRING SONG See the yellow catkins cover Alll the slender willows over. And on mossy banks so green Starlike primroses are seen; And the clustering violets grow. Hark, the little lambs are bleating, ‘And the cawing rooks are meeting In the elms, a noisy crowd; And all the birds are singing loud, There the first white butterfly In the sun goes flitting by. “WAKE UP”, SAID THE SUN TO THE SNOWDROP, “Wake up, little flower so white; Cold winter has gone, and spring has come Wake up for all is bright”. “Wake up", said the sun to the violet, “Wake up, little violet sweet; The winter is past, and now at last ‘The spring—time you must greet.” “Wake up”, said the sun to the primrose, As it slept in its mossy bed. “The spring is here, and the children dear Are waiting for you", he said “Wake up! Wake up, little flowers! Good news, good news | bring.” Then, one by one, they peep at the sun ‘And welcome the lovely spring. 10 THE SPRING, THE SPRING AGAIN IS HERE, The gentle leaves and flowers appear, And Easter Day with joy draws ne Allleluial The earth new-born, lifts up her voice, The sun and moon and stars rejoice, The birds now tune their merry noise: Alleluia! Let hill and vale and all around Re-echo to the happy sound, All creatures’ voices now are found: Alleluia! | HAVE HEARD A MOTHER BIRD ging in the rain — Telling all her little ones, Spring has come again! \ have seen a wave of green Down a lovely lane — Making all the hedges glad, Spring has come again! Ihave found a patch of ground Golden in the su Crocuses are calling out, Spring has just begun! SPRING IS HERE, SPRING IS HERE, Fairies dancing in a ring Flowers are growing up so high, Birds are fiying in the sky, Trees are swaying in the breeze, Sunshine’s laughing o’er the leave: Mother Earth is bathed in light, Spring is here, Spring is here, Fairies dancing in a ring NOW THE MOISTY WOOD DISCLOSES Wrinkled leaves of primeroses, While the birds, they flute and sing: Build your nests, for here is Spring, All about the open hills Daisies show their peasant frills, Washed and white and newly spun For a festival of sun, Like a blossom from the sky, Drops a yellow butterfly, Dancing down the hedges grey Snow: bestrewn till yesterdayTime and Seasons ‘Squirrels skipping up the trees ‘Smell how Spring is in the breeze, While the birds, they flute and sing: Build your nests, for here is Spring. THE LARK IS SINGING, The flowers are ringing, The hare is springing — High and low, high and low, Easter, Easter all aglow. I WANT AN EGG FOR EASTER, A browny egg for Easter; I want an egg for Easter; So 11! tell my browny hen Vl take her corn and water, ‘And show her what I've brought her, ‘And she'll lay my egg for Easter, Inside her little pen, EASTER THOUGHT Christ is risen like the Spring, Joy and life to us he'll bring, Our sorrows, like the winter grey, Are driven by Christ, the Sun, away. SUNGOLD Mother Earth receives with love Gold of Sun in leaves and flowers Falling on the fields and paths Driven by the autumn showers. Hidden deep down in the darkness Where the gnomes live in the earth Where they share their work together Gold now waits for spring and birth. Gnomes prepare and guard the seeds, Make them ready for new life. On the earth, when spring has come, ‘The gnomes, they work and strive. Look! that small and slender snowdrop! See! she is the first to go. From the dwarf a golden treasure ‘She receives. Oh, did you know? an “Now be careful, little flower, Here is sungold e’er you part!” ‘And the snowdrop hides the treasure Deep, deep in her flower heart. But the crocus, free and bold Says, “I make the world so bright, | can lift my little face Straight into the sun’s great light.”” Who has brought that heavy load High up in the alder-tree? Catkins full of light and gold ‘Swaying, peaceful, light and free. After this the rest of the children come into the play, one as a bird, another as 2 flower, a rabbit etc. Many birds fly round. Then the gnomes say: Seedlings sprout and buds are bursting Birds, so joyful, whistle, sing, Flowers blossom, bees are buzzing, Little rabbits leap and spring All: Sun of Easter, golden light Makes the whole wide world so bright. SPRING WORK AT THE FARM. What does the farmer do in the spring? He sows the seed that harvests bring; But first he wakes the earth from sle By ploughing it well and harrowing it deep. ‘And busy must be the farmer's boy! To care for the lambs that leap for joy; To feed the calves so tender and young He rises as soon as the day’s begun. And then the farmer's wife so kind Food for the ducklings and chicks will find, ‘And hark! what the queer little piggy-wigs say, “Don’t forget me, I'm hungry to-day’” THE EARTH IS BARE AND HARD AND DARK, And there is nothing green But suddenly the snowdrop white, As white as snow, is seen. And next in sheltered copses come Pink-tinted windflowers frail, The first brave points of elder, And the scented primrose pale.‘Time and Seasons ‘Then as the sun grows warmer ‘And the earth more rich and soft ‘The crocuses and daffodils Hold golden heads aloft. And as the sky grows bluer, So biue violets now are found, While in the open woodlands honeyed Bluebells hide the ground, The pussy willow saplings too Their gold and silver bring, And blackthorn, may, and cherry trees Their snowy loads upfling. ‘The colour streams across the land Asalll the green buds burst — As beautiful and good i ‘As when God made it first. Molly de Havas DOWN IN THE EARTH IN THEIR DARK WINTER BED Someone is calling, the crocus said. In colours bright they quickly dressed In lavender, purple and gold of the best Then out in the grass they dance in a ring And call to the children, “Come out! It is Spring”. H. Henley IN MARCH THE WIND BLOWS LOUD AND STRONG And roars among the trees; It sings @ wild exultant song Like waves on stormy seas. The tossing branches madly strive, ‘The treetops bow before its drive. Assaulted by the frantic gale The slender branches yield; It seems their strength can not prevail On such a battlefield. Yet when the wind is dead and gone, Unharmed the frail young buds live on. Molly de Havas HARK! THE TINY COWSLIP BELL In the breeze is ringing; Birds in every woodland dell Songs of joy are singing. Winter is o'er, Spring once more Spreads abroad her golden store; Hark! the tiny cowslip bell In the breeze is ringing. ‘Spring has come to make us glad, Let us give her greeting: Winter days were cold and sad, Winter's reign is fleeting: Hearts are gay, blithe as May, Dance and sport the livelong day; Spring has come to make us glad, Let us give her greeting 17th century song GOOD MORNING, LORDS AND LADIES, tis the month of Ma We hope you'll view our garland, Which is so sweet and gay. The cuckoo sings in April, The cuckoo sings in May, The cuckoo sings in June, In July she flies away. The cuckoo drinks cold water To make her sing so clear; And then she sings, ‘Cuckoo, cuckoo,’ For three months in the year. Hove my little brother And sister every day, But | seem to love them better In the merry month of May. IN MAY 1 GO A.WALKING To hear the linnet sing, ‘The blackbird and the throstles Are praising God the King. It cheers the heart to hear them, To see the leaves unfold, ‘The meadows scattered over With buttercups of gold. 12tal tat ad Miaka ad) dk) ddl (ai td aaa Time and Seasons SUMMER ‘SUMMER IS NIGH! How do | know? Why, this very day Arobin sat On a tilting spray, ‘And merrily sang A.song of May. Jack Frost has fled From the rippling brook; And a trout peeped out From his shady nook. A butterfly too Flew lazily by, And the willow catkins Shook from on high Their yellow dust As | passed by: ‘And so | know That summer is nigh. LAUGHING SONG When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy ‘And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, ‘And the green hill laughs with the noise of it; When the meadows laugh with the lively green, And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene, When Mary, and Susan, and Emily, With their sweet round mouths sing, "Ha, ha, h When the painted birds laugh in the shade, Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread, Come live, and be merry, and join with me, To sing the sweet chorus of “‘Ha, ha, he!” William Blake IT'S MIDSUMMER DAY And they're cutting the hay, Down in the meadow just over the way, The children all run For a frolic, and fun — For haytime is playtime out in the sun It’s Midsummer Day, ‘And they ‘re making the hay Down in the meadow all golden and gay. They re tossing it high Beneath the June sky. ‘And the hay rakes are spreading it out to dry FULL EARLY IN THE MORNING ‘Awakes the summer sun; ‘The month of June arriving, The cold and night are done; The cuckoo's @ fine bird, She whistles as she flies, And as she whistles “cuckoo”, The bluer grow the skies. JUNE Month of leaves, Month of roses; Gardens full OF dainty posies; Skies of blue, Hedgerows gay; Meadows sweet With the new-mown hay. Flowery banks, Addrone with bees, Dreaming cattle Under trees: Songbirds pipe A merry tune — This is summer, This is June. SING A SONG OF BUTTERCUPS, Filled with golden sun; Sing a song of daisy tlowers — ‘Summertime’s begun! Sing a song of singing birds, Singing all for fun; Sing a song of summertime — ‘Summertime’s begun. SUMMER BREEZE, SO SOFTLY BLOWING, In my garden pinks are growing; If you go and send the showers, ‘You may come and smell my flowers. 13Time and Seasons COME OUT, COME OUT, THISSUNNY DAY, The fields are sweet with new-mown hay, The birds are singing loud and clear, For summer-time once more is here; So bring your rakes and come and play, And toss and tumble in the hay, ‘The sweet wild roses softly blow, All pink and white the roses grow; The nodding daisies in the grass, Lift up their heads to hear you pass Upon this happy, sunny day, When you come out to make the hay. SUMMER RAIN The summer’s werm showers are falling like mist, My face and my hair by their soft touch are kissed, ‘The dry thirsty ground becomes fragrant and cool, ‘On every green leaf lies a small shining pool. Earth blossoms again, I do love the rain. Molly de Havas HARVEST | saw the farmer plough the field, ‘And fow on row The furrows grow. | saw the farmer plough the field, And hungry furrows grow. | saw the farmer sow the wheat, The golden grain, In sun and rain. | saw the farmer sow the wheat, In shining sun and rain. | saw at first a silvery sheen, Then line on line Of living green. I saw at first a silvery sheen, ‘Then lines of living green. The living green then turned to gold, In thirty — fifty — Hundred fold. ‘The living green then turned to gold In mercies manifold. HARVEST Fields of wheat and oats and barley Bending in the summer breeze, Sun and shadow, wave and ripple, Chase across their golden seas. Wheat stands tall and straight and heavy, Oat grains hang in separate drops, Barley’s whiskered head curves over — Gold, and brown, and yellow crops, When the corn is fully ripened Then the harvestis begun. Reaping, binding, on the stubble ‘Stacking sheaves beneath the sun. Now we load the great farm waggons Working till the field is clear. Stubble soon must turn to ploughland Ready for another year. Molly de Havas HARVEST The boughs do shake and the bells do Samerrily comes our harvest in, Our harvest in, our harvest in. We've ploughed, we've sowed, We've reaped, we've mowed, We've got our harvest in. AUGUST The wind sang to the cornfields A happy little song, And this is what he whispered, ‘The harvest won ‘t be long.” The wind sang to the windmill A merry little tune. The windmill answered gaily, “The harvest’s coming soon.” The whispering of the poppies Through the cornfields steals along, They are joining with the fairies Singing harvests merry song 14Time and Seasons AUTUMN SUMMER IS FLYING, ‘Autumn is here, This is the harvest of all the ye: Corn in the farmyard, Oats in the bin, Wheat softly gathered, Barley brough: See also: “Autumn” (song) p. 118 and, “Autumn comes” (song), P. 119 AUTUMN: Yellow the bracken, Golden the sheaves, Rosy the apples, Crimson the leaves; Mist on the hillside, Clouds grey and white, Autumn, good morning! Summer, good night! “COME, LITTLE LEAVES”, SAID THE WIND ONE DAY, “Come o'er the meadow with me and play! Put on your dresses of red and gold, Summer is gone and the days grow cold.”” ‘As soon as the leaves heard the wind’s low call, Down they came fluttering, one and all Over the brown fields they whirled and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew. Dancing and whirling the little leaves went, Autumn had called them and they were content. Soon they will sleep in their soft earthly beds Waiting for winter to cover their heads. coLour The world is full of colour! ‘Tis Autumn once again And leaves of gold and crimson Are lying in the lane. There are brown and yellow acorns, Berries and scarlet haws, Amber gorse and heather Purple across the moors! Green apples in the orchard, Flushed by a glowing sun; Mellow pears and brambles Where coloured pheasants run! 15 Yellow, blue and orange, Russet, rose and red — A gaily coloured pageant — ‘An Autumn flower bed. Beauty of light and shadow, Glory of wheat and rye, Colour of shining water Under a sunset sky! THE AUTUMN WINDS WAIL THROUGH THE woop, ‘Through rushes and through reed. Who is the rider of radiant light On the snow-white shimmering steed? In garments of gold he rides along, His face as the sun shines bright. Oh, Michaél, send.us your sword! ‘The darkness of earth fill with light! ‘See also the various Michaelmas poems p. 5 LITTLE GOLDEN LEAVES Dancing on the tree, Down the wind blows A leat for me. Little golden leaves Dancing in the sun, Falling from the treetops One by one. Little golden leaves Dancing to and fro, Backwards, forwards, And off they go! THERE ARE NUTS ON THE TREES In their clusters of brown, And the leaves are like butterflies Fluttering down. The cornfields are golden, The sunlight is clear The apples are rosy, Now Autumn is here.‘Time and Seasons SEPTEMBER There are twelve months throughout the year. From January to December — ‘And the primest month of all the twelve Is the merry month of September! Then apples so red Hang overhead, And nuts ripe-brown Come showering down In the bountiful days of September! There are flowers enough in the summer-time, More flowers than | can remember — But none with the purple, gold, and red That dye the flowers of September! The gorgeous flowers of September! And the sun looks through A clearer blue, ‘And the moon at night ‘Sheds a clearer light ‘On the beautiful flowers of September! ‘The poor too often go scant and bare, But it glads my soul to remember ‘That ‘tis harvest-time throughout the land In the bountiful month of September! Oh! the good, kind month of September! It giveth the poor ‘Thé growth of the moor; ‘And young and old “Mong sheaves of gold Go gleaning in rich September! GOLDEN IS THE GARDEN, Golden is the glen, Golden, golden, golden, September's here again. Golden in the tree-tops, Golden in the sky — Golden, golden, golden, ‘September's going by! OcToBeR Scarlet and yellow and golden and brown, Winds of October blow all the leaves down; Tear from the branches their curtains, and spread Carpets of colour beneath them instead. Glistening with rain, or ablaze in the sun, Falling in showers, or dropped one by on Fluttering leaves of October blow down, ‘Scarlet and yellow and golden and brown. Molly de Havas THE LOUD WINDS ARE CALLING, The ripe nuts are falling, The squirrel now gathers his store, ‘The bears homeward creeping Will soon now be sleeping So snugly till winter is o'er. WHEN MARY GOES A.WALKING, The autumn winds blow; The poplars they curtsey, The larches bend low. The oaks and the beeches Their gold they fling down — To make her a carpet, To make her a crown. Patrick Chalmers (Two or three children standing together could be poplars, larches, etc. — Mary walks round them in a circle and they bow to her as she passes.) AUTUMN SONG October is a piper, Piping down the dell — Sad sweet songs of sunshine — ‘Summer's last farewell, He pipes till grey November Comes in the mist and rain, And then he puts his pipe away Till Autumn comes again 16Time and Seasons WINTER AUTUMN IS OVER, ‘Snow everywhere, Birds on the white grass And frost in the air ‘Coming round the corner On his tip, tip toes, Winter, Winter, Winter With a cold red nose. SNOW, SNOW, EVERYWHERE — ‘On the ground and in the air, On the fields and in the lane — On the roof and window-pane SNOWFLAKES FALLING SOFT AND LIGHT, Snowflakes falling in the night, Soft and light, pure and white. When the sun shines out so bright All the earth is dressed in white. sNow Little white feathers filling the air, Little white feathers, how come you there? We come from the cloud-birds flying so high, ‘Shaking their white wings up in the sky. Little white feathers, swiftly you 90, Little white feathers, | love you so. FROM THE CLOUDS THE FLAKES OF SNOW Wander to the woods below. Falling lightly, softly, whitely, To the ground, Heaping drifts without a sound, Now the wind begins to blow, Lighter, faster comes the snow, Falling thickly, rushing quickly, Soon there'll be Castles built for you and me. Christina Rossetti 7 LIGHT LITTLE, BRIGHT LITTLE, WHITE LITTLE SNOWFLAKES! Light little, bright little, white little snowflakes! Fair little, dear litte, rare little snowflakes! Falling so fairly, falling so airity, Light little, bright little, white little snowflakes, AH! THE SNOWMAN Come in the garden And play in the snow, Asnowman we'll make, ‘See how quickly he'll grow! Give him hat, stick, and pipe, And make him look gai Such a fine game For a cold winter day! TAKE A SNOWBALL, Put it on the ground. Push it, roll it, Make it big and round. Look, your snowman Is big and tall, But has no eyes, No nose at all. ‘Two stones will do, A carrot, too; “Now, Mr. Snowman, How are you?” WE MADE AMAN ALL BY OURSELVES, We made him jolly fat We stuffed a pipe into his face, ‘And on his head a hat. We made him stand upon one leg, ‘That so he might not walk. We made his mouth without a tongue, That so he might not talk. We left him grinning on the lawn, That we to bed might go: But in the night he ran away — Leaving a heap of snow.JACK FROST WAS IN THE GARDEN: | saw him there at dawn; He was dancing round the bushes And prancing on the lawn. He had a cloak of silver, A hat all shimm’ting white, ‘A wand of glittering star-dust, ‘And shoes of sunbeam light. Jack Frost was in the garden, When I went out to play He nipped my toes and fingers ‘And quickly ran away. | chased him round the wood-shed, But, oh! I'm sad to say That though | chased him everywhere He simply wouldn't stay. Jack Frost was in the garden: But now I'd like to know Where I can find him hiding; ve hunted high and low ~ I've lost his cloak of silver, His hat all shimm'ring white, His wand of glittering star-dust, His shoes of sunbeam light. LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT! Jack Frost is about! He's after our fingers and toes; And, all through the night, The gay little sprite |s working where nobody knows. He'll climb each tree, So nimble is he, His silvery powder he'll shake; To windows he'll creep, And while we're asleep, ‘Such wonderful pictures he ll make. ‘Across the grass He'll merrily pass, And change all its greenness to white; Then home he will go, And laugh, “Ho! ho! ho! What fun I have had in the night! THE FROST IS HERE, The fuel is dear, And woods are sear, And fires burn clear, And frost is here And has bitten the heel of the going year. Time and Seasons 18 Bite, frost, bite! You roll up away from the light, The blue wood-louse and the plump dormouse, And the bees are stilled and the flies are killed, And you bite far into the heart of the house, But not into mine, Bite, frost, bite! ‘The woods are all the searer, The fuel is all the dearer, The fires are all the clearer, My spring is all the nearer, ‘You have bitten into the heart of the earth, But not into mine Alfred Tennyson WHEN ICICLES HANG BY THE WALL And Dick, the shepherd, blows his nail, ‘And Tom bears logs into the hall, ‘And milk comes frozen home in pail; When blood is nipp’d, and ways be foul, Then nightly sings the staring ow! Tu-whoo! Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note! While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. ‘When all around the wind doth blow, ‘And coughing drowns the parson’s saw, And birds sit brooding in the snow, ‘And Marian’s nose looks red and raw; When roasted crabs hiss in the bow! — Then nightly sings the staring ow! Tu-whoo! Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note! While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. W. Shakespeare CLOUDED WITH SNOW The cold winds blow, And shrill on leafless bough The robin with its burning breast Alone sings now. The rayless sun, Day's journey done, Sheds its last ebbing light On fields in leagues of beauty spread Unearthly white. Thick draws the dark, And spark by spark, The frost fires kindle, and soon Over that sea of frozen foam Floats the white moon. Walter de la MareKING WINTER SAT IN HIS HALL ONE DAY, ‘And he said to himself, said he, “1 must admit I've had some fun, I've chilled the Earth and cooled the Sun, And not @ flower or tree But wishes that my reign were done, ‘And as long as time and tide shall run, 111 go on making everyone As cold as cold can be.”” There came a knock at the outer door; “"Who's there?”” King Winter cried; “Open your palace gate”, said Spring. "For you can reign no more as King, Nor longer here abide; This message from the Sun | bring, “"The trees are green, the birds do sing; The hills with joy are echoing: So pray, Sir ~ step outside!” IN THE WINTERTIME WE GO Walking in the fields of snow; Where there is no grass at all; Where the top of every wall, Every fence, and every tree {8 as white as white can be, IN WINTER | GET UP AT NIGHT And dress by yellow candlelight. In summer, quite the other way, | have to go to bed by day. I have to go to bed and see “The birds still hopping on the tree Or hear the grown-up people's feet, Still going past me in the street, And does it not seem hard to you When all the sky is clear and blue And | should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day? COLD WINTER'S IN THE WOOD | saw him pass — Crinkling up fallen leaves Along the grass — Bleak winter's in the wood The birds have flown Leaving the naked trees, Shivering alone 19 Time and Seasons King Winter’s in the wood | saw him go — Crowned with a coronet OF crystal snow. E. Mathias CHRISTMAS NIGHT Softly, softly, through the darkness Snow is falling Meekly, meekly in the meadows Lambs are calling. Coldly, coldly all around me Winds are blowing. Brightly, brightly up above me Stars are glowing. CHRISTMAS WISH To every hearth a little fire, To every board a little feast, To every heart a joy, To every child a toy, Shelter for bird and beast. MARY ROCKS HER BABY, Joseph holds a light, Ox and ass are standing In the stable bright. Shepherds in the doorway Come to greet the Child, Now they kneel before Him And his mother mild. One holds out a lambkin Soft and white as snow, All shall give their presents Ere they homeward go. H. St. John ‘See also the two “Advent Plays” in PLAYS FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, vol. 6Time and Seasons WINTER AND SPRING But a little while ago All the ground was white with snow: Trees and shrubs were dry and bare, Not a sign of life was there; Now the buds and leaves are seen, Now the fields are fresh and green, Pretty birds are on the wing, With a merry song they sing! There’s new life in everything! How | love the pleasant spring! "SNOWDROP, LITTLE DROP OF SNOW, What do you do when the cold winds blow?” “Hide my little head and say, Cold winds, cold winds go away.” “Snowdrops, snowdrops, dressed in green and white What do you do when the sun shines bright?” “Shake my little bell and sing Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, here’s the Spring.” Find music on page 119 WINTER TELLS US LITTLE BULBS To tuck our heads in so, Then we will not need to shiver ‘When the cold winds blow. Spring will come with sun and showers ‘Soon to raise our head. Then we'll grow and grow and grow Right out of bed. THE DAYS OF THE WEEK THE DAYS OF THE WEEK Are seven in a row. ‘The days of the week How quickly they go. If snowy or rainy Or sunny or gay, ‘The days of the week Dance quickly away. MONDAY'S CHILD IS FAIR OF FACE, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for its living; ‘And a child that is born on the Sabbath dey Is fair, and wise, and good, and gay. SNEEZE ON MONDAY, SNEEZE FOR DANGER; Sneeze on Tuesday, meet a stranger: Sneeze on Wednesday, sneeze for a letter: Sneeze on Thursday, something better: ‘Sneeze on Friday, sneeze for sorrow — Sneeze on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow. SOLOMON GRUNDY, Born on Monday, Christened on Tuesday, ‘Married on Wednesday, il on Thursda Worse on Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on Sunday. This is the end Of Solomon Grundy. MONDAY ALONE, Tuesday together, Wednesday we walk When it’s fine weather. Thursday we kiss, Friday we cry, ‘Saturday's hours ‘Seem almost to fly. But of all the days in the week ‘We will call Sunday, the rest day, The best day of all. 20aera ee ieee aso..UcmallUcaEe lum Time and Seasons DAY AND NIGHT Said Day to Night, “Ling God's light. What gift have you?” Night said, “The dew.” “1 give bright hours,” Quoth Day, “and flowers.” Said Night, "More blest, | bring sweet rest.”” Lady Lindsay NIGHT ‘The sun descending in the west, The evening star does shine, The birds are silent in their nest, And | must seek for mine The moon, like a flower In heaven's high bower, With silent delight Sits and smiles on the night. William Blake HOURS TICK, THE CLOCK SAYS, TICK, TICK, TICK, What you have to do, do quick! Time is gliding fast away, Let us work and work today. THE MOMENTS FLY — A MINUTE’S GONE; The minutes fly —an hour is run; The day is fled — the night is here; ‘Thus flies a week, a month, a year. THE HOUR-HAND AND THE MINUTE-HAND, Upon a polished dial A meeting planned at twelve o'clock To walk and talk a while. ‘The hour-hand with the minute-hand Could never keep apace; "The speed with which you move,” he said, “Is really a disgrace!” Then laughed the minute-hand and sang, "The way that | must go, Is marked with milestones all along, And there are twelve, you know. THE NIGHT SKY All day long the sun shines bright. ‘The moon and stars come out by night. From twilight time they line the skies ‘And watch the world with quiet eyes. WAKE UP “Wake!” says the sunshine, ‘its time to get up. Wake little daisies, And sweet buttercup. Wake little children, ‘And come out to play Wake! for the world Is so happy today!” AND MINUTES ‘And | must call at each of these Before my journey’s done, While you are creeping like a snail From twelve o'clock to one. So now, farewell! But we shall meet Again, good Sic”, said he, “The road that we are following Is circular, you see!” ‘THE CLOCK SAYS: EIGHT, Quick, you'll be late, Breakfast is ready, Master Freddy. ‘The clock says: one, Pudding is done, Dinner is ready, Master Freddy. ‘The clock says: five, Cakes will arrive, And tea is ready, Master Freddy. The clock says: eight, Put away your slate, ‘Supper is ready, Master Freddy! 2WIND AND WEATHER - THE ELEMENTS THE SUN SAYS, “| GLOW”, The Wind says, “I blow”, The Stream says, “I flow”, The Tree says, “I grow”, And Man says, “I know” Eileen Hutchins THE MOON ON THE ONE HAND, The sun on the other. ‘The moon is my sister, The sun is my brother. ‘The moon on my left, The sun on my right: My brother good morning, My sister good night. RAIN FLOW, Wind blow, Sun glow, Help the earth The seed to grow. THE GREAT SUN IS RISING Above the green hill, His golden light shining ‘Over meadow and rill, He shines on the flowers, They wake one by one And spread out their petals To greet the great sun. GOOD MORNING SKY, GOOD MORNING SUN, Good morning little winds that run Good morning birds, good morning trees, And creeping grass, and browny bees. How did you find out it was day? Who told you night had gone away? | am wide awake, | am up now, too, "ll be right out and play with you! 22 MOTHER EARTH, MOTHER EARTH, Take our seed and give it birth. Sister Rain, sister Rain, ‘Shed thy tears to swell the grain Father Sun, gleam and glow Till the roots begin to grow. Brother Wind, brother Wind, Breathe and blow, Then the blade green will grow. Earth, and Sun, and Wind, and Rain, Turn to gold the living grain Eileen Hutchins THE SEA Sh —sh, sh —sh. To and fro, | come and I go. | come and I go, to and fro. Sh ~sh, sh ~sh Magda Maier WAVES ‘There are big waves and little waves, Green waves and blue, Waves you can jump over, Waves you dive through, Waves that rise up Like a great water wall, Waves that well softly And don’t break at all, Waves that can roar, And tiny waves that run at you Running on the shore E, Farjeon RAIN The rain is raining all around, It falls on field and tree It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea,Wind and Weather — The Elements IT'S RAINING ON THE PAVEMENT, It’s raining on the tree, '1] go out with my raincoat And let it rain on me. RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY, Come again some other day Little Witlis wants to play. ‘THE RAIN, THEY SAY, IS A MOUSE-GREY HORSE That is shod with a silver shoe; ‘The sound of his hoofs can be heard on the roofs As he gallops the whole night through. R.B. Bennett PITTER-PATTER, Pitter-patter, Listen to the rain! Pitter-patter, pitter-patter On the window pane. PIT-A-PAT, PIT-A-PAT. What is that? Eight fat raindrops On my hat. IT’S RAINING, IT'S POURING, The old man is snoring. THE RAINBOW | saw the lovely arch Of rainbow span the sky, The gold sun burning As the rain swept by. In bright-ring'd solitude ‘The showery foliage shone, One lovely moment ‘And the bow was gone. Walter de la Mare 23 RAIN AND WIND, AND WIND AND RAIN, Will the summer come again? Rain on house, on the street, Wetting all the people's feet, Though they run with might and main, Rain and wind, and wind and rain. WIND Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor | But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Christina Rossetti THE WIND BLOWS LONG, And loud, and strong, I blow the snow, The cold I know. Brrr —— whhhh Brrr —— whhhh. Magda Maier 1AM THE WIND. Do you know what I can do? | rattle the doors and the windows, too. | whistle and shout, Haugh and I sing, And then like a bird I'm off on the wing, WIND, WIND, BLOW ON THE HILL-TOP, Wind, wind, blow down the plain, Wind, wind, blow up the sunshine, Wind, wind, blow off the rain. ‘THE SOUTH WIND BRINGS WET WEATHER, The north wind wet and cold together; ‘The west wind always brings us rain, The east wind blows it back again.Wind and Weather — The Elements WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE EAST, good for neither man nor beast; When the wind is in the north, ‘The skilful fisher goes not forth; When the wind is in the south, {'t blows the bait in the fishes’ mouth, When the wind is in the west, Then ‘tis at the very best. AUTUMN WINDS ARE SIGHING, Stealing through the forest brown, As they softly pass the tree trunks Little leaves come falling down. But a stronger gale is blowing — Then the leaves themselves Rise and dance about the forest Just like little elves, Faster, faster see them whirling Till the gale has passed. One by one the tired leaflets Sink to rest at last. WIND IN AUTUMN The wind stood up and gave a shout He whistled on his fingers and Kicked the withered leaves about, He thumped the branches with his hand, And said, 1" kill, and kill, and kill, And so he will, and so he will J. Stephens THE THIEF ‘Autumn wind came stealing Through the woods one day, ‘And creeping round the tree, he stole Their beauty all away. He tore their russet dresses, Combed off their golden hair. He blew away the tattered bits, And left them brown and bare. STORMWINDS SEND THE CLOUDS A-WHIRLING, Rain comes rushing, swishing, swirling, Raindrops downwards dance and spatter, Pitter-patter, pitter-patter 24 THE NORTH WIND. The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, ‘And what will poor robin do then, poor thing? ©, he'll go to the barn, And keep himself warm And hide his head under his wing, poor thing, The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will the swallow do then, poor thing? 0, do you not know, He’s gone long ago To a country much warmer than ours, poor thing? The north wind doth blow, ‘And we shall have snow, ‘And what will the dormouse do then, poor thing? Rolled up in a ball, In his nest snug and small, He'll sleep till the winter is past, poor thing. The north wind doth blow, ‘And we shall have snow, ‘And what will the children do then, poor things? 0, when lessons are done, They'll jump, skip, and run, And play till they make themselves warm, poor things. Find music on page 124 THE NORTH WIND CAME ALONG ONE DAY, So strong and full of fun; He called the leaves down from the trees And said, “Run children run”, ‘They came in red or yellow dress, In shaded green and brown, And all the short November day He chased them round the town They ran in crowds, they ran alone, They hid behind the trees, The north wind laughing found them there And called: “No stopping please.’ But when he saw them tired out And huddled in a heap, He softly said, “Goodnight my dears, Now let us go to sleep.”Wind and Weather — The Elements WINDY NIGHTS Rumbling in the chimneys, Rattling at the doors, Round the roofs and round the roads The rude wind roars; Raging through the darkness, Raving through the trees, Racing off again across The great, great seas WIND AND FIRE Hey ho! Laughs the wind: I'm up in the trees, 1am here, | am there, In storm and in breeze. Ho hey! Laughs the fire: How | flicker with fun, | burn on the earth, But | long for the sun. THE FIRE Crickelty, crackelty, | am the fire, Crickelty, erackelty, cree. Flickering, flackering, higher and higher, What is so pleasant to see? Winter winds may be piping drearily, Snow in a blinding whirl Come to me, and I'll warm you cheerily, Dear little boy and girl Scarlet and gold my flames are leaping, Sparkle, glitter and die. Curling, swirling, quivering, creeping, Ever at work am | Wood or coal, however you feed me, I'am your friend, whenever you need me, Roar away, soar away, higher and higher, Crickelty, crackelty, | am the fire 25 TWO LITTLE CLOUDS ONE SUNNY DAY, Went flying through the sky, ‘They went so fast, they bumped their heads And both began to cry. Old father sun looked out and sai “Oh, never mind, my dears, I'll send my little fairy folk To dry your fallen tears.”” One came in pink and one in red, The next in orange bright, In yellow, green, blue, violet, They made a pretty sight. ‘They changed the rolling crying tears To drizzling drops of fun, And then the fairies laughed and said: “We thank you, Rain and Sun.” WHITE SHEEP, WHITE SHEEP, On a blue hill: When the wind stops You all stand still You all run away When the winds blow. White sheep, white sheep, Where do you go?ANIMALS AND PLANTS THE BUTTERFLY | know a little butterfly with tiny golden wings. He plays among the summer flowers ‘And up and down he swings. He dances on their honey cups so happy all the day. ‘And then he spreads his tiny wings And softly flies away. A BUTTERFLY FLEW RIGHT OVER MY HEAD, Its two wings shining blue, yellow, and red. A butterfly slept close to the ground, Its two wings spread softly with never a sound. A butterfly flew, so bright and so gay — Like this it flew, a-far and away. WAKEN SLEEPING BUTTERFLY, Burst your narrow prison, Spread your golden wings and fly, For the sun is risen! Spread your wings and tell the story How He rose, the King of Glory. ‘THE CATERPILLAR Brown and furry Caterpiller in a hurry, Take your walk To the shady leaf, or stalk, Or what not, Which may be the chosen spot. No toad spy on you, Hovering bird of prey pass you; Spin and die, To live again a butterfly. Christine Rossetti AT NIGHT BIRDS REST In cosy nests, And each bird loves His own nest best. EMPTY NOW THE NEST WILL BE, Four birds fly away you see; Fly away from tree to tree: North and South across the nest, Then, in turn, from East to West, Alll together back to rest. Now again away we fly, ‘Swift and straight and very high, Where the treetops touch the sky ‘Swooping over, light and free, | pass you and you pass me Four birds in a nest are we. ONE LITTTLE DICKYBIRD HOPPED UPON MY SHOE, Along came another one, and that made two: Fly to the treetops, fly to the ground, Fly little dickybirds round and round. ‘Two little dickybirds singing in a tree (... three) Fly to the treetops... Three little dickybirds came to my door (... four). Four little dickybirds perched upon a hive (five). Five little dickybirds nesting in the ricks (six). Six little dickybirds flying up to heaven (seven) Seven little dickybirds sat upon a gate (eight). Eight little dickybirds swinging on a line (nine). Nine little dickybirds looking at a hen (ten). A BIRDIE WITH A YELLOW BILL Hopped upon my window sill, Cocked his shining eye and said “‘Rin‘t you ‘shamed, you sleepy-head.”" THE NEST A little bird sat on a bough He sat and sang: “I'm happy now; The cold, cold wind has gone to bed, The sun is shining overhead, And shining on a little nest, And on a bird with browny breast.”” “Where is your nest?”” “Ah! no one knows, But two little birds And a brier rose.”” M. AshworthAnimals LITTLE BIRDIE What does little birdie say In her nest at peep of day? “Let me fly”, says little birdie, “Mother let me fly away.” irdie rest a little longer Till your little wings are stronger.” — So she rests a little longer, Then she flies away. LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST SAT UPON A TREE; Up went Pussy cat, and down went he; Down came Pussy cat, away Robin ran: Says little Robin-Redbreast, “Catch me if you can.” Little Robin-Redbreast jumped upon a wall; Pussy cat jumped after him, and almost got a fall; Little Robin chirped and sang, and what did Pussy say? Pussy cat said “Mew,” and Robin flew away. ROBIN REDBREAST Good-bye, good-bye to summer! For summer's nearly done; ‘The garden smiling faintly, Cool breezes in the sun; Our thrushes now are silent, Our swallows flown away ~ But Robin's here in coat of brown, ‘And scarlet breast-knot gay. Robin, Robin Redbreast, 0 Robin dear! Robin sings so sweetly In the falling of the year. The fireside for the cricket, ‘The wheatstack for the mouse, When trembling night-winds whistle And moan all round the house The frosty ways like iron, ‘The branches plumed with snow. Alas! in winter dead and dark, Where can poor Robin go? Robin, Robin Redbreast, Robin dear! And a crumb of bread for Robin, His little heart to cheer. William Allingham THE CUCKOO COMES IN APRIL, He sings his song in May, In the middle of June He changes his tune ‘And then he flies away 7 “CUCKOO, CUCKOO, WHAT DO YOU D0?” “In April | open my bill; In May | sing night and day; In June | change my tune; In July away | fly; In August, go | must.”” THE THRUSH On every twig that's lonely Anew green leaf will spring, ‘And high upon the treetop ‘The thrushes stop and sing. To and fro they travel, Never take a rest, Till at night they settle Tired in their nest. I HAD TWO PIGEONS, BRIGHT AND GAY, They flew from me the other day. What was the reason they did 90? | cannot tell for | do not know. THE BOY AND THE OWL. A little boy went into a barn ‘And lay down on some hay; ‘An owl came out, and flew about And the little boy ran away. HAD A LITTLE HEN, THE PRETTIEST EVER SEE! ‘She washed me the dishes, and kept the house clean; ‘She went to the mill to fetch me some flour. ‘She brought it home in less than an hot ‘She baked my bread, she brewed me my ale, ‘She sat by the fire and told many a fine tale. THE CLUCKING HEN “Will you take a walk with me, My little wite, to-day? There’s barley in the barley-field, ‘And hay-seed in the hay.”Animals “Thank you,” said the clucking hen; “I've something else to do: 'm busy sitting on my eggs, cannot walk with you.” “Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck,”” Said the clucking hen: “My little chicks will soon be hatched, 11 think about it then.” The clucking hen sat on her nest, ‘She made it in the hay; ‘And warm and snug beneath her breast A dozen white eggs lay. Crack, crack, went all the eggs, Out dropt the chickens small! “Cluck,” said the clucking hen, “Now I have you all “Come along, my little chicks, Vl take a walk with you”; “Hello!” said the barn-door cock, “Cock-a doodle-do! “TUCK, TUCK, TUCK, TUCK, TUCK, Good morning, Mrs. Hen. How many chickens have you got?” “Madam, | have got ten: Four of them are yellow, Four of them are brown, ‘And two of them are freckled — The nicest of the town.” HICKETY, PICKETY, MY BLACK HEN, She lays eggs for gentlemen; Gentlemen come every day To see what my black hen doth lay TIGGY, TIGGY, TOUCHWOOD, MY BLACK HEN; She lays eggs for gentlemen. Gentlemen come every day To see what my black hen doth lay. 28 “HOW DO YOU DO, GOOSE?” “How do you do’ “Are you a new Goose?” “Quite new. Are you?” “Yes, I'm like you, Goose, A true new Goose, too.” “How do you do, New Goose?” “How do you do?” THE SWAN ‘Swan, swam over the sea, ‘Swim, swan swim, ‘Swan swam back again, Well swum, swan. THE STORK | lift my leg, I stretch my leg, | plant it firm and light. | lift again, and stretch again, My pace exactly right. With care ! go, so grand and slow, I move just like a stork: My eye is bright, my head upright, And pride is in my walk. Molly de Havas CONSIDER THE PENGUIN, He's smart as can be— Dressed in his dinner clothes Permanently You never can tell, When you see him about, If he’s ju i Or just going ou: THE EAGLE He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ringed with the azure world he stands The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls. Lord TennysonTHE MOUSE I see a mouse in our house. Itis a tiny little mouse. But Pat and Mummy shout: “Oh, little mouse, get out!” UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, Where's the mouse? Upstairs, downstairs, Out of the house. Run round the corner, Run, run, run, Out in the garden — Oh what fun! FIVE LITTLE MICE CAME OUT TO PLAY, Gathering crumbs along the way. Out comes a pussy cat, sleek and fat — Five little mice went scampering back. LTHINK MICE ARE RATHER NICE. Their tails are long, their faces small, They haven't any chins at all. Their ears are pink, their teeth are whi They run about the house at night They nibble things they shouldn't touch ‘And no one seems to like them much, But I think mice are nice. R. Fyleman THREE LITTLE MICE WENT INTO TOWN, Their coats were grey, their eyes were brown. Three little mice went down the street With woollen slippers upon their feet. Three little mice sat down to dine On curranty bread and gooseberry wine. Three little mice ate on and on, Till every crumb of bread was gone ‘Three little mice — when the feast was done — Went home quietly, one by one Three little mice went straight to bed, And dreamt of crumbly, curranty bread. Animals A LITTLE MOUSE Went to a house To find some cheese for tea. He made a hole And in he stol But Oh! What did he see! ‘Acheese upon the table sat, Beside it purred the pussy cat As pleasant as could be. The little mouse made haste to go. He said, “With pussy sitting so; There is no room for me!”” The little mouse went next to find A tiny piece of bacon rind To carry home for tea. ‘A dog beside the bacon sat, He looked so very large and fat. ‘The mouse made haste to flee. The little mouse Began to grouse It's very plain to see: No bacon rind, No cheese | find, But just dry bread for tea. FIVE EYES In Hans’ old mill his three black cats Watch the bins for the thieving rats. Whisker and claw, they crouch in the night, Their five eyes smouldering green and bright. Squeaks from the flour sacks, squeaks from where The cold wind stirs on the empty stair. ‘Squeaking and scampering, everywhere! Then down they pounce, now in, now out, At whisking tail, and sniffing snout; While lean old Hans he snores away Till peep of light at break of day; Then up he climbs to his creaking mill, ‘Out come his cats all grey with meal — Jekkel, and Jessup, and one-eyed Jill “MOUSIE, MOUSIE, Where is your little housie?”” “Here is the door, Under the floor,” Said Mousie-Mousie. “Mousie-Mousie, May | come into your housie?”” “You can't get in, You have to be thin,” Said Mousie-Mousie.‘“Mousie-Mousie, Won't you come out of your housie?”” “"V'm sorry to say 'm busy all day,”" Said Mousie-Mousie. THE FIELDMOUSE | live among the grasses, ‘And watch them growing high, And as the summer passes They seem to touch the sky. ‘The spiders are my neighbours, Busy people they, | watch them at their labours, Spinning day by day. ‘The earwig comes a-calling, The ladybird as well, And snails go slowly crawling, And slugs, without a shell. The bumble, fat and furry, A flying visit pays, And caterpillars hurry Adown the grassy ways. 1am your little brother, ‘A mouse in brown and grey, So if we meet each other, Please, let me run away. E. Blyton THE MOUSE AND THE COBBLER There once was a cobbler, And he was so wee That he lived in a hole Ina very big tree He had a good neighbour, And she was a mouse~ She did his wee washing And tidied his house. Each morning at seven He heard a wee tap, ‘And in came the mouse Inher apron and cap. She lighted his fire ‘And she fetched a wee broom, And she swept and she polished His little Tree-room, 30 vals To take any wages ‘She'd always refuse, So the cobbler said, “Thank you!”" ‘And mended her shoes; And the owl didn’t eat her, And even the cat Said, “I never would catch Akind mousie like that!” CATS SLEEP ANYWHERE, Any table, any chair, Top of piano, window-ledge, In the middle, on the edge, Open drawer, empty shoe, Anybody’s lap will do, Fitted in a cardboard box, {In the cupboard with your frocks— Anywhere! They don’t care! Cats sleep anywhere E. Farjeon See also: “Six little mice sat down to spin” — p. 61 and, “Where are you going, my little cat?” ~p. 61 5 well as, “Where are you going, my little kittens?” — p, WHY IS PUSSY IN BED? She is sick, says the fly, And | fear she will die: ‘That's why she’s in bed. Pray what's her disorder? A lock’d jaw is come on, Said the fine downy swan; ‘And that’s her disorder. Who makes her nice gruel? That she might not get worse Dog Tray is her nurse ‘And he makes her gruel. Pray who is her doctor? |, said famed Mister Punch, At my back a great hunch, lam her doctor. Who thinks she'll recover? | do, said the deer, And | thought so last year; | think she'll recover. ct.Animals ‘And when puss is quite well, All shall have noble fare; Beasts and fowls of the air, ‘And we'll ring the great bell. So pussy recovered And lived many years In the greatest of comfort Without any cares THE TWO KITTENS Two little kittens, one stormy night, Began to quarrel and to fight. One had a mouse, the other had none, This was the way the fight begun: “Vl have that mouse, said the bigger cat. “You'll have that mouse? We'll see about that!’ “1 will have that mouse!” said the older one. "You shan’t have that mouse!” said the little one. | told you before ‘twas a stormy night When these two little kittens began to fight. The old woman took her sweeping broom, And swept the kittens right out of the room The ground was covered with frost and snow, And the poor little kittens had nowhere to go. So they both lay down on the mat at the door, While the old woman finished sweeping the floor Then they both crept in, as quiet as mice, All wet with snow, and cold as ice, For they found it was better, that stormy night, To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight. JUMP, PUPPY, JUMP! Jim is @ plump puppy, But he can jump. Jump, Puppy! Jump, Puppy! Jump, Puppy, jump! Plump Puppy, jump! You are terribly plump. Jump, Puppy, plump Puppy, Jump, Puppy, jump! 31 My DOGGIE Ihave a dog His name is Jack, His coat is white With spots of black. | take him out Most every day, ‘Such fun we have, We run and play. Such clever tricks My dog can do. Hove my Jack, He loves me too. DOG AND A CAT WENT OUT TOGETHER: To see some friends just out of town. Said the cat to the dog, “What d’you think of the weather?” “1 think, ma‘am, the rain will come down; But don’t be alarmed, for I've an umbrella That will shelter us both,” said the amiable fellow. THE RAGBIT Brown Bunny sits inside his burrow Till everything is still, Then out he skips along the furrow, Or up the grassy hill He nibbles all about the bushes Or sits to wash his face; But at 2 sound he starts and rushes ‘Ata surprising pace. You see some little streaks and flashes A last sharp twink of white, ‘As down his hidey-hole he dashes And disappears from sight, THE RABBITS The little furry rabbits Keep very, very still, ‘And peep at me across the grass As | walk up the hill But if I venture nearer To join them at their play, A flash of white — and they are gone, Not one of them will stay.Animals THE HUNTER AND THE HARE ‘Snowflakes whirl through winter night, Clothe the earth in glowing white, Down beneath the snow so deep Master Hare lies fast asleep. Hark! What's that? A noise | hear, Hide, now hide your head and ear. Up above the snow-white ground Huntsman walks with heavy sound, Green his hat with flying feather, Brown his coat for wintry weather. Both his boots are big and black, Bow and arrow on his back. Slowly, softly place your boot, Quietly if you want to shoot. But alack! The ice goes crack. Down a hole Hunter roll! ‘And my hare??? — — — With a leap deetop-top-lop, Off he capers hop-hop-hop. Laughing loud, “Ha-ha-hee-hee, Hunter’s man you can’t catch me.” Then he nibbles at some hay, Wipes and sweeps the snow away, ‘And once more falls fast asleep Beneath the snow so white and deep. M. Meyerkort THE COW The friendly cow all red and white, ove with all my heart: She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with apple-tart. ‘She wanders lowing here and there, And yet she cannot stray Allon the pleasant open air, The pleasant light of day; ‘And blown by all the winds that pass ‘And wet with all the showers, She walks among the meadow grass And eats the meadow flowers R.L. Stevenson 32 HORSES The horses in my stable At times stand very still, But sometimes they walk quickly, And slowly mount the hill. ‘Sometimes they make a circle ‘And gallop round and round, But home they come so sadly | do not hear a sound, GALLOPING Gallop aheigh! Gallop aheigh! Christopher's pony is running away. Gallop aheigh, he never will stay, Christopher's pony has galloped away. Gallop away, Gallop away, Christopher's pony has galloped awa ‘See also the two songs: “Clipperty clop, goes my little pony” and “Come, my pony, and gallop” THREE LITTLE PONIES ARE TROTTING INTO TOWN, One black, one white, and one of them brown. HORSES, HORSES, I'VE GOT HORSES, White and dapple grey. When I give them corn to eat, They jump five and twenty feet. DONKEY, DONKEY, OLD AND GRAY, Open your mouth and gently bray; Lift your ears and blow your horn, To wake the world this sleepy morn. INKY-PINKY-PONKY, My dear donkey, Thank you, thank you, Inky-pinky-ponky, etd.Animals Inky-pinky-ponky, Daddy had @ donkey, Donkey died, Daddy cried, Inky-pinky-ponky See also, “Here is a tune that a donkey knows”, (Song), p. 125 THE LAMB Ihave a coat, A lovely coat, As white as milk — As soft as silk — And as warm as a quilt. tam A happy little lamb. J. Tupaj LITTLE BO-PEEP Has lost her sheep, And can’t tell where to find them. Leave them alone and they'll come home, Dragging their tails behind them. Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, ‘And dreamt she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found ‘twas a joke, For still they were a-fleeting. ‘Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them; ‘She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they'd left their tails behind them. It happened one day as Bo-peep did stray (Over a meadow hard by; ‘That there she espied their tails side by side, Alllhung on a tree to dry. She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, Then over the hill and dale, oh! She tried what she could, as @ shepherdess should, To tack to each sheep its tail, oh! THE ELEPHANT When people call this beast to mind, They marvel more and more At such a little tail behind So large a trunk before. 33. AN ELEPHANT GOES LIKE THIS AND THAT. Pat knees. He's very, very big, Hands up high. And he’s very, very fat. Hands out wide. He has no fingers, Wiggle fingers. And he has no toes, Touch toes. But goodness gracious, what a nose! ‘Make curling movement away from nose. THE ELEPHANT IS BIG AND STRONG; His ears are large, his trunk is long. He walks around with heavy tread, His keeper walking at his head. Walk around very slowly, swinging from side to side: head bent down, one arm hanging down as trunk, THE ELEPHANT IS LIKE AWALL, He is so broad and very tall. Upon his back we have a ride, ‘And swing and sway from side to side. ‘THE HEDGEHOG The hedgehog is a little beast Who likes @ quiet wood, Where he can feed his family On proper hedgehog food. He has a funny little snout That's rather like 2 pig's, With which he smells, like us, of course, But also runts and digs. He wears the queerest prickle coat, Instead of hair or fur, And only has to cur! himself To bristle like a burr. He does not need to battle with Or run away from foes, His coat does all the work for him, It pricks them on the nose. E. KingAnimals “CROAK!” SAID THE TOAD. “I’M HUNGRY, | THINK, Today I’ve not had to eat nor to drink. U'll craw! to a garden and jump through the pales, And there I'll dine well on slugs and on snails.”” “Ho-ho,"” quoth the frog, “is that what you mean? Then I'll hop away to the next meadow stream. There | will drink and eat worms and slugs too, And then I shall have a good dinner like you!” THE SNAIL Slowly, slowly, like asnail, | move towards the corner. Silent, silent, very quiet, going to the corner. Creeping, creeping, on my way, at last | reach the corner. Molly de Havas ‘THE SNAIL SAYS, “ALAS!” And the snail says, “Alack! Why must I carry My house on my back? You have a home To go in and out, Why must mine always be Carried about? Not any tables, Not any chairs, Not any windows, Not any stairs, Pity my misery, Pity my wail — For | must always be Just a poor snail.”” But he’s terribly slow, So perhaps it’s as well ‘That his shell is his home, And his home is his shell. LET US GO AND PAY A VISIT To the curly house of snail. Round we go until we find him Hidden in this coat of mail Then we turn and go back homeward Still a-winding all the way. Till we come from out the tunnel To the sunny light of day. 34 SLOWLY, SLOWLY, VERY SLOWLY Creeps the garden snail, Slowly, slowly, very slowly, Up the wooden rail. Quickly, quickly, very quickly Runs the little mouse, Quickly, quickly, very quickly, Round about the house. HAND IN HAND YOU SEE US WELL Creep like a snail into his shell. Ever nearer, ever nearer, Ever closer, ever closer. Very snug indeed you dwell Snail, within your tiny shell Hand in hand you see us well Creep like a snail out of his shell Ever further, ever further, Ever wider, ever wider. Who'd have thought this tiny shell Could have held us all so well. THE SNAKE | saw aslippery, slithery snake Slide through the grass and make it shal He looked at me with his beady eye: "Go away from my pretty green garden”, said | “"Ssssss", said the slippery, slithery snake, As he slid through the grass and made it shake. “SPIDER, SPIDER, WHAT ARE YOU SPINNING?” “A cloak for a fairy, I'm just beginning “What is it made of, tell me true?”” “Threads of moonshine and pearls of dew!” “"When will the fairy be wearing it?” “Tonight when the glow-worm lamps are lit!” “Can | see her if | come a-peeping?” “All good children must then be sleeping!””ail THE SQUIRREL Whisky-frisky, hippity-hop, Up he goes to the tree top: Whirly-twirly, round and round, Down he scampers to the ground. Furly curly — what a tail! Tall as a feather, broad as a sail! Where is his supper? In the shell. Snappy, cracky, out it fell! THE SQUIRREL IS THE CURLIEST THING | think | ever saw; He curls his back, he curls his tail, He curls each little paw, He curls his little nest so white, His little coat so grey — He is the most curled-up wee soul Out in the woods at play! Chr. Rossetti THE TURTLE ‘The turtle travels slowly, His house is on his back, ‘And you would travel slowly too, If you had such a pack. like to watch the turtle For he can travel far. It must be fun to always have ‘Your house just where you are. FROGS JUMP, CATERPILLARS HUMP; Worms wiggle, bugs jiggle; Rabbits hop, horses clop; Snakes slide, sea-gulls glide. Mice creep, deer leap; Puppies bounce, kittens pounce; Lions stalk — but | walk! RUNNING STREAMLETS, BUBBLING BROOKS, Singing birds, and cawing rooks. Chattering magpies, twittering wrens, Quacking ducks, and clucking hens Neighing horses, lowing cows, Squealing pigs, and snorting cows. Animals Barking dogs, and mewing cats, Stealing after mice and rats. What a noise, and what a din, Is the world that | live in, GOOD MORNING One day | saw a downy duck, With feathers on his back: | said, “Good morning, downy duck,”” And he said, “Quack, quack, quack.” One day | saw a timid mouse, He was so shy and meek, | said, “Good morning, timid mouse,” And he said, “Squeak, squeak, squeak.” One day | saw a curly dog, Imet ith a bow; | said, “Good morning, curly dog, And he said, “Bow, wow, wow. One day | saw a scarlet bird, He woke me from my sleep; said, “Good morning, scarlet bird,” And he said, “Cheep, cheep, cheep.” IT WAS RAINING ALL THE MORNING, Rain, rain, rain! tried to count the heavy drops That splashed the window-pane. The dog was in his kennel, “Bow-wow-wow!”” The pussy shook her pretty paws And only said, “Miaow! But the ducks enjoyed the weather, ‘Quack, quack, quack!” They haven't fur or dresses, But feathers on their back. The ducks came walking in a row, One-one-one! They looked to me as if they had Their red galoshes on! FISH SWIM IN THE WATER CLEAR, Birds fly up in the air, Serpents creep along the ground, Boys and girls run round and round.SWIM, FISH, SWIM IN THE WATER, ‘Swim, fat fish. Jump cat, jump in the water, Catch the fat fish. FOOTSTEPS The foxes move so softly ‘That we don’t hear @ sound. The trotting horses’ hoofbeats Ring out loudly on the ground, And little lambs in springtime Skip gaily round and round. I HAD A CAT AND THE CAT PLEASED ME, | fed my cat by yonder tree; Cat goes fiddle -fee. I had a hen and the hen pleased me, | fed my hen by yonder tree: Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddle i-fee. had a duck and the duck pleased me, | fed my duck by yonder tree; Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddlei-fee. | had a goose and the goose pleased me, ed my goose by yonder tree: Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddle-i-fee. had a sheep and the sheep pleased me, fed my sheep by yonder tree; ‘Sheep goes baa, baa, Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddle i-fee. | had a pig and the pig pleased me, | fed my pig by yonder tree; Pig goes griffy, gruffy, Sheep goes baa, baa, Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddle-i-f Animals 36 | had a cow, and the cow pleased me, | fed my cow by yonder tree; Cow goes moo, moo, a goes grify, gruffy, ‘Sheep goes baa, baa, Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes Fiddle fee. |Ihad a horse and the horse pleased me, | fed my horse by yonder tree; Horse goes neigh, neigh, Cow goes moo, moo, Pig goes griffy, oruffy, ‘Sheep goes bea, baa, Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck, Cat goes fiddle-i-fee. had a dog and the dog pleased me, | fed my dog by yonder tree; Dog goes bow-wow, bow-wow, Horse goes neigh, neigh, ‘Cow goes moo, moo, Pig goes griffy, gruffy, ‘Sheep goes baa, baa, Goose goes swishy, swashy, Duck goes quack, quack, Hen goes chimmy-chuck, ct Cat goes fiddle-ifee. my-chuck, JOHNNY'S FARM Johnny had a little dove; Coo, coo, coo. Johnny had a little mill; Clack, clack, clack. Johnny had a little cow; Moo, moo, moo. Johnny had alittle duck: Quack, quack, quack Coo, coo; clack, clack; moo, moo; quack, quack; Down on Johnny's litle farm: Johnny had a little hen; Cluck, cluck, cluck. Johnny had a little crow; Caw, caw, caw. Johnny had @ little pig: Chook, chook, chook. Johnny had alittle donkey; Haw, haw, haw. Coo, coo; lack, clack: moo, moo; quack, quack; Cluck, cluck; caw, caw; chook, chook; haw, haw; Down on Johnny's little farm. ete?CAL taka aaa) kk) al) al) al) ak) ed) kkk Animals Johnny had a little dog, Bow, wow, wow; Johnny had a little lamb, Baa, baa, baa; Johnny had a little son, Now, now, now! Johnny hada little wife, Hal hal! hal Coo, c00; clack, clack; moo, moo; quack, quack; Cluck, cluck; caw, caw; chook, chook; haw, haw; Bow-wow; baa, baa, now, now; ha! hal! Down on Johnny's little farm. H.M. Adams See also, “Old MacDonald had a farm’ (Song), p. 126 “In the fields in frost and snow”’(Song) p. 127 ONE BLACK HORSE STANDING BY THE GATE, Two plump cats eating from a plate, Three big goats kicking up their heels, Four pink pigs full of grunts and squeals; Five white cows coming slowly home Six small chicks starting off to roam, Seven fine doves perch upon the shed, Eight grey geese eager to be fed, Nine young lambs full of frisky fun, Ten brown bees buzzing in the sun. RATS, DUCKS, DOG, CATS, AND PIGS Three young rats with black felt hats, Three young ducks with white straw flats, Three young dogs with curling tails, Three young cats with demi-veils, Went out to walk with two young pigs In satin vests and sorrel wigs; But suddenly it chanced to rain, And so they all went home again. THE MOUSE, THE FROG, AND THE LITTLE RED. HEN Once a Mouse, a Frog, and a Little Red Hen, Together kept a house: ‘The Frog was the laziest of frogs, And lazier still was the Mouse. The work all fell on the Little Red Hen, Who had to get the wood, And build the fires, and scrub, and cook, ‘And sometimes hunt the food. 37 One day, as she went scratching round, She found a bag of rye; Said she, “Now who will make some bread?” Said the lazy Mouse, “Not 1”. “Nor 1,""croaked the Frog as he drowsed in the shade, Red Hen made no reply, But flew around with bowl and spoon, ‘And mixed and stirred the rye. “Who'll make the fire to bake the bread?” Said the Mouse again, “Not 1,” And, scarcely op’ning his sleepy eves, Frog made the same reply. ‘The Little Red Hen said never a word, But a roaring fire she made; And while the bread was baking brown, “Who'll set the table?” she sai “Not |,” said the sleepy Frog with a yawn; ‘Nor I.” said the Mouse again. So the table she set and the bread put on, ‘Who'll eat this bread?” said the Hen. “1 will!” cried the Frog. “And I!” squeaked the Mouse ‘As they near the table drew: “Oh, no, you won't!” said the Little Red Hen, ‘And away with the loaf she flew. WILD ANIMALS ike a mouse When he’s not in my house, And a rat When he goes nibble, nibble, like that. | like a mole: he’s a kind little soul, And a stoat With a smudge like snow on his throat. I ike a shrew With his nose in the dew, And a hare, For he leaps and runs everywhere; Like a fox With his little white socks, And rabbits and squirrels and other brown things I'm in love with them all, So funny and furry and furtive and frightened. and small,Animals and Plants BELLS RING, BIRDS SING, “Bow-wow,” says the dog, “Miaow,” says the cat, “Grunt, grunt,” says the pig, ‘And Squeak, squeak,” says the rat. “BOW-WOW,” SAYS THE DOG, “Mew, mew,” says the cat, “Grunt grunt,” goes the hog, And “Squeak”’ goes the rat. “Tu-whu,” says the owl, “Caw, caw,” says the crow, “Quack quack,” says the duck, “Moo, moo,” says the cow, ‘And what cuckoos say you know. THE PLANTS LOOK UPWARD TO THE SUN, Their roots grow in the warm earth, Their leaves love the wandering star, Their flowers to the fruits give birth. IN THE HEART OF ASEED, Buried deep so deep, A dear little plant Lay fast asleep, “Wake,” said the sun, And creep to the light. “Wake,” said the voice Of the raindrops bright. The little plant heard, And arose to see ‘What the wonderful Outside world might be. ALMOND BLOSSOM Joy! the Winter's nearly gone! Soon will Spring come dancing on; And before her, here dance |, Pink like sunrise in the sky. Other lovely things will follow, Soon will cuckoo come and swallow; Birds will sing and buds will burst, But the Almond is the first. WHAT DOES THE CAT SAY? ~ MEOW, MEOW. What does the dog say? — Bow Wow. What does the donkey say? — Ee Aw. What does the crow say? — Caw, Caw. What does the cow say? — Moo, Moo. What does the farmer say? — Shoo, Shoo. What do they all say together? PLANTS 38 cRocUS Crocus of yellow, new and gay; Mauve and purple, in brave array; Crocus white Like a cup of light — Hundreds of them are smiling up, Each with a flame in its shining cup, By the touch of the warm and welcome sun Opened suddenly. Spring’s begun! Dance then, fairies, for joy, and sing The song of the coming again of Spring. C.M, Barker NARCISSUS Brown bulbs were buried deep. — Now from the kind old earth, Out of the winter’s sleep, Comes anew birth: Flowers on stems that sway, Flowers of snowy white, Flowers as sweet as day, After the night. So does Narcissus bring Tidings most glad and plain, ‘Winter's gone, here is spring — Easter again!” C.M. BarkerIN MY LITTLE GARDEN By the apple tree, Daffodils are dancing — ‘One — two ~ three! In my little garden By the kitchen door, Daisies red are smiling — Two ~ three — four! In my little garden By the winding drive, Roses bright are climbing — Three — four — five! In my little garden By the pile of bricks, Hollyhocks are growing — Four — five — six! In my little garden Down in sunny Devon, Violets are hiding — Five — six — seven! In my little garden By the cottage gate, Pansies gay are shining — Six —seven — eight! Daffodils in golden gowns, Daisies all red, Hollyhocks so very tall By the garden she Roses in the sunshine, Violets dewy bright, Pansies smiling gaily — What a lovely sight! MARIGOLD Great Sun above me in the sky, So golden, glorious, and high, My petals, see, are golden too; They shine, but cannot shine like you. | scatter many seeds around; ‘And where they fall upon the ground, More Marigolds will spring, more flowers To open wide in sunny hours. Itis because | love you so, | turn to watch you as you go: Without your light, no joy could be. Look down, great Sun, and shine on me! C.M. Barker Plants THE SNOWDROPS “Where are the snowdrops?” asked the sun. “Dead!” said the frost, “Buried and lost — Every one!” “A foolish answer,” said the sun, “They did not die, Asleep they lie — Every one! And | will wake them, |, the sun, Into the light, All clad in white — Every one!” PRETTY FLOWER ELVES ARE WE Dancing to and fro, Peeping out from ‘neath our buds, ‘As round and round we go. Sleepy, sleepy snails are we ‘Our steps are long and slow. We drag our feet along the ground As round and round we go. Butterflies from the air are we Our wings are fairy light. We dance before the king and queen Upon the flowers bright. Funny little gnomes are we Our beards are long and white. Towards the rocks our footsteps turn To tap from morn ‘til night. Long green snakes in the grass are we Our tails are far away. We wriggle and wriggle and twist and turn Asin and out we sway, THE COLOURS What is pink? A rose is pink By the fountain’s brink. What is red? A poppy’s red In its barley bed. What is blue? The sky is blue Where the clouds float through. What is white? A swan is white, Sailing in the light. What is yellow? Pears are yellow, Rich and ripe and mellow. What is green? The grass is green, With small flowers between What is violet? Clouds are violet In the summer twilight. What is orange? Why, an orange— Just an orange! Christina RossettiFINGER PLAYS THIS LITTLE PIG WENT TO MARKET; This little pig stayed at home This little pig had roast beef; This little pig had none; This little pig said, “Wee, wee, {can’t find my way home.”” THIS LITTLE COW EATS GRASS, This little cow eats hay, This little cow drinks water, This little cow runs away, This little cow does nothing But just lies down all day. ROUND ABOUT, ROUND ABOUT, Here sits a hare, In the corner of a cornfield, And that's just there c/ose to thumb, This little dog found her, thumb This little dog ran her, forefinger This little dog caught her, middle finger This little dog ate her, ringfinger And this little dog said, sitele finger “Give mea little bit! please.” THIS IS THE MAN, SO STRONG AND STOUT, This is the woman with her children all about. This is the boy, so tall you see, This is the gir! with her dolly on her knee, This is the little one, still to grow, And this is the family, all in a row. THIS LITTLE RABBIT SAID, “LET'S PLAY. This little rabbit said, “In the hay.”" This litle rabbit said, “I see a man with a gun.”" This little rabbit said, “That isn’t fun.” “Bang”, went the gun, and they all ran away, And they never came back for a year and a day. Point to all fingers and thumb in turn. Clap hands at BANG. 1nd hide fingers behind back 40 THIS LITTLE SQUIRREL SAID, “LET'S RUN AND PLAY.” This little squirrel said, “Let’s hunt for nuts today."” This little squirrel said, “Yes, nuts are good.”” This little squirrel said, “They‘re our best food.” This little squirrel said, “Come, climb this tree, And crack these nuts — one, two, three.” Clap hands three times. MASTER THUNB IS FIRST TO COME, Then Pointer, steady and strong, Then Tall Man high, And just near by, The Feeble Man does linger. And last ofall, So neat and small, ‘Comes little Pinky Finger THIS LITTLE MOUSIE PEEPED WITHIN; This little mousie walked right in! This little mousie came to play; This little mousie ran away! This little mousie cried, “Dear me! Dinner is done and it’s time for tea!” THIS ONE'S OLD, This one’s young, This one has no meat, This one’s gone To buy some hay, And this one’s on the street. THIS ONE FELL IN THE WATER And this one helped him ashore, ‘And this one put him to bed, And this one covered him o’er. And then, in walks this noisy little chap, ‘And wakes him up once more “TO BED, TO BED,” CRIED SLEEPY-HEAD. “Tarry awhile,” said Slow. Said Greedy Nan, “Put on the pan, Let's dine before we go.” ct.Mi a aaa aaa Finger Plays To bed, to bed,” cried Sleepy-head But all the rest said, “No! It is morning now; you must milk the cow, And to-morrow to bed we go.” TOMMY THUMB, TOMMY THUMB, Where are you? Here | am, here | am, How do you do? Peter Pointer, Peter Pointer, etc. Toby Tall, Toby Tall, etc Ruby Ring, Ruby Ring, etc. Baby Small, Baby Small, etc. Fingers All, Fingers All, etc. Bring hands out from behind back after “Where are you?” 1st verse: Wriggle both thumbs and make them bow on the last line. 2nd verse: Repeat, using index fingers, etc: Find music on page 122 MR LYNN IS VERY THIN, Palms close together. Mr Pratt is very fat, Hands cupped together. Mr Cort is very short, Hands near the ground. Mr Hall is very tall, Hands stretched up high Mr Dent is very bent, Hands bent in hat Mr Wait is very straight. Hands stittly upright. THUMBKIN HE CAN DANCE, ‘Thumbkin he can play, The thumbs caper together We all go merrily up together, We all go merrily up together, The hands go up and down, twirling round each other. We all clap hands. clap Pointer Middleman Ringman Littleman a DANCE, THUMBKIN, DANCE, Dance, Thumbkin, dance, Dance, ye merry men, all around, But Thumbkin he can dance alone, But Thumbkin he can dance alone. Dance, Foreman, dance, Dance, Foreman, dance, Dance, ye merry men, all around, But Thumbkin he can dance alone, But Thumbkin he can dance alone. Dance, Middleman, dance, Dance, Ringman, dance, Dance, Littleman, dance. THUMBIKIN, THUMBIKIN BROKE THE BARN, Pinnikin, Pinnikin stole the corn, Long-Backed Grey carried it away, Old Man sat and watched it all, But Peesy-Weesy, Peesy-Weesy paid for all. GOOD NIGHT, FINGERS, Good night, thumbs, ‘Good night, handies everyone. Good night, Peter, Good night, Paul, Good night, Mary, Good night, at. FIVE STRONG BOYS WENT TO THE WOOD, Out came a lion And there he stood. Five frightened boys ran, ran away. There stood the lion And roared all day. FIVE LITTLE PUSSY CATS PLAYING NEAR THE Door; One ran and hid inside and then there were four. Four little pussy cats underneath a tree; One heard a dog bark and then there were three. Three little pussy cats thinking what to do: One saw a little bird and then there were two. Two little pussy cats sitting in the sun; One ran to catch his tail and then there was one. One little pussy cat looking for some fun; He saw a butterfly and then there was none Played with the fingers of one hand.Finger Plays FIVE LITTLE MICE ON THE PANTRY FLOOR, Hold up fingers of right hand Seeking for bread-crumbs or something more; Five little mice on the shelf up high, Walk fingers of right hand over backs of lefthand fingers Feasting so daintily on a pie — ‘Make "0" touching fingers and thumbs of both hands for pie But the big round eyes of the wise old cat Touch fingers and thumbs of each hand separately ‘See what the five little mice are at Quickly she jumps! — Lower left hand suddenly but the mice run away, Right hand diseppears behind back And hide in their snug little holes all day. “Feasting in pantries may be very nice; But home is the best!” say the five little mice. Home: hands folded betore you, right in left FIVE LITTLE FINGERS FAST ASLEEP, One by one, out they creep. Five little fingers, wide awake now, ‘One by one they take a bow. FIVE LITTLE LADIES GOING FOR AWALK, Wialk fingers of left hand. Five little ladies stop for a talk. Tap fingertips together. Along came five little gentlemen, Walk fingers of right hand towards others. They all danced together and that made ten ‘Dance all fingers together. TWO FAT GENTLEMEN MET IN A LANE, Bowed most politely, bowed once again. “How do you do,” “How do you do,’” And, “How do you do again.”” Two thin ladies met in a lane, Curtsied most politely, curtsied once again, .. . ‘Two tall policemen met in a lane, Saluted most politely, saluted once agai ‘Two little schoolboys met ina lane, Cuffed one another, cuffed once again, ‘Two little babies met in a lane, Jiggled and joggled, and jiggled again, . . 42 TEN LITTLE SQUIRRELS SAT ON A TREE. ‘Show ten fingers. The first two said, Why, what do we see?” Hold up thumbs. The next two said, ‘A man with a gun.” Hold up foretingers. ‘The next two said, ‘Let's run, let’s run.” Hold up middle fingers. ‘The next two said, ‘Let's hide in the shade,’ Hold up ring fingers. The next two said, Why, we're not afraid,” Hold up the litte fingers, But ‘Bang’ went the gun, and away they all ran Clap toualy and hide all fingers. TEN LITTLE MEN LYING QUITE STILL, Ten little men climb the hill, Ten little men curling up small, Ten little men stand straight and tall. Ten little men running away, Ten little men come home to stay. TEN LITTLE BOYS CAN STAND UP STRAIGHT, Hold up both hands, palm: outwards Ten little boys can make a gate; Reverse hands, hold them downwards Ten little boys can make a ring, Hold hands with palms facing, little fingers and thumbs touching Ten little boys can bow to the king; Bend all fingers Ten little boys can dance all day, Wiggle alt fingers Ten little boys now hide away. Hide fingers behind back, HERE ARE TEN MERRY MEN, The fingers See how they dance and play: ‘Move the fingers ‘Two stand straight, Forefingers Two join hands, Thumbs The rest they run away. Tuck away rese of fingersa =3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 a a 3 3 3 = 3 3 3 = 4 = 3 3 Finger Plays HERE ARE THE CANDLES TALL AND WHITE, Lighting our way to bed at night. When 1 am ready | will blow (Whoo!) And out the dancing flames will go. Palms are raised, the ten fingers stiff and straight. During Line 4, the fingers curl over to the palm, indicating thet the flame is blown out. HERE IS THE BEEHIVE. Hands together, fingers interlocked Where are the bees? Hiding away where nobody sees. They re coming out now, all alive — Fingers of one hand ‘creep’ out of other One, two, three, four, five. Fingers ‘fly’ about "LITTLE BROWN SPARROWS, Flying around, Fingers flutter Up in the tree-tops, Honds in the air Down on the ground, Hands drop “Come to my window, Hands meet above head, fingers fat Dear sparrows, come! See! | will give you ‘Many a crumb. ‘Seatter’crumbs, rubbing fingertips and thumb together “Here is some water, Sparkling and clear; Hand cupped, palm upward Come, little sparrows, Drink without fear. “If you are tired, Here is a nest; CClasp hands leaving hole in middle as nest Wouldn't you like to Come here to rest?” Al the brown sparrows Flutter away, Reise hands, fluttering fingers Chirping and singing, “We cannot stay; For in the tree-tops, ‘Among the grey boughs, There is the sparrows Snug little house.”” House: hold hands vertical, palms together, fingers straight, then open sheltered space between palms 43 | HAVE MADE A PRETTY NEST, Interlock fingers, palms upwards. Look inside, look inside. Hungry birdies with their beaks Place index fingers and thumbs of each hand together and ‘open and close” them. Open wide, open wide, See my little birdies grow, Gradually spread hends apart to indicate growth. Day by day, day by da Till they spread their little wings, Cross arms at the wrist and flap hands. And then fly away. Find musie on p. 123 COME, SEE ME MAKE A BLACKBIRD'S NEST With baby birds inside; Fingers interlocked, palms upward forming nest Now watch me make these blackbirds’ beaks To open very wide! Tips of meeting fingers open and shut. Thumbs are parent birds watching HERE'S A WIDE-EYED OWL Forefinger and thumb form circle around eyes With a pointed nose, Fingers make V down over nose With pointed ears Two foretingers up at ears ‘And claws for his toes. Curve fingers like claws high in the tree, Point up to tree ‘And wien he looks at you Point to each other He flaps his wings Arms foo ‘And says, ‘Who-Who’. He ONCE | SAW A LITTLE BIRD Come hop, hop, hop. Hop along two fingers of right hand | cried, ‘Little bird, Will you stop, stop, stop!" Halt at fast stop” etd.Finger Plays | went to the window, Walk two fingers of left hand towards them Saying, ‘How do you do?” Waggle the thumb But he shook his little tail, ‘Shake finger of right hand And away he flew. Lift right hand above your head, fingers fluttering ROBIN GOES HOPPING JUST LIKE THIS! Two fingers of right hand hop along left hand Robin goes flying just like this! Touch tips of thumbs together and move hand for wings Robin is resting just like this! ‘Stand two fingers on back of left hand. Repeat, with the arms as wings. ‘TWO LITTLE BLACKBIRDS SINGING IN THE SUN, One flew away and then there was one; One little blackbird, very black and small, He flew away and then there was the wall One little brick wall lonely in the rain, Waiting for the blackbirds to come and sing again. Use forefingers for the birds. Use folded arms for the wall TWO LITTLE DICKY-BIRDS SITTING ON A WALL, ‘Show first fingers, One named Peter, one named Paul, Fly away Peter, fly away Paul, Put one finger, then the other behind your beck ‘Come back Peter, come back Paul. Let them return one by one TWO LITTLE BLACKBIRDS FLYING UP A HILL, One named Jack, the other named Jill, Fly away, Jack! Fly away, Jill! Come back, Jack! Come back, Jill! A variation to the former. During the second line two ‘children are ‘named’ and they fly to the front of the classroom, if possible behind the two parts of the ‘pened blackboard from where they are called back by the class. 44 THESE BIRDS ARE VERY SLEEPY, Right hand droops These birds are tired today. Left hand drops Tomorrow they will spread their wings ‘Arms are flung up, fingers flutter And flutter right away. ‘Hands hidden behind back. GOOD MOTHER HEN SITS HERE ON HER NEST, ‘Nest: left hand palm upward, fingers curled. Hen: Right hand palm down on nest, fingers curled Light, forefinger raised, bent Keeps the eggs warm beneath her soft breast, Waiting, waiting, day after day. Hark! there’s @ sound she knows very well: Some little chickens are breaking the shell, Flick thumb and tip of middle finger Pecking, pecking, pecking away. Now they're all out, Oh, see what 2 crowd! Good Mother Hen is happy and proud, As above, without nest Cluck-cluck, eluck-cluck, clucking away. Into the coop the mother must go; Coop: Hands cupped palm down, fingers apart But all the chickens run to and fro, Fingers ‘run’ Peep-peep, peep-peep, peeping away. Here is some corn in my little dish; Eat, Mother Hen, eat all that you wish, Right hand as hen ‘eats’ from cupped left Picking, picking, picking away. Happy we'll be to see you again, Dear little chicks and good Mother Hen! Now good-bye, good-bye for today. HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK, Left arm bent, fist up ‘The mouse ran up the clock, First ewo fingers of right hand The clock struck one, Forefinger of clased fist sticking up ‘The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock. Right hand fingers running down Find music on page 1242 ae eee ea Finger Plays UP THE TALL WHITE CANDLE-STICK Left arm Creeps little Mousie Brown Two fingers of right hand Right to the top, but he can’t get down. So he calls to his Grandma, Hold hands to mouth, cupped, “Grandma, Grandma!” But Grandma is in town. So he curls himself into a ball, Left again turned into candlestick, right fist clenched And rolls himself down. Both fists clenched. Roll round each other moving downwards. ‘THERE’S SUCH A TINY LITTLE MOUSE, Indicate how small with thumb and forefinger Living safely in my house Place one forefinger into clenched fist Out at night he'll softly creep, Creep fingers slowly across table When everyone is fast asleep Rest heed on hands But always in the light of day Spread hands high and wide for sunrise He'll softly, softly creep away. Creep fingers slowly back to rest in other hand A MOUSE CAME PEEPING, ‘Hide middle finger of right hand in hole made by left hand; let it peep out at one end A mouse came creeping: Twwo fingers of right hand creep along arm A mouse crept home Fingers creep back into hole And now he is sleeping. AMOUSE LIVED IN A LITTLE HOLE, One hand curled inside the other. Lived softly in a little hole. When all was quiet as quiet can be (Sh! Sh!), When all was quiet as quiet can be (Sh! Sh!), Seid very softly. Out popped HE! Right hond jumps out of left 45 MRS. PUSSY, SLEEK AND FAT, ‘Right thumb held up With her kittens four, Four fingers of right hand without thumb Went to sleep upon the mat Fingers and thumb curl into patm By the kitchen door Mrs, Pussy heard a noise — Up she jumped in glee: Fingers and thumb open suddenly ittens, maybe that’s a mouse! Let us go and see!”” Creeping, creeping, creeping on, Fingers and thumb of right hand ‘creep along table Silently they stole; But the little mouse had gone Left thumb horizontal, fingers curled Back within its hole. Left thumb disappears into left fst ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, These little pussy cats came to my door. Hold up four fingers of right hand and count them. They just stood there and said ‘Good day,’ ‘Make fingers bow on ‘Good day’. ‘And then they tiptoed right away. lk Fingers away over the front of the body and ‘behind the left shoulder. A LITTLE RABBIT ON A HILL Hold lett hand palm inwards, fingers bent, Hold right hand vertically behind it to form rabbit, two fingers raised as ears Was jumping up arid down, Indicate rabbit jumping His fluffy tail was round and white, One hand with loosely bent fingers and thumb His pointed ears were brown. Two fingers raised But when he heard a tiny sound His eyes turned black as coal, His little whiskers trembled, and Both hands horizontal, fingers trembling He scuttled down his hole. Left hand forms hole, right forefinger ‘cutties’ into itA LITTLE BROWN RABBIT POPPED OUT OF THE GROUND, Right index finger pops up. Wriggled his whiskers and looked around. Right index finger wrigales. Another wee rabbit who lived in the grass Left index finger pops up. Popped his head out and watched him pass. ‘Right band hops over left (wrists crossed) Then both the wee rabbits went hoppity hop, Hoppity, hoppity, hoppity, hop, Both index fingers hop forward. Till they came to a wall and had to stop. Both fingers stop suddenly. Then both the wee rabbits turned themselves round, Hands uncross. And scuttled off home to their holes in the ground. ‘Hands hop back and are folded in lap. SEE A LITTLE RABBIT With his big, tong ears. First ewo fingers are held up He stays so very still But I'm sure he hears, For | say, “Little Rabbit, Stop, stop, stop.” But away he goes, Hop, hop, hop. ‘Right hand hops away PUT YOUR FINGER IN FOXY’S HOLE. Foxy’s not at home. Foxy’s at the back door Picking at a bone. Clench hand, put finger through. TWO MOTHER PIGS LIVED IN A PEN, Thumbs up Each had four babies and that made ten. ‘Show fingers and thumb These four babies were black as night, ‘These four babies were black and white. But all eight babies loved to play, And they rolled and rolled in the mud all day. Rolling motion At night, with mother, they curled up in 2 heap, Make fists ‘And squealed and squealed Till they all went to sleep. 46 inger Plays INCY WINCY SPIDER CLIMBED UP THE WATER SPOUT. Use the fingers of both hands to represent a spider drops and washed poor Incy out; Raise the hands and lower them slowly, wriggling to indicate rain. ‘Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain, Raise hands above the head together and bring them out and down. ‘And Incy Wincy Spider climbed up that spout again. Find music on p. 123 LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON A TUFFET Eating her curds and whey, Lefe fist in front ‘Along came @ spider, and sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away. Right hand comes from behind back. fingers dangling for spider's legs THIS IS THE MEADOW WHERE ALL THE LONG DAY ‘Meadow: arms make circle before you, fingers interfaced Ten little frolicsome lambs are at play. ‘These are the measures the good farmer brings Cup each hand, palm upward Salt in, or cornmeal, and other good things. This is the lambkins’ own big water-trough; Hold forearms out together, hands in V" Drink, little lambkins, and then scamper off! This is the rack where in winter they feed; Hands back to back, fingers interlaced Hay makes a very good dinner indeed ‘These are the big shears to shear the old sheep; Scissor-movement: two fingers of ane hand outstretched Dear little lambkins their soft wool may keep. Here, with its big double doors shut so tight, Palms together, fingers interlaced, thumbs as doors This is the barn where they all sleep at night. HERE IS THE OSTRICH STRAIGHT AND TALL, Nodding his head above us all. Raise arm above head letting fingers drop forward 3s ostrich s head Here is the long snake on the ground Wriggling upon the stones he found. Wiggle arm horizontally through air etd.Finger Plays Here are the birds that fly so high, Spreading their wings across the sky. Raise both arms above head, flutter fingers Here is the hedgehog, prickly, small, Rolling himself into a ball Close hand to fist Here is the spider scuttling round, Treading so lightly on the ground: ‘Scuttle! fingers lightly across the table Here are the children fast asleep, Lay heed on hands And here at night the owls do peep. Moke circles with thumbs and forefingers, peep through them THIS IS THE CHURCH, Interlace fingers with knuckles showing upwards and this is the steeple, Raise forefingers, tips touching Open the door, Open ehumbs then turn hands over, fingers tll interlaced and see many people Wiriggle fingertios Here are the choirboys going upstairs, Make a ladder with left hand, walk right thumb and forefinger yp And here is the parson saying his prayers. Hands together as for prayer Here is the church, As above, but knuckles showing downwards and here is the steeple, Open the door and see no people. HERE IS A HOUSE WITH A POINTED DOOR, Index fingers and thumbs together Windows tall, Fingers of both hands joined at tips and stretched apart and a fine flat floor, Hond flat, palms down, side by side Three good people live in the house, Three middie fingers of right hand standing under shelter of left hand One fat cat, Right thumb stands up and one thin mouse. Aight little finger stonds up Out of his hole the mousie peeps, Aight tittle finger peeps trhough left hand folded into a fie Out of his corner the pussy-cat leaps! Right hand jumps onto left fist 47 ‘Three good people say, “Oh! Oh! Oh!” Three fingers stand as before Mousie inside says, No! No! No!"” Little finger draws back inside left fist HERE IS A HOUSE, ‘Make an arch with touching fingertips with two little people, Wrigale thumbs beneath arch Quite close by is a church with a steeple. Interlock fingers with tips of forefingers raised together They have a cat Clench right hand, raise thumb and little finger for ears with kittens four; Raise four fingers of left hand See them scamper across the floor. Run fingers across the floor HERE IS A HOUSE BUILT UP HIGH, ‘Stretch arms up, touching fingertips With two tall chimneys reaching the sky. ‘Stretch arms up seperately Here are the windows, Hold hands horizontally, left above right, left palm coutwerds, right inwards, thumbs vertical to make square shape here is the door. Knock If we peep inside, we'll see a mouse on the floor. Raise hands in fright THIS IS THE HOUSE WITH THE CHIMNEY TALL, This is the tree that hangs over the wall, Here is the window, open it wide, Here are the children peeping outside. THIS IS MY LITTLE HOUSE, Indicate a roof by putting fingertios together This is the door. Hold tips of index fingers together The windows are shining Pretend to polish the windows And so is the floor. Prontend to polish the floor Outside there is a chimney Hold hands up high for the chimney As tall as can be, With smoke that goes curling up. Wave one hand slowly above head Come and seeFinger Plays MY LITTLE HOUSE WON'T STAND UP STRAIGHT, Touch fingertios of both hands for root, rock from side to side My little house has lost its gate, Drop two litte fingers My little house bends up and down, Rock hands violently from side to side My little house is the oldest one in town. Continue rocking hands Here comes the wind; it blows and blows again. Blow through two thumbs Down falls my little house. Oh, what a shame! Drop hands into lap BUILD THE HOUSE UP, BUILD SO HIGH, Put closed right fist on left, then left on right Point the chimney to the sky. Aight arm and forefinger stretched up See the roof Both arms stretched up, fingers bent flat and touching and see the floor, ‘Arm held out to side, palm down ‘See the pretty yellow door. aise left forearm, elbow bent Here the mother makes the bread, Indicate kneading action Here the baby goes to bed, Head on hands, eyes closed Here the little children play, Both hands held fingers down; fingers play” Dancing through the happy day THIS IS MY SAUCER, Left palm upwards, fingers stretched This is my cup, Fingers of r. hand curve tor cup And this is the way | lift it up. Lift ‘cup’ gently on other hand, Alternate, changing hand, THESE ARE MOTHER'S KNIVES AND FORKS, ends back to back. fingers interlaced And this is mother’s table, Hands turned over, fingers forming table This is the lady’s looking glass, Raise little fingers to form a triangle And this is baby’s cradle. Raise forefingers as well. rock hands SEE THE BABY'S CRADLE, Wrists together, palms upward, hands curved Rocking to and fro; Holding arms well out, rock Listen to my lullaby, ‘Slow rock-a-bye rhythm Soft, and sweet and slow. HERE IS A BALL FOR BABY, Make a ball with cupped hands Big and soft and round, Here is baby’s hammer, Hammer with one fist See how he can pound. Here is baby’s music, (Clap hands Clapping, clapping, so. Here are baby’s brothers, Hold fingers up straight Standing in a row. Here is his umbrella, Hold hand above head, fingers touching To keep our baby dry. Here is baby’s cradle, Fold arms together and rock them To rock-a-baby-bye. THIS LITTLE BOY IS GOING TO BED, Foretinger of right hand Down on the pillow he lays his head, Finger is placed in palm of left hand Wraps himself up in the covers so tight, Fingers closed over forefinger And this is the way he sleeps all night. ‘Rest head on shoulder, close eyes Mori 1g comes, he opens his eyes, Lift head, open eyes ‘And back with a toss his blanket flies. Right hand fingers moving fast Up he jumps, is dressed and away, Forefinger is raised off palm quickly Ready to frolic and play all day.(Ab dl aaa) daa) aay Finger Plays THESE ARE GRANDMOTHER'S GLASSES, Join forefingers and thumbs This is Grandmother's hat; Hands over head Grandmother claps her hands I lap hands And folds them in her lap. Hands in ap e this, ‘These are Grandfather's glasses, As above, voice deeper This is Grandfather's hat; Asabove This is the way he folds his arms, Fold arms And has a little nap, Head on hands, eyes closed HERE ARE GRANDMA'S GLASSES, Tips of forefingers and thumbs form circles Here is grandma's cap, Hands ft on head ‘These are grandma's hands ‘Show pofms Folded in her lap. THIS IS MY BALL SO NICE AND ROUND, Fingertips put together | toss it in the air and roll it on the ground This is my book, | open it wide Hands together, then opened To see the pictures that are inside This is my umbrella that keeps me dry Arms over head When the raindrops fall from the cloudy sky. This is my cat, just hear her purr Left arm across the body When | stroke down her nice soft fur. ‘Stroke left arm with right hand PITTER-PATTER, RAINDROPS, Dance, and run, and play. Aight hand fingers patter on left palm or dance on table Fall upon the flowers On an April day, Pitter-patter, raindrops; Both hands wriggle fingers high, then gently fall Now you are away. Hands rest ‘See a shining rainbow Tips of fingers meet over head ‘On an April day. THIS IS HOW SNOWFLAKES PLAY ABOUT, Up in cloudland they dance in and out. This is how they whirl down the street. Powdering everybody they meet. This is how they come fluttering down, Whitening the roads, the fields, and the town. This is how snowflakes cover the trees. Each branch and twig bends in the breeze. This is how snowflakes blow in a heap, Looking just like fleecy sheep. This is how they cover the ground, Cover it thickly, with never a sound. This is how people shiver and shake, On a snowy morning when first they wake. This is how snowflakes melt away, When the sun sends out his beams to play. THIS IS MY TULIP BULB, FAST ASLEEP; Both hands curved, Finger tis touching and wriets ‘meeting in the shape of a bulb When spring time comes a flower will peep. Fingertips slowly part to make a flowercup shape. THIS IS THE SHIP WHEN THE TIDE IS LOW, Wrists together, palms upwards; curve hands to make the sides of the boat Slowly rocking to and fro. Hold arms well out in front for slow rocking This is the ship when the tide is high, ‘Rest elbow of right arm in the palm of the left hand as ‘mast of the ship Quietly rocking, sailing by. ‘Sway from side to side ‘TWO BUSY FEET GO CLIMBING HIGH, One at a time to reach the sky; Up to the top, they stop: and then ‘Two busy feet climb down again. Walk first two fingers of right hand up — and down — left armFinger Plays SEE MY FINGERS DANCE AND PLAY, Fingers moving, hands ‘dancing’ Fingers dance with me today, ‘Some dance high, Right hand up ‘Some dance low, Left hand ‘dances’ lower down ‘Some dance fast, Fingers move quickly ‘And some dance slow. HERE YOU WILL FIND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, Hold right hand before you, palm downwards This is the boat Cup left hand palm upwards, thumb lying flat, and lay (on right hand and this is me. Raise left thumb All the bright fishes down below Waggle their tails, Hands before you, palms inwards, fingers waggling and off they go. Arms cross as fish swim away ALITTLE BOY WENT WALKING One lovely summer's day: He saw a little rabbit Right hand, two fingers raised That quickly ran away; Disappears behind back He saw a shining river Both hands trace course of river Go winding in and out, And little fishes in it Were swimming all about; Both hands are held with fingers down, fingers wriggle ‘and hands trace wavy lines 50 And slowly, slowly turning, ‘The great wheel of the mill; Hands tun round exch other And then the tall church steeple, Fingers interlaced, palms together, forefinges raised and touching The little church so still; The bridge above the water; Hold arms horizontally, interlace fingers fat, turn thumbs down as bridge supports ‘And when he stopped to rest, He saw among the bushes A wee ground-sparrow’s nest Cup hands ‘And as he watched the birdies Above the tree-tops fly, Raise both hands high above head He saw the clouds asailing Describe wevy path above head with one hand ‘Across the sunny sky. He saw the insects playin Fingers ‘dance’ The flowers that summer brings; Hands down towards ground He said, “I'll go tell Mamma! I've seen so many things!” ‘TWO LITTLE HANDS ARE SOFT AND BRIGHT ‘Show palms This is the left, and this is the right; Five little fingers | have on each, So I can hold @ plum or a peach, ‘Balance’ a fruit on fingertios ‘And when I get as big 2s you, I'll show you what these hands can do.COUNTING-OUT RHYMES AND NUMBER RHYMES AS | WAS WALKING ROUND THE LAKE I meta little rattlesnake. | gave him so much jelly cake It made his little belly ache: One, two, three, out goes he/she A,B,C,D, Tell your age to me. ALL THE MONKEYS IN THE ZOO. Had their tails painted blue. One, two, three — out goes you ANDY, MANDY, SUGAR, CANDY, One, two, three, out goes he/she. A PENNORTH OF CHIPS To grease your lips. Out goes one, Out goes two, Out goes the little boy Dressed in blue. A POOR LITTLE BOY WITHOUT ANY SHOE One, two, three, and out goes you. AS | WENT BY THE GARDEN GATE, I met a little rattlesnake; He ate so much of jelly cake, It made his little belly ache. One, two, three, out goes he/she, AS | WENT UP A STEEPLE I met a lot of people, Some were white and some were black, And some the colour of a ginger snap. One, two, three, out goes he/she. 51 AS | WENT UP THE APPLE TREE, All the apples fell on me; Bake a pudding, bake 2 pie? Did you ever tell a lie? Yes, | did, and many times. 0-U-T, out goes she, Right in the middle of the deep blue sea. AS | WENT UP THE APPLE TREE Alll the apples fell on me. | took one, my brother took another, ‘And we both jumped over the bridge together. One, two, three, out goes he/she. BARBER, BARBER, SHAVE A PIG. How many hairs to make a wig? Four-and-twenty — that’s enough, Give old barber a pinch of snuff! CRICKY, CRACKY, CRANEY, CROW, I went to the well to wash my toe. High and low, out you go, Cricky, Cracky, craney, crow. DIP, DIP, DIP, My blue ship, ing on the water Like a cup and saucer. Dip, dip, dip, You are it. DUTCH CHEESE AND SAUERKRAUT, 0, U, T, puts you out! EACH, PEACH, PEAR, PLUM, Out goes Tom Thumb; Tom Thumb won't do, Out goes Betty Blue; Betty Blue won't go, So out goes you.Counting - Out Rhymes And Number Rhymes EENA, MEENA, MINA, MO, Catch a monkey by his toe; If he hollers let him go, Eena, meena, mina, mo. EENY, WEENY, WINEY, WO, Where do all the Frenchmen go? To the east and to the west And into the old crow’s nest. EGGS, BUTTER, CHEESE, BREAD, Stick, stock, stone, dead. Set him up, set him down, Set him in the old man’s crown, ENGINE, ENGINE, NUMBER NINE, Running on the railroad line. If it’s polished, it will shi Engine, engine, number nine. ENGINE, ENGINE, ON THE LINE, Wasting petrol all the time. How many gallons does it take, Five, six, seven, or eight? FLY LITTLE BIRD, FLY! Fly into the sky! One, two, three, You are free. GRANDPA GRIG HAD A PIG Ina field of clover; Piggie died, Grandpa cried, Alll the fun was over. HANDY SPANDY, JACK-A-DANDY, Loved plum-cake and sugar candy. He bought some at a grocer's shop, And out he came, hop, hop, hop, hop. 82 HERE | AM, LITTLE LAZY JOAN, When nobody's there, I'm all alone. HEY DIDDLE, DINKETTY, POMPETTY, PET, ‘The merchants of London they wear scarlet. Silk in the collar, and gold in the hem, So merrily march the merchantmen. HICKORY, DICKORY, SIX AND SEVEN, Alabone, crackabone ten and eleven. Spin, span, muskidan, ‘Twiddle‘um, twaddle‘um, twenty-one. IF YOU HAD BEEN WHERE I'D BEEN ‘You'd have seen the fairy queen; If you'd been where I've been You'd have been out INKETY, PINKETY, POPPETY, PET, Merchants of London wear scarle’ Silk in the collar, gold in the hem, So merrily march the merchantmen, INKY, PINKY, PONKY, My daddy bought @ donkey, The donkey died, Daddy cried, Inky, pinky, ponky. INTERY, MINTERY, CUTERY CORN, Apple seed and apple thorn; Bone, briar, limber lock, ‘Twenty geese to make @ flock. ‘One flew east and one flew west, And one flew over the cuckoo’s nest. ‘One, two, three, out goes he/she. ISH, FISH, CODFISH. How many fish are in your golden dish?(ed) Counting - Out Rhymes And Number Rhymes JEAN, JEAN, Dressed in green, Went down town To eat ice-cream. How many dishes did she eat? One, two, three, four, five. JOHN SAYS TO JOHN, “How much are your geese?”” John says to John, “Twenty cents a piece.” John says to John, "That's too dear.” John says to John, “Get out of here!” KIMONARY, KILTYKARY, KIMONARY, KIMO; Strim, strum, strum-a-diddle, Lully bolly gig; With a rim dom bully gigi kimo. MONKEY, MONKEY, BOTTLE OF BEER. How many monkeys have we here? One, two, three, out goes he/she. MY FATHER HAS A HORSE TO SHOE. How many nails do you think will do? ONE-ERY, TWO-ERY, TICKERY, SEVEN, Hallibo, crackibo, ten and eleven, Spin, span, muskidan, Twiddle-um, twaddle-um, twenty-one. ONE-ERY, TWO-ERY, TICKERY TIN, Aluma crack, ten-malin, Tin pan, musky dan, Tweedle-um, twiddle-um, Twenty-one. Black fish, white trout, Eary —oary, you are out! ONE POTATO, TWO POTATOES, THREE POTATOES, FOUR, Five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes more. 53 ONE, TWO, THREE, A BUMBLE BEE ‘Stung a man upon his knee; Stung @ pig upon his snout, 111 be blamed if you ain’t out! O-U-T, spells out, So out you must go, Because the king And queen say so. PEASE PORRIDGE HOT, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, Nine days old. it cold, ‘Some like it in the pot Nine days old. PETER HALL, HE ISSO SMALL, A rat can eat him, hat and all. PETER PIPER, PUMPKIN EATER, Had @ wife and couldn’t keep her; He put her in a pumpkin shell, And there he kept her very well. POLLY WANTS A CRACKER, Polly wants a ball, Polly wants you to be First of all, RED, WHITE AND BLUE — All out but you RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, The cat's got the flu, The baby has the whooping cough And out goes youCounting - Out Rhymes And Number Rhymes ROSEMARY GREEN, LAVENDER BLUE, Thyme and sweet marjoram, hyssop and rue. ROUND AND ROUND THE BUTTER DISH One, two, three, If you like a nice girl, Please pick me. ROUND AND ROUND THE BUTTER DISH ‘One, two, three ~ Please, little maiden, will you be ‘He’? No? Well, we shall see — sugar, tea, SAM, SAM, THE SOFT SOAP MAN, Washed his face in a frying-pan, ‘Combed his hair with a wagon-wheel, ‘And died with a toothache in his heel. SOLDIER BRAVE, SAILOR TRUE, Skilled physician, Oxford Blue, Learned lawyer, Squire so hale, Dashing airman, Curate pale. SNOW IS WHITE, GRASS IS GREEN, I'm a king and you're a queen. THE MAN IN THE WILDERNESS ASKED ME How many strawberries grew in the sea | answered him as | thought good, As many red herrings as grow in a wood. THE ROSE IS RED, THE VIOLET IS BLUE, Sugar is sweet and so are you. THE SKY IS BLUE How old are you? THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, This year, next year, This year, next year, Sometime, never. TINKER, TAILOR, Soldier, sailor, Rich man, poor man, Beggar-man, thief. TIT, TAT, TOE, MY FIRST GO, Three jolly butcher boys All ina row. Stick one up, stick one down, Stick one in the old man’s crown TIT, TAT, TOE, ROUND | GO; If I don't miss, I'll stop on — this. TOMMY TROT, A MAN OF LAW, Sold his bed and lay upon straw; Sold the straw and slept on grass To buy his wife a looking-glass. UP STREET AND DOWN STREET, Each window's made of glass; If you go to Tommy Tickler’s house, You'll find a pretty lass. UP THE LADDER, DOWN THE LADDER, See the monkeys chew tobacco, How many ounces did they chew? ‘Shut your eyes and think, = Six One, two, three, four, five, six, And out you must go for saying so. WEDDING Big box, little box, Band box, bundle. Big house, little house, Pig sty, barn.OL gn nw at a a a SO OB RS ca ae Counting - Out Rhymes And Number Rhymes Boots, shoes, Slippers, clogs. Church, chapel, Cathedral, abbey. Coach, carriage, Wheelbarrow, dust cart, Gold, silver, Copper, brass. Lady, baby, Gipsy, queen. Silk, satin, Cotton, rags. This year, next year, Sometime, never. YESTERDAY UPON THE STAIR. | saw a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today — O how | wish he'd stay away. NUMBER RHYMES NUMBER ONE, NUMBER ONE, Let me take you round the sun. Number two, number two, The clouds are white, the sky is blue. Number three, number three, Ride a pony by the sea. Number four, number four, This is my house and here’s the door. Number five, number five, Here’s a pond and here we dive, ONE IS THE SUN WHO SHINES ABOVE, Two is the prince when he finds his love, The king, the queen, and their child are three, Four are the winds that blow to me, ive am I with my limbs and head, Six is the honeycomb sweetening bread, Seven are the stars that cross the sky, Eight are the hours asleep | lie. 1, 2~BUCKLE MY SHOE, 3, 4 ~shut the door, 5, 6 —pick up sticks, 7, B—lay them straight, 9, 10 ~a good fat hen, 11, 12 ~dig and delve, 13, 14 —maids a-courting, 15, 16 — maids in the kitchen, 17, 18 — maids in waiting 19, 20 — my plate’s empty. 55 ONE LITTLE INDIAN BOY MAKING A CANOE, ‘Another came to help him and then there were two. ‘Two little Indian boys climbing up a tree, They spied another one and then there were three. Three little Indian boys playing on the shore, They called another one and then there were four. Four little Indian boys learning how to dive, An older one taught them and then there were five. Five making arrows then from slender shining sticks, One came to lend @ bow and then there were six. Six little Indian boys wishing for eleven, One only could they find and then there were seven. Seven little Indian boys marched along in state, One joined the growing line and then there were eight Eight little Indian boys camping near the pine, ‘One came with bait for fish and then there were nine. Nine little Indian boys growing to be men, Captured another brave and then there were ten. See also: “This old man, he played one...” (song), p. 129 “My name is Jack Jintle”, (song), p. 128 1,2,3, Dance with me. 4:5,6, Build with bricks. 7,8,9, Walk in line.Number Rhymes ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, Mary’s at the cottage door; Five, six, seven, eight, Eating cherries off a plate. 1234567, INMY HEAD COUNT WINDOWS. SEVEN. 123, 456, Point each way, that makes six. 123.455, See my fingers five. 1,2,3, 4, Limbs I have four. 1,2,3, Earth, Air, Sea. 2,Me, You. Done! Molly de Havas 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7, Alll good children go to heaven. Apenny by the water, Twopence by the sea, Threepence on the railway, Out goes she/he. 56 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Alll good children go to heaven Ducks on the water, ships on the sea, Children in the playground — out goes she/he 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Alll good children go to heaven, Some go up and some go down, And some go all around the town. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, All good folks will go to heaven. Peter and Paul, great and small, You and me, one, two, three, ‘Out goes she/he.(ab Lada) aka) kk FUN IN SOUNDS AND RHYTHMS A CAT CAME FIDDLING OUT OF A BARN, With a pair of bagpipes under her arm; ‘She could sing nothing but fiddle-de-ct ‘The mouse has married the bumble-bee Pipe, cat ~ dance, mouse, We'll have a wedding at our good house. COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO! My dame has lost her shoe, My master has lost his fiddling stick, ‘They don't know what to do. Cock-a-doodie-doo! What is my dame to do? Till master finds his fiddling stick, She'll dance without her shoe. Find music on page 124 DOCTOR FOSTER Went to Glo’ster, Ina shower of r He stepped in a puddle Right up to his middle ‘And never went there again. DIDDLE, DIDDLE, DUMPLING, MY SON JOHN, Went to bed with his trousers on; ‘One shoe off, and one shoe on, Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John. DIDDLETY, DIDDLETY, DUMPTY, The cat ran up a plum-tree; Half a crown to fetch her down, Diddlety, diddlety, dumpty. FIDDLE-DE-DEE, FIDDLE-DE-DEE, The fly has married the bumble-bee; They went to church, and married was she, The fly has married the bumble-bee. 57 FIVE CURRANT BUNS IN THE BAKER'S SHOP, Five currant buns with a cherry on the top; Along came a boy with a penny one day, Bought a currant bun and took it away. Four currant buns Three. ..,two...,one... No currant buns in the baker’s shop, No currant buns with a cherry on the top: Along came a boy with a penny one day, "Sorry, little boy, no currant buns today”. FROM WIBBLETON TO WOBBLETON IS FIFTEEN MILES, From Wobbleton to Wibbleton is fifteen miles, From Wibbleton to Wobbleton, From Wobbleton to Wibbleton, From Wibbleton to Wobbleton is fifteen miles. GEORGIE PORGIE PUDDING AND PIE, Kissed the girls and made them cry; But when the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away. HEY, DIDDLE, DIDDLE, THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed to see such sport, ‘And the dish ran away with the spoon. HICKORY, DICKORY, DARE, ‘The pig flew up in the air. A man in brown Brought him down, Hickory, dickory, dare. HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK, The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock Find music on page 124Fun in Sounds and Rhythms HIGGLETY, PIGGLETY, POP! The dog has eaten the mop; The pig's in @ hurry, The cat's in a flurry, Higglety, pigglety, pop! HODDLEY, PODDLEY, PUDDLE AND FOGS, Cats are to marry the poodle dogs; Cats in blue jackets and dogs in red hats What will become of the mice and the rats? | HAVE NEW SHOES IN THE AUTUMN — | have new shoes in the Spring, ‘And when | wear my new shoes — | always want to sing. Little Goody Two shoes Had a pair of new shoes, And the shoes were blue shoes, Lucky goody two shoes. IF ALL THE SEAS WERE ONE SEA, What a great sea that would be! If all the trees were one tree, What a great tree that would be! And if all the axes were one axe, What a great axe that would be! And if all the men were one man, What a great man that would be! And if the great man took the great axe And cut down the great tree, And let it fall into the great sea, ‘What a splish-splash that would be! IF ALL THE WORLD WAS APPLE PIE, ‘And all the sea was ink, And all the trees were bread and cheese, What should we have for drink? JACK SPRAT COULD EAT NO FAT, His wife could eat no lean, And so between them both, you see, ‘They licked the platter clean. JOHN HAD GREAT BIG WATERPROOF BOOTS, ON, John had a great big waterproof het, John had a great big waterproof mackintosh, “And that’, said John, ‘is that’ A.A. Milne 58 MR EAST GAVE A FEAST, Mr West did his best, Mr North laid the cloth, Mr South burnt his mouth With eating hot potatoes. MR KNOX KEEPS HIS SOCKS Ina pale pink chocolate box Orange socks, with spots and clocks, Oh, funny Mr Knox, Keeps his socks in a chocolate box. MRS. WHITE HAD A FRIGHT In the middle of the night, She saw a ghost eating toast Half-way up the lamp post. “MY THREAD IS TOO THICK!” “My thread is too thin “So this is the thing we'll do: We both will ask Mother To give us another, And with it a thimble, too.” RIDE A COCKHORSE TO BANBURY CROSS To see a fine lady upon a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, And she shall have music wherever she goes. Find music on page 130 ROBIN AND RICHARD WERE TWO PRETTY MEN They lay in bed till the clock struck ten; Then up starts Robin and looks at the sky: “Oh! brother Richard, the sun’s very high; You go on with bottle and bag, ‘And I'll follow after on jolly Jack Nag.” RUB-A.DUB DUB, Three men in a tub, ‘And who do you think they be? The butcher, the baker, The candlestick-maker; Turn them out, knaves all three!Fun in Sounds and Rhythms THE DREAM OF AGIRL AT SEVENOAKS Seven sweet singing-birds up in a tree; Seven swift sailing ships white upon the se Seven bright weather-cocks shining in the sun; ‘Seven slim race-horses ready for the run: Seven gold butterflies flitting overhead, ‘Seven red roses in a garden be ‘Seven white lilies with honey-bees inside them; ‘And seven round rainbows with clouds to divide ‘them Seven nights running | dreamed it all plain — With bread and jam for supper, | could dream it all again. ‘TEN GALLOPING HORSES GALLOPING THROUGH THE TOWN. Five were white and five were brown. Five galloped up and five galloped down; ‘Ten galloping horses galloping through the town. ‘THE MAN IN THE MOON Came tumbling down, And asked the way to Norwich, He went by the south, And burnt his mouth, ‘With supping cold pease-porridge. ‘THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN Tossed up in a baske ‘Seventeen times as high as the moon, ‘And where she was going, Tcouldn’t but ask it, For in her hand she carried a broom. “Old woman, old woman, old woman,” said 1, “O, whither, O whither, O whither so high? “To sweep the cobwebs off the sky!” “May | go with you?” “Aye, by and by.” THE HUNTSMEN Three jolly gentlemen, In coats of red, Rode their horses Up to bed. Three jolly gentlemen Snored till morn, Their horses champing The golden corn. Three jolly gentlemen, At break of day, Came clitter-clatter down the stairs And galloped away Walter de la Mare TIDDLEE-WINKS AND TIDDLEE-WEE Are two little fishes that live in the sea. They are so alike that everyone thinks That Tiddlee-wee is Tiddlee-winks. TOM, TOM, THE PIPER'S SON, Stole a pig and away he ran; The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, ‘And Tom went crying down the street. TUMBLING JACK GOES CLICKETY-CLACK, Down the ladder and then comes back. Clickety-clackety, rattle and hop, Over and down again, flipperty-flop! TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE Agreed to have a battle, For Tweedledum, said Tweedledee, Had spoiled his nice new rattle. Just then flew by a monstrous crow As big as a tar-barrel, Which frightened both the heroes so, They quite forgot their quarrel.LITTLE DIALOGUES “OH GOOD MORNING, MRS APPELBY, HOW ARE You?” “Thank you fine, Mrs. Thompson, and how about you?"” “What a fine day to-day, don't you think so, too?” “Yes, indeed, such a fine day, good for me and good for you!” “ROBERT BARNES, FELLOW FINE, Can you shoe this horse of mine?” “Yes, good sir, that | can, ‘As well as any other man. Here’s a nail and there's a prod, And now, good sir, your horse is shod.” “BILLY, BILLY, COME AND PLAY, While the sun shines bright as day.”” “Yes, my Polly, so | will, For | love to please you still.”” “Billy, Billy, have you seen ‘Sam and Betsy on the green?” “Yes, my Polly, | saw them pass, Skipping o'er the new-mown grass.”” “Billy, Billy, come along, And I will sing @ pretty song.” jh, then, Polly, I'll make haste, Not one moment will | waste, But will come and hear you sing, And my fiddle | will bring.” DAME TROT AND HER CAT Sat down for a chat; ‘The dame sat on this side, ‘And Pussy sat on that. “Pussy”, says the dame, “Can you catch a rat Or a mouse in the dark at that?” “Purr”, says the cat. "O DANDELION, YELLOW AS GOLD, What do you do all day?” "1 just wait here in the tall green grass Till the children come to play.” 60 “0 Dandelion, yellow as gold, What do you do all night?” "| wait and wait till the cold dews fall ‘And my hair grows long and white.”” “And what do you do when your hair is white And the children come to play?” "They take me up in their dimpled hands ‘And blow my hair away!”” FERRY ME ACROSS THE WATER, Do, boatman, do!” “If you've a penny in your purse, Il ferry you."” “I have a penny in my purse, ‘And my eyes are blue; So ferry me across the water, Do, boatman, do!” “Step into my ferry-boat, Be they black or blue, And for the penny in your purse Wil ferry you.” | MET A LITTLE ELF-MAN ONCE, Down where the lilies blow. | asked, “Why are you so small? Why don’t you ever grow?” He slightly frowned, and with his eye He looked me through and through. “I'm quite as big for me,” said he, “As you are big for you.” “MISTRESS MARY, QUITE CONTRARY, How does your garden grow?” “With cockle-shells and silver bells, And pretty maids all in a row.”” MRS. MASON BOUGHT A BASIN. Mrs, Tyson said, “What a nice ‘un!”” “What did it cost?” said Mrs. Frost. “Half a crown,” said Mrs. Brown. “Did it, indeed?” said Mrs. Reed. “It did for certain,” said Mrs, Burton. Then Mrs. Nix, up to her tricks, Threw the basin on the bricks.Oy May ay Uy Uy Tay Eat aad Little Dialogues WE HAVE COME FOR POLLY ANN, Polly Ann, Polly Ann, We have come for Polly Ann: Can she come out to play? Polly Ann is sweepin, Is sweeping, is sweeping, Polly Ann is sweeping, She can’t come out to play. We have come for Polly Ann, Polly Ann, Polly Ann, We have come for Polly Ann Can she come out to play? Polly Ann is eating, |s eating, is eating, Polly Ann is eating, She can’t come out to play. How many more reasons can Mother find for not letting Polly Ann go out to play? ONE MISTY, MOISTY MORNING, When cloudy was the weather, I chanced to meet an old man Clothed all in leather; He began to compliment, And | began to grin, “How do you do?” and “How do you do?” And ""How do you do?” again! “OLD WOMAN, OLD WOMAN, WILL YOU COME A-SHEARING?” “Speak a little louder, sir, I'm very hard of hearing.” “Old woman, old woman, will you come a-gleaning?” "Speak alittle louder, sir, | cannot tell your meaning.” “Old woman, old woman, will you come a-walking?” “Speak a little louder, sir, or what's the use of talking.” “Old woman, old woman, shall | love you dearly?” "Thank you very kindly, sir — | hear you very clearly.” 61 WISHES “What do you look for, what do you seek?” “A silver bird with a golden beak.” “What do you long for, what do you crave?” "Golden gems in a silver cave.” “What do you lack, and what do you need?” “"A silver sword and a golden steed.” “What do you want, of what do you dream?” "A golden ship on a silver stream.” ‘What do you have, and what do you own?” “A silver robe and a golden crown.” “What would you be, oh what would you be?” “Only the king of the land and the sea.”” PUSSY SITS BESIDE THE FIRE; HOW CAN SHE BE SO FAIR? In walks the little dog; says, "Pussy, are you there How do you do, Mistress Pussy, tell me, how do y¢ do?” “I thank you kindly, little dog; | fare as well as yo “WHO'S THAT RINGING AT THE FRONT DOO BELL?” “I'm little Pussy-cat and I'm not very well.” “Then rub your nose in a bit of mutton fat, For that’s the way to cure a little Pussy-cat”. SIX LITTLE MICE SAT DOWN TO SPIN. Pussy passed by and she peeped in: “What are you doing, my little men?” “Weaving coats for gentlemen.” “You look so wondrous wise, | like your whiskers and bright black eyes, Your house is the nicest house | see, | think there is room for you and me. ‘So may I come in and cut off your threads?” “Oh no, Mrs Pussy, you would bite off our heads.” “Oh no, I'll not; Ill help you to spin’. “That may be so, but you can’t come in!”” Lines five to eight can be left out, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MY LITTLE CAT?” “I'm going to town to buy @ new hat!” ‘What? A hat for a cat? A cat get a hat! Your head is too round, and your face is too flat. Who ever saw a cat with a hat?”Little Dialogues “WHERE ARE YOU GOING, My little kittens?” ‘We are going to town To get us some mittens.”” “What! mittens for kittens! Do kittens wear mittens? ‘Who ever heard of kittens with mittens?”” “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” "TO THE GROCER’S SHOP”. “How will you get there?” “With a skip and a hop. “What will you buy there?” “A piece of cheese.’” “May | come with you?” “Yes, if you please.” “WILLY BOY, WILLY BOY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? 1 will go with you if | may.” “I'm going to the meadow to see them a-mowing, am going to help them to make the new hay.”” “WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO, MY PRETTY main?” “I'm going a-mitking, sir, “she said “May | go with you, my pretty maid?” “You're kindly welcome, sir,” she said. “Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid?” “Yes, if you please, kind sir,” she said, “What is your father, my pretty maid?” “My father’s a farmer, sir,” she said. “What is your fortune, my pretty maid?” “Then | can’t marry you, my pretty maid.” “Nobody asked you, sir,’" she said. Find music on page 139 LONDON TOWN “Which is the way to London Town?” “Over the hills, across the down Over the ridges and over the bridges, That is the way to London Town. “And what shall | see in London Town?” “Many a building old and brown, Many a real, old-fashioned street You'll be sure to see in London Town. 62 "What else shall I see in London Town?” “Many a maiden in silken gown; Pretty pink faces, tied up in laces, You'll certainly see in London Town.” “Then onward | hurried to London Town, Over the hills and across the down, Over the ridges and over the bridges, Until | found me in London Town.”* "WHICH IS THE WAY TO LONDON TOWN, To see the King in his golden crown?” "One foot up and one foot down, That's the way to London Town. "Which is the way to London Town, To see the Queen in her silken gown?" “Left! Right! Left! Right! Up and down, Soon you'll be in London Town!” “SEE-SAW, SACRADOWN, Which is the way to London town?"” “One foot up and the other foot down, That is the way to London town. And just the same, over dale and hill, Is also the way to wherever you will.” "HICKORY, DICKORY, SACKORY DOWN! How many miles to Richmond town?” "Turn to the left and turn to the right, ‘And you may get there by Saturday night.”” “HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON?” "Three score miles and ten!” “Can | get there by candle light?” "Yes, and back again! — If your heels are nimble and light, You may get there by candle light. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, Miss Marjorie Keen?” "To Banbury Fair, Ina carriage and pair.” “And what could there be That was funny to see?” "A dame in a wig Acdancing a jig.”” “And what did you get For six pennies, my pet?” “A pink sugar mouse And a gingerbread house.””Cb aaa aaa, Little Dialogues “LITTLE MAID, LITTLE MAID, WHERE HAVE: YOU BEEN?” “V've been to see grandmother over the green.” “What did she give you?” “Milk in a can.” "What did you say for it?" "Thank you, Grandam.”* “LITTLE GIRL, LITTLE GIRL, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” "Gathering roses to give to the queen.”” “Little gic, little girl, what gave she you?" “She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.” 63 “PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” “I've been to London to look at the Queen.”” “Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, what did you there?” “| frightened a little mouse under her chair.” Find music on p. 140 “PRETTY MAID, PRETTY MAID, WHERE HAVE You BEEN?” “"Gathering posy to give to the Queen.” “Pretty maid, pretty maid, what gave she you?” “She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.”ACTION RHYMES AND PARTS OF THE BODY OPEN THEM AND CLOSE THEM, And lift them in the air. Open them and close them, ‘And put them on your hair. Open them and close them, And give a little clap. ‘Open them and close them, ‘And put them on your lap. ''M STANDING, I’M SITTING, 'm writing, I'm knitting, 'm reading, I'm counting, I'm swimming, I'm mounting. I'm eating, I'm drinking, I'm talking, I'm thinking, I'm giving, I'm taking, Vm sweeping, I'm baking. 1'm laughing, I'm looking, I'm washing, I'm cooking, 'm driving, I'm rowing, I'm kneeling, I’m growing. | show my right hand, | show my left hand, | show both my hands, And now I will sit still, MY DEEDS I WILL DO With my feet on the ground, My head will direct them That they may be sound, lise Brunotte |CAN KNOCK WITH MY TWO HANDS; Knock, knock, knock! | can rock with my two hands: Rock, rock, rock. can tap with my two hand: Tap, tap, tap! | can clap with my two hands; Clap, clap, clap. Find music on page 122 64 LET YOUR HANDS SO LOUDLY CLAP, CLAP, cLaP, Let your fingers loudly snap, snap, snap. Then fold your arms and shut your eyes, And quiet be. Swiftly roll your hands so wide awake. Let your fingers briskly shake, shake, shake. Then fold your arms and shut your eyes, And quiet be. Let us climb a ladder, do not fall, Till at last we reach a steeple tall. Then fold your arms and shut your eyes, And quiet be. See also: “Round and round the apple-tree ...” (song), page 122 YOU TWIDDLE YOUR THUMBS AND CLAP YOUR HANDS, And then you stamp your feet You turn to the left, you turn to the right, You make your fingers meet. You make @ bridge, you make an arch, You give another clap. You wave your hands, you fold your hands, Then lay them in your lap. THIS IS MY RIGHT HAND, 111 raise it up high This is my left hand, M1 touch the sky. Right hand, left hand, Roll them around. Left hand, right hand, Pound, pound, pound MY HANDS UPON MY HEAD | PLACE, On my shoulders, on my face, On my lips, by my side, Then behind me they will hide Then I will hold them way up high, And let my fingers quickly fly Hold them down in front of me Then I'l clap them, one ~ two ~ three“ee eee eee aeeaeaeeaeaeaeaeal Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body TWO LITTLE FEET GO Tap, TAP, TAP, Two little hands go clap, clap, clap. A quiet litte leap up from my chair. Two little arms reach high in the air. ‘Two little feet go jump, jump, jump. Two little fists go thump, thump, thump Then we put on @ golden crown, And last of all sit quietly down. BOOTS ~ SHOES ~ SANDALS My Wellington boots go ‘Thump-thump, thump-thump, My leather shoes go Pitpat, pitpat, But my rubber sandals Make no noise at all. CLAPPING RHYTHM Two children facing each other alternately clap their ‘own hands and touch that of the other crosswise (right to right,then left to left), throughout. At the end, they clap both hands straight across: Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot Nine days old. Some like it hot, Some like it cold, Some like it in the pot Nine days old. STRAIGHT AS A SPEAR | STAND, Strength fills my arms and legs, Warm is my heart with love. Molly de Havas STRONG IS MY ARM, Wakeful my head: Warm be my heart, And firm be my tread. 65 1AM TALL, TALL AS A TREE; | can see far, far as a star. In my heart | behold The sun shine like gold. IF | WERE, O-SO VERY TALL, Vd walk among the trees, ‘And stretch to reach the top-most leaf As easily as you please, If I were, © —so very small, ''d hide myself away, And creep into a buttercup To spend the Summer day. \'M TIP-TOEING HERE, 'm tip-toeing there, In my little blue sii bought at the fai They tinkle and twinkle Wherever I go, The bells on my slippers That swing to and fro. pers LITTLE BETTY BLUE Has a button on her shoe, But she’s too fat to button it, So what can Betty do? ‘She can ask her brother Paul, Who is rather thin and small, Then he will come and button it Without a fuss at all | CAN TURN MYSELF AND TURN MYSELF. Or curl up when | will, | can stand on tiptoe reaching high, Or hold myself quite still, Molly de Havas UP | STRETCH ON TIPPY-TOE, Down to touch my heels | go. Up again my arms I send, Down again my knees | bend,Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body HERE WE GO UP, UP, UP, And here we go down, down, downy, Here we go backwards and forwards, ‘And here we go round, round, roundy. OVER STONE, OVER STICK, Not too slow, not too quick, Not too quick, not too slow, ‘That's the way big men do go. SKIPPING ‘Skippety skip, skippety skip! Under and over, With never a slip. Pepper and salt, Pepper and salt! Over and under, With never a halt — That's how it's done — Isn't it fun? And isn’t skipping easy? Skippety skip, skippety skip! Skippety skip, Skippety skip! Hold the rope slackly, Give it a flip, Shut your lips tight, Make your feet light, ‘Skip on your toes if you Want to skip right — Hold your head straight — Isn't it gre That skipping is so easy? 1 E. Mackay ROPE SKIPPING Salt and pepper, Vinegar, mustard, Cinnamon, cloves And spice; Over our heads With a twirly whirly, Apples and pears And rice. 66 ONE LITTLE GIRL SAT ON THE GROUND, One little girl danced round and round One little girl danced here, danced there, One little girl danced everywhere. Two little girls sat on the ground, Two little girls danced round and round, Two little girls danced here, danced there, Two little girls danced everywhere Three, four, etc. During Verse 1 one child performs the necessary actions. During Verse 2 there are two children performing. During Verse 3 there are three. And soon. I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT, SHORT AND STOUT; Children make themselves stout. Here’s my handle, here’s my spout. Put one hand on hip, hold out the other arm as @ spout. When | see the tea-cups, hear me shout, Stand as above. ‘Tip me up and pour me out.” Tip slowly to the side of the outstretched arm. Find music on p. 128 OUR CLASSROOM ‘The windows are to the left The door is to the right The blackboard is in front The cupboard is behind. The paperbasket is in the corner, The pictures are on the wall The lamps are on the ceiling, In our cupboard there is a ball, THE CEILING ABOVE OUR HEADS, The floor beneath our feet, The walls around us stand, The windows look outside. RUN TO THE WINDOW, Sit on the floor, Point to the ceiling, And skip to the door!ay aaa) aa) yaya Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body REACH UP TO THE CEILING’ Reach down to the floor! Stand up straight And stretch your arms Till they can stretch no more. Bring them in and let them fall, ‘Then you must bend your knees, Put your hands above your head, ‘And do not wobble, please! SLIP ONE AND TWO, Children join hands in a circle and take two sliding ‘steps to the left. Jump three and four, ‘Make two little jumps. Drop hands. Turn around swiftly Turn round once. And sit upon the floor. ‘Sit on the floor with legs crossed. Clap one and two, Clap twice. Nod three and four, Nod twice. Jump up again Jump up. And be ready for more. Join hands again ready for the next time. Find music on page 121 RAISE YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD, Clap them one, two, three; Rest them now upon your hips, Slowly bend your knees. Up again and stand erect, Put your right foot out; ‘Shake your fingers, nod your hes And twist yourself about Find music on page 121 MIX A PANCAKE, Stir a pancake, Pop it in the pan. Fry the pancake, Toss the pancake, Catch it if you can. Christina Rossetti 67 GENTLY, GENTLY, ‘Swingin your cradle, Little brown coon In your fine plaited cradle. No bear from the forest Can find you nor take you, No lion, no tiger, No bear from the forest. So gently, gently, Swing in your cradl Little brown coon In your fine plaited bed. BALL-GAME Bounce ball! Bounce ball! One — two — three. Underneath my right leg And round about my knee. Bounce ball! Bounce ball! Bird — or — bee Flying from the rose-bud Up into the tree. Bounce ball! Bounce ball! Fast — you ~ 90 Underneath my left leg And round about my toe. Bounce ball! Bounce ball! Butt — er — fly Flying from the rosebud Up in the sky. Bounce ball! Bounce ball! You —can‘t —stop, Right leg and left leg Round them both you hop. Bounce ball! Bounce ball! Shy — white — dove. Tell me how to find him, My own true love BUILD A HOUSE WITH FIVE BRICKS, One, two, three, four, five. . Use clenched fists for bricks, putting one on top of ‘the other five times Put a roof on top. Raise both arms above head with fingers touching And a chimney too, Straighten arms Where the wind blows through . .. Whoo — whoo. Blow hardAction Rhymes and Parts of the Body FIVE LITTLE BROTHERS SET OUT TOGETHER, To journey the live-long day, In an odd little carriage, all made of leather, They hurried away, away — One big brother and three qui And one fellow, no size at all. small, ‘The carriage was dark and none too roomy, And they could not move about; The five little brothers grew very gloomy, And the wee one began to pout; Till the biggest one whispered: What do you say? Let's leave the carriage and run away.” So out they scampered, the five together, And off and away they sped. When somebody found the carriage of leather, ‘Oh, my! how she shook her head! ‘Twas her little boy’s shoe, as everyone knows, And the five little brothers were five little toes! Ella Wheeler Wilcox PARTS OF THE BODY THIS IS MY MOUTH, MY MOUTH, MY MOUTH, These are my teeth, my teeth, my teeth, My little fingernails are these. This is my neck, my neck, my neck, This is my breast, my breast, my breast, This is my back, my back, my back. These are my elbows, my elbows, my elbows, These are my fists, my fists, my fists, ‘These are my shoulders, my shoulders, my shoulders, These are my wrists, my wrists, my wrists. # Now look at my hair — is it dark, is it fair? My eyebrows, my forehead, my ears and my lips, My feet and my little fingertips. Now that is nearly all | can tell, But my cheeks and my chin I can show you as well. This can, of course, be varied in many ways $0 as to include e.g. head, arms, legs, feet, etc. THESE ARE MY EYES And these are my toes, These are my fingers And this is my nose. ‘These are my knees And this is my head, And when | sleep Lam in bed. My arms and legs use to play, Abhappy child The whole long day See also: “Head and shoulders...” (song), p. 120 68 1 HAVE TWO FEET, Two hands, you see, ‘Two ears, one nose, And this is me. My hands have ten fingers. My feet have ten toes. | write with my fingers. | dance on my toes. LITTLE EYES SEE PRETTY THINGS, Little nose smells what is sweet, Little ears hear pleasant sounds, Mouth likes luscious things to eat. TWO LITTLE EYES TO LOOK AROUND, ‘Two little ears to hear each sound, One little nose to smel! what's sweet, One little mouth that likes to eat. WE LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN WITH OUR EARS, We look, look, look with our eyes, We speak, speak, speak with our mouths, ete. | HAVE TEN LITTLE FINGERS, I have ten little toes. I have two ears, two eyes, And just one nose.ae La aaa Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body MY TEETH ARE WHITE, ‘THE TREES ARE WAVING TO AND FRO, My eyes are blue, Just like this; just like this; My lips are red, Branches swaying high and low, They speak to you. Just like this; just like this. ‘My hands have ten fingers, ‘The waves are tossing up and down, My feet have ten toes, Just like this; just like this; | write with my fingers, On the sand lies seaweed brown, I dance on my toes. Just like this; just like this. Ihave two feet, The birds are always on the wing, Two hands you see, Just like this; just like this; Two ears, one nose, Bees are humming in the ling. And this is me. Just like this; just like this. ‘The gnats are darting through the air, Just like this; just like thi Dragon-flies flit here and there, THE TEETH Just like this; just like this. Thirty white horses Squirrels are racing up the trees, Upon a red hill; Just like this; just like thi Now they stamp, Rabbits scurry o'er the leas, Now they champ, Just like this; just like thi Now they stand still Forest ponies frisk and prance, oe Just like this; just like this; Little children play and dance. Just like this; just like this. THE WIND BLOWS HIGH And the wind blows low, ‘THE ELVES’ DANCE To the right and the left ‘And around we go. Round about, round about Ina fair ring The wind blows low Thus we dance, thus we dance ‘And the wind blows high, And then we sing: And we wave our arms ‘Trip and go, to and fro Toreach the sky Over this green; All about, in and out, For our brave Queen.” FLOWERS GROW LIKE THIS, Cup hands. Trees grow like this; “ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, Spread arms. Once I caught a fish alive, grow Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jump up and stretch, But I let it go again.” Just like that! "Why did you let it go?”” "Because it bit my finger so.”” "Which finger did it bite?” “The little finger on the right.”” HERE IS A TREE WITH ITS LEAVES SO GREEN, ‘Stretch arms out Here are the apples that hang between, Clench fists MY LITTLE SHIP IS SAILING, When the wind Blows, the apples will fall Sailing on the sea Drop arms I throw out a net Here is a basket to gather them all And catch a fish —~ for me: Interiock fingers One hand is the ship 69Action Rhymes and Parts of the Body A LITTLE COCK SPARROW SAT ON A GREEN TREE, ‘And he chirrupped, he chirrupped, so merry was he. A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow, Says he, “Il! shoot this little cock sparrow. His body will make me a nice little stew, And his giblets will make me a little pie too.” "Oh, no," said the sparrow, "I won't make a stew.” ‘So he fluttered his wings and away he flew. 70(mb Go) Aaa) ad) a) aa) GOD BLESS THE PLOUGHMAN And God bless his team, Ashe ploughs, as he ploughs, Ashe ploughs the land. God bless the Sower And God bless the seed, Ashesows, as he sows, Ashe sows the land. God bless the Reaper ‘And God bless the scythe, As he reaps, as he reaps, ‘As he reaps the corn. God bless the Thresher And God bless his flail, As he threshes, as he threshes, As he threshes the corn. God bless the Miller And God bless his mill, As he grinds, as he grinds, As he grinds the corn to flour. God bless the Baker And God bless the dough, As he bakes, as he bakes, As he bakes it into bread. God bless the Father And God bless the Mother And all the little Children, too; As they eat, as they eat, As they eat the bread And grow strong and praise Thee — That they may Plough, plough, plough, Sow, sow, sow, Reap, reap, reap, Thresh, thresh, thresh, Grind, grind, grind, Bake, bake, bake, ‘And eat their daily bread, For which we thank Thee, Father. PEOPLE AND OCCUPATIONS n WORKING ‘The Farmer is sowing his seed, In the field he is sowing his seed. ‘The Reaper is cutting the hay, In the meadow is cutting the hay. The Gardener is digging the ground, In the garden is digging the ground. ‘The Woodsman is chopping the tree, In the forest is chopping the tree. The Fisher is drawing his nets, In the sea he is drawing his nets. The Builder is laying the bricks, In the wall he is laying the bricks. The Cobbler is mending the shoes, In the shop he is mending the shoes. The Miller is grinding the corn, In the mill he is grinding the corn. ‘The Baker is kneading the dough, In the kitchen is kneading the dough. ‘The Mother is rocking her child, In her arms she is rocking her child. Molly de Havas WITH HORSE AND PLOUGH To work we go In furrow brown The corn to sow. To springing plants The sun gives birth, While roots are held In clasp of earth. With wind and rain, With warmth and light The force of heart And hand unite, That corn may grow The meal to give To make the bread Whereby we live. THE FARMER SOWS HIS SEEDS, The farmer sows seeds, Oats, beans and barley O The farmer sows his seeds. The wind begins to blow; The wind begins to blow, Oats, beans and barley O The wind begins to blow. etd.People and Occupations The rain begins to fall, ‘The rain begins to fall, Oats, beans and barley O The rain begins to fall. ‘The sun begins to shine, ‘The wheat begins to grow, . . ‘The farmer cuts the grain, . ‘The farmer binds the sheaves, And now the harvest’s in, A FARMER ONCE PLANTED SOME LITTLE BROWN SEEDS With a pit-a-pit, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat-pat. He watered them often and pulled up the weeds With a tug-tug at this, and a tug-tug at that. The little seeds grew tall and green in the sun With @ push-push up here, and a push-push up there, And a beautiful plant grew from every one, With a hey-diddle, holding their heads in the air. ‘See also: “What does the farmer do in the spring?” p. 11 “1 saw the farmer plough the field”, p. 14 “1 will go with my father” (song), p. 138 “Oats, and beans, and barley grows” (Singing Game), p. 107 LITTLE BOY BLUE, COME BLOW YOUR HORN, The cow's in the meadow, the sheep’s in the corn. Where is the boy that looks after the sheep? He’s under the haystack fast asleep. MERRILY FORTH AT BREAK OF DAY, All in the midsummer sun, Into the meadow to mow the hay, There we will have some fun. We swing our scythes so blithe and gay, Alll in the midsummer sun, We'll cut and hew, we'll swish and sway, Till our work is done. We toss the grass so long and fair, Alll in the midsummer sun, Its fragrance fills the sunlit air, Till the day is done. Briskly into haycocks steep, All in the midsummer sun, The dry and fragrant hay we'll keep. Till our work is done. 72 Slowly home we wind our way, Alll in the midsummer sun, Glad are we at the end of day, That our work is done, Then let us all, my merry men, Thank the sun on high, For all the gifts he showers on us ‘As he circles through the sky. HARVEST A farmer rose at the break of day, He got on his horse and he galloped away. He galloped away, he galloped away, He got on his horse and he galloped away. “Oh come, all my men, oh come,” said he, “Our carrots and turnips for to see. {In the warm brown earth they have grown so bi We must bring our spades and dig and dig. So fetch our spades and come along To dig up the roots with our arms so strong, To lay them out in the sun to dry, ‘And then, on the cart, pile them up on high.”” THE WINDMILL, Behold! A giant am | Aloft here in my tower With my granite jaws | devour The maize, and the wheat, and the rye, * And grind them into flour. look down over the farms. In the fields of grain | see The harvest that is to be, And | fling to the air my arms, For | know it is all for me | stand here in my place, With my foot on the rock below. And whichever way it may blow, I meet it face to face, ‘As @ brave man meets his foeaie waa aa a a a a aaa WHEN THE WIND BLOWS, The mill goes, When the wind drops, The mill stops. Blow, wind, blow! Now the wind is blowing, So the mill is going Go, mill, go! BLOW, WIND, BLOW! Go, mill, go! That the miller may grind his corn, That the baker may take it And into rolls bake it, ‘And bring us some hot in the morn. THE MILLER The windmill stands out On the top of the hill, ‘And when the wind blows The great sails ne'er stand still. We'll go up and talk To the miller so gay, And then to grind corn He will show us the way: Chorus: The long arms go round, The wheels go click-clack, The white flour slips down ‘And is caught in a sack The miller’s man carries it Off to make bread, For little boys, litte girls All must be fed. The miller is dusty, His clothes are all white, He's working amongst flour From morning till night. The sacks are so heavy, They make him quite hot, But he laughs at hard work And he cares not a jot. Chorus: The long arms go round WINDING AND GRINDING, Round goes the mill, Winding and grinding, Can never stand still. ‘Ask not if your neighbour Grinds great or small, Spare not your labour, Grind the wheat al. People and Occupations 73 Winding and grinding, Round goes the mill, Winding and grinding, Can never stand still. THE MILL WHEEL Round, round it goes! As fast the water flows The dripping, dropping, rolling wheel That turns the noisy, dusty mill; Round, round it goes! As fast the water flows. Turning all the day, it never stops to play; The dripping, dropping, rolling wheel, But keeps on grinding golden meal. Turning all the day, it never stops to play. ‘Sparkling in the sun, the merry waters run. Upon the foaming, flashing wheel ‘That laughs aloud, but worketh still, Sparkling in the sun, the merry waters run. PAT-A-CAKE, PAT-A-CAKE, Baker's man, Bake me a cake As fast as you can. Pat it and prick it And mark it with B, And put it in the oven For Baby and me. SHOPPING ‘There was a young lady went into a shop, Hipperty, hopperty, hipperty hop. She filled up her basket, with eggs on the top, Tipperty, topperty, tipperty top. But when she was going she let them all drop, Dripperty, dropperty, dripperty drop. The flour and the bacon fell down with a flop, Flipperty, flopperty, flipperty flop. ‘And one of the bottles went off with a pop, Pipperty, popperty, pipperty pop. The shopman he cleaned it all up with a mop, And that’s all the story; so there we can stop. A. LeylandPeople and Occupations ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, HOP, Now we go to the grocer’s shop. ‘There we buy honey, milk, and jam, Bread and butter, eggs and ham Hella Loewe See also: “We must go a-shopping’ (song), p. 136 “Where are you going? To the grocer’s shop” (dialogue) p. 62 “What would you like to buy?” (game), p. 96 TO MARKET To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, dancing a jig To market, to market, to buy a fat hog, Home again, home again, jiggety-jog. To market, to market, a gallop, a trot, To buy some good mutton to put in the pot. To market, to market, to buy a plum bun, Home again, home again, market is done. See also: “Sing hey! ‘Tis market day” (song), p. 133 OFF WE GO TO MARKET 1, We feed the chickens every day, Action of feeding chickens. Singing as we go Partners take hands and swing across to opposite position We gather up the eggs they lay, Action of picking up eggs. Singing as we go. Partners take hands and swing back to places. Then off we go to market, Off we go to market, Off we go to market, Singing as we go. ‘Still with hands across, a follow the firt couple down the room and back to place. 2. We plant the turnips in the ground, Singing as we go. We pull them when they ‘re large and round, Singing as we go. Then off we go to market, Off we go to market, Off we go to market, Singing as we go. 3. We gather cherries ripe and red. Singing as we go. We put them in a basket bed, Singing as we go. Then off we go to market, Off we go to market. Off we go to market Singing as we go. TOWN CRIES AND STREET CALLS ‘Thus go the cries in London Town: First they go up street, and then they go down. Thomas Heywood, 1609 THE PEAR SELLER Pears for pies, ‘Come feast your eyes! Ripest pears of every size. Who'll buy? Who'll buy? THE TINKER Have you any work for a tinker, mistress? Old brass, old pots, or kettles? Vil mend them all with a tink, terry tink, And never hurt your metals. 74 THE APPLE SELLER Here are fine golden pippins — Who'll buy them, who'll buy? No one in London sells better than I — Who'll buy them, who'll buy? THE NUT SELLER Crack them and try them, Before you buy them, Eight a penny, all new walnuts! Crack them and try them, Before you buy them, A shilling a hundred, all new walnuts!THE CHERRY SELLER Round and sound, ‘Tuppence a pound, Cherries! rare, ripe cherries! As big as plums: Who comes? who comes? Cherries! rare, ripe cherries! ‘THE BROOM SELLER New brooms, maids new brooms! Buy my brooms To sweep your rooms. New brooms, maids, new brooms! Here’s a large one for the lady, Here’s a small one for the baby Come buy, my pretty lady, Come buy o'me a broom. THE DAIRYMAN Rain, frost, or snow, or hot or cold, | travel up and down; The cream and milk you buy of me Is best in all the Town. For custards, puddings, or for t ‘There's none like those you buy of me. THE HOT PEASE MAN Piping hot, smoking hot, What I've got, you have not. Hot, hot pease, hot, hot, hot; Hot are my pease, hot. CHAIRS TO MEND If I'd. as much money as | could spend, I never would ery, Old chairs to mend Old chairs to mend! Old chairs to mend! I never would cry, Old chairs to mend! THE GINGERBREAD MAN ‘Smiling girls, rosy boys, ‘Come and buy my little toys: Monkeys made of gingerbread, ‘And suger horses painted red. ‘THE TOY LAMB SELLER Get ready your money and come to me, 1 sell a young lamb for one penny Young lambs to sell! Young lambs to sell! People nd Occupations 75 OLD CLOTHES, ANY OLD CLO’, CLO’ If I'd as much money As I could tell, I never would ery, Old clothes to sell! Old clothes to sell! I never would cry, Old clothes to sell! THE RABBIT MAN Here | am with my rabbits Hanging on my pole, ‘The finest Hampshire rabbits That e’er crept from a hole. BUY ANY BUTTONS? Buttons, a farthing a pair, Come, who will buy them of me? They are round and sound and pretty, ‘And fit for the girls of the city. Come, wo will buy them of me? Buttons, a farthing a pair. "BLACK YOUR HONOUR’S SHOES?’ Here’s Finiky Hawkes, ‘As busy as any; Will well black your shoes, ‘And charge but a penny. HOT CROSS BUNS Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! (One @ penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns! If your daughters do not like them Give them to your sons; And if you have not any of these pretty little elves, You cannot do better than eat them yourselves. SWEET BLOOMING LAVENDER Come all you young ladies and make no delay — | gathered my lavender fresh from Mitcham today. Will you buy my sweet blooming lavender? There are sixteen dark blue branches @ penny. You buy it once you will buy it twice; It will make your clothes smell sweet and nice, Who'll buy my sweet blooming lavender? Sixteen full branches a penny. Find more “Town Cries and Street Calls,” and the music to them, on p. 134People and Occupations CAN YOU TELL ME, Can you tell me, What the farmers do? They plough the ground, They plough the ground, ‘And so | will plough too. Can you tell me, Can you tell me, What the millers do? They grind the corn, They grind the corn, And so I will grind too. Bakers . . . bake the bread. Cobblers . . . stitch the shoes... Can you tell me, Can you tell me, What little boys do? They run and jump, They run and jump, So I will jump too. Can you tell me, Can you tell me, What little girls do? They dance and skip, They dance and skip, So | will skip too. Can you tell me, Can you tell me, What little babies do? They eat and sleep, They eat and sleep, So | will sleep too. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE? What are you going to be? | shall be garage hand, That's the life for me, What are you going to be? What are you going to be? I shall be a fireman, That's the life for me Mason Carpenter Tailor Engine driver . Pilot Ete. See also: “When | was a young girl”, (Singing Game), p. 102 “Who'll help the blacksmith?” (Singing Game), p. 99 76 ‘THE CHOICE OF TRADES When | am a man, "il be a carpenter, if I can. 111 plane like this, and I'll hammer so! And this is the way my saw shall go. Vil make pretty houses, and boxes and boats. And a ship that shall race every vessel, that floats — When | am a man. When | am a man, Vil be a blacksmith, if I can. Clink, clink, clink, shall my anvil ring And this is the way my hammer shall swing. I shoe your horse Sir, neat and tight And trot down the lane to see if it's right — When | am aman, When | am aman, 111 be a mason, if I can. Mil lay the bricks this way, and lay one that Then take my trowel and smooth them flat. Great chimneys I'll make — | think I'll be able To build one as high as the Tower of Babel — When | am a man. When Iam aman, Vil be a farmer, if I can. '"1I plough the ground, and seed 11! sow Il reap the grain, and the grass I'll mow VIL bind the sheaves, I'll rake the hay ‘And throw it up on the stack this way — When 1am a man. Together: When we are men, We hope to do great things — and then Whatever we do, this thing we say, We'll do our work in the very best way. And you shall see if you know us then. We'll be good and honest and useful men — ‘When we are men ‘See also: "What can you do?” (game), p. 96 THE CARPENTER Hl be a carpenter, Working in wood, Trying my best To be clever and good. Give me a hammer And give me some nails, See how Il turn Little posts into rails, td.‘Then when the hammering Will not succeed, ‘Some other method Of work we shall need. Bring me a screw-driver, Bring me some screws, These | will show you 1 know how to use. Then, if a mighty beam Smaller should be, Give me asaw, ‘And a sight you shall see. Upwards and downwards The saw will be drawn, Till into pieces The log has been sawn. But if the ruggedness Still should annoy, Planing will soon every Blemish destroy. Backwards and forwards I work with my plane, Till not a splinter Or knot shall remain ‘THE BUILDER 'm a builder, brisk and sturdy, Working at my trade, Ican show how bricks and mortar Always should be laid. Lay the first brick, so, and tap it, Then put mortar on, Place the next brick square across it — That's the way it’s done. When we go to build a mansion, Cellars frst we di Put the walls up straight and steady With our scaffolds big. Bricks we carry up by loadfuls, On our shoulders so, Up and down the ladders quickly ‘See us come and go. On the roof smooth slates we fasten, Nailing them quite tight. Fix the chimney-pots securely From the north wind’s might. Then when all the house is finished, Shining in the sun, Flags we hoist to tell all people, That our work is done. People and Occupations 7 SMITH’S SONG Ding, dong, didero — Blow big bellows. Ding, dong, didero — Black coal yellows. Ding, dong, didero — Blue steel mellows. Ding, dong, didero — Strike, good fellows. Up with the hammers, Down with the sledges. Hark to the clamours, Pound now the edges. Work it and watch it, Round, flat or square oh, Spade, hook or hatchet — ‘Sword for a hero. Ding, dong, didero — Ding, dong, didero — Spade for a labourer Sword for a hero. Hammer it, stout smith, Rightly, lightly, Hammer it, hammer it, Hammer at it brightly. ALL THE NIGHT ‘And all day long | hear the sound Of the blacksmith’s song; Red his fire, ‘The bright sparks fly To dance with stars In the joyous sky. THE SMITHY The smithy, the smithy, A little black house, With a little black cat And a little black mouse. ‘The blacksmith, the blacksmith, So big and so strong, With a fine leather apron Both broad and long. He hammers once, He hammers twice, — Out runs the cat, And out run the mice. ‘Magda MaierPeople and Occupations THE BLACKSMITHS” Swart, smirched, smiths, smattered with smoke Drive mie to death with din of their dents, Such noise on nights ne‘er heard man never, Such clashing of cries and clattering of knocks, The craftsmen clamour for coal, coal, coal, And blow their bellows their brains to burst, ‘They jostle and jangle, they jape and they jest ‘They groove and they grind and they grumble together, Hot with the heaving of heated hammers. OF thick bull’s hide are their branded aprons, Their shanks are shod ‘gainst shooting sparks. Huge hammers they have and hard to handle, Stark strokes strike they on the steeled stock Well wrought, well wrought, well wrought, Might daunt the devil such life they lead — All armourers, founded, forgemen, Christ save them! 14th cent. poem FORGE ME WITH FIRE A SWORD FOR MY SMITING,” Fright to my foes and flame to my fighting Shape me a shield both forceful and fierce, Stalwart and shapely to fend against fear. Strike me a spear to speed as a shaft, Fearless to fly as a shot from the start. Staunch be my front against fury assailed, ‘Strong be my soul where the feeble have failed. ‘THE SHOEMAKER Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe; Get it done by half past two. Do it neat, and do it strong, twill pay you when it’s done. or: Stitch it up, and stitch it down, Then I'll give you half a crown. 1AM A COBBLER, And this is what | do: Rap-tap-a-tap To mend a shoe. (or: | mend your shoe) “Alliterative verses for class four (five) 78 HOB, SHOE, HOB, Hob, shoe, hob, Here a nail, And there a nail, And that’s well shod. “1S JOHN SMITH WITHIN?” "Yes, he is.”” “'Can he set a shoe?” “Aye, marry, two; Here a nail And there a nail, Tick, tack, too.”” THE FAIRY COBBLER Tip — tap, rip — rap, Tick —a — tack —a too, Scarlet leather Sew together, This will make a shoe. Left, right, Pull it tight: ‘Summer days are warm, Under ground in winter Laughing at the storm. See also: "Robert Barnes, fellow fine”, p. 60 “There once was a cobbler”, p.30 “Hunt the shoe” (singing game), p. 107 “Cobbler, mend my shoe” (song), p. 137 “A merry cobbler man am 1” (sang), p. 136 DWARF'S SONG Through echoing caves we run and glide, Through cracks in the rocks we slip and slide, ‘Over great boulders we leap and bound; Our little lamps show us where treasure is found. We hammer, we hammer from morn till night, We hammer together the treasure so bright. Sparkling silver and glittering gold, Crystals so pure and clear to behold, Then up we fill our little sacks And put them high upon our backs. Down we go to the throne of our King To him our treasures we must bringCb Ua taaaak))y People and Occupations TO HACK AND TO HAMMER To work we go, With clash and with clamour In caverns below. Hear the little gnomes Working in their homes, Hammer, hammer, hammer, Knock, knock, knock! IN THE HEAVY EARTH BELOW Gnomes are treading to and fro, Clopping, knocking, digging deep Rousing roots from winter sleep. LITTLE GNOME Has his home Under ground In the mound, There he hacks With his axe; And his knocks Break the rocks; Digs below So that now Roots can grow. Ch. Kovacs See also: “Little dwarfs so short and strong . in PENTATONIC SONGS by E. Lebret THE KNIGHT | ride on my horse with my sword in my hand, | ride through the wooded and mountainous land. 1 battle with dragons, with giants | fight; Defending the weak and upholding the right. My sword is of steel and my helmet of gold, {dare all adventures, my heart is so bold. My armour is shining as bright as the light, And am a gallant and glorious Knight Molly de Havas See also: knight and a lady went riding one day. ..”, in PENTATONIC SONGS by E. Lebret 79 THE BALLOON MAN He always comes on market days, ‘And holds balloons — a lovely bunch — And in the market square he stays, ‘And never seems to think of lunch. They're red and purple, blue and green, ‘And when it is @ sunny day, Tho’carts and people get between, You see them shining far away. And some are big and some are small, Alll tied together with a string, And if there is a wind at all ‘They tug and tug like anything. ‘Some day perhaps he'll let them go ‘And we shall see them sailing high, ‘And stand and watch them from below — They would look pretty in the sky! R. Fyleman, THE BALLOON MAN This is a little “action poem” in which five children may take part. Characters: Properties: Balloon man Coloured balloons Mother Three children Balloon Man: | stand here every afternoon, Waiting for someone to buy a balloon. Look at the colours bright and gay. Just one penny is all you pay. Plenty for all who come, have I Come and buy! Come and buy! First Child: I have a penny, Mother said, So | think I'd like one of red. Second Child: | would like that one of green. Itis the prettiest that I've seen. Third Child: Lucky am 1, please give me two. One of yellow, and one of blue. Balloon Man: Now with your balloons just run and play. | like to see you happy and gay. (Children play with balloons.) Mother: Children! Children: Come home to tea!People and Occupations That is my Mother calling me All Together: Balloon man, don't go away. We'll come and see you another day. (Children run out saying “Good-bye!”) ‘THE POSTMAN Every day at eight o’clock, We can hear the postman knock, Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Here comes the postman, Knock, knock, knock: “GOOD MORNING, MR POSTMAN, Tell me, tell me true, Have you any letters For number twenty-two?” "Yes, | have, ‘One for your father, Three for your mother, One for your sister, Two for your brother, Seven altogether For number twenty-two.” “Thank you Mr Postmat That's very kind of you EVERY MORNING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK You can hear the postman knock. Up jumps Mary to open the door: One letter, two letters, three letters, four. BRING ME A LETTER, POSTMAN, Bring me a letter, do, \'m sitting at the garden-gate 'm waiting here for you! Good morning Mrs. Miller, ve got something for you, Ive got two letters, one is red, ‘The other one is blue! Thank you for the letters, Thank you for the two! One is from my mother The other one from — you! 80 THE DUSTMAN Every Thursday morning Before we're quite awake, Without the slightest warning The house begins to shake With a Biff! Bang! Biff! Bang! Biff! It’s the Dustman, who begins (Bang! Crash!) To empty all the bins Of their rubbish and their ash With a Biff! Bang! Biff! Bang! Bash! Clive Sansom TO AND FRO, TO AND FRO, ‘Sweeping with my broom | go. All the fallen leaves | sweep, In a big and tidy heap. ‘THE WINDOW CLEANER A window cleaner’s life is grand! Hurrying up his ladder stair, He sets himself with mop in hand To let in sunshine everywhere; It makes me feel I'd like to be A window cleaner too, like him, Taking my ladder round with me To get at windows dark and dim, Having my polisher and mop On every dull and grimy pane, ''d rub, and rub, and never stop Until | made them bright again; I'd do the same by high and low, Making their glass so shiny-clean That all who looked through it would know At once ~ the window-man had been! WHEN | GROW UP I WANT TO BE A window cleaning man, And make the windows in our street As shiny as | can, "Il put my ladder by the wall And up the steps I'll go, But when I'm up there with my pail I hope the wind won't blow.People and Occupations THE ENGINE DRIVER The train goes running along the line, Jicketty-can, jicketty-can. ‘The engine driver stands in front — He makes it run, he makes it shunt Out of the town, out of the town, Over the hill, over the down, Under the bridges, across the le ‘Over the bridges and down to the sea, With a jicketty-can, jicketty-can, Jicketty jicketty-jicketty-can, Jicketty-can, THE SONG OF THE ENGINE Slowly With snort and pant the engine drags Its heavy tain uphill, ‘And puffs these words the while she puffs ‘And labours with a will: Very slowly “1 think — can — I think — lean, I've got —to reach — the top, I'm sure — I can — 1 will — get there, | sim — ply must — not stop!” ‘More quickly ‘At last the top was reached and passed, And then — how changed the song! The wheels all joined in the engine’s joy, As quickly she tore along! Very fast “1 knew | could do it, | knew I could win, ‘Oh, rickety rackety rack! And now for a roaring rushing race On my smooth and shining track! H. Worsley-Benison ‘See also: “The little Red Caboose”, in PLAYS FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, vol. 6. TRAINS Our garden’s very near the trains; [think it’s jolly fine That I have just to climb the fence To watch the railway line! | love to see the train that takes A minute to the mile: The engine-man, as he goes past, Has only time to smile! Then comes a train with empty trucks, That never goes so fast; Its driver-man has always time To wave as he goes past! The man who drives the luggage train, That passes here at three, Not only smiles and waves his hand, But whistles once for me! H. Sheperd THE TRAIN TO GLASGOW Here is the train to Glasgow. Here is the driver, Mr. Maclver, Who drove the train to Glasgow. Here is the guard from Donibristle Who waved his flag and blew his whistle To tell the driver, Mr. Maciver, To start the train to Glasgow. Here is @ boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver, Mr. Maciver, To start the train to Glasgow. Here is the guard, a kindly man Who, at the last moment, hauled into the van That fortunate boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver, Mr. Maciver, To start the train to Glasgow. Here are hens and here are cocks, Clucking and crowing inside a box, In charge of the guard, that kindly man Who, at the last moment, hauled into the van That fortunate boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver, Mr. Mactver, To start the train to Glasgow. etd. 81People and Occupations Here is the train. It gave a jolt Which loosened a catch and loosened a bolt, And let out the hens and let out the cocks, Clucking and crowing out of their box, In charge of the guard, that kindly man Who, at the last moment, hauled into the van That fortunate boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver, Mr, Maclver. To start the train to Glasgow. ‘The guard chased a hen and, missing it, fell. The hens were all squawking, the cocks were as well, And unless you were there you haven't @ notion The flurry, the fuss, the noise and commotion Caused by the train which gave a jolt ‘And loosened a catch and loosened a bolt And let out the hens and let out the cocks, Clucking and crowing out of their box, In charge of the guard, that kindly man Who, at the last moment, hauled into the van That fortunate boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibrisle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver, Mr. Maciver, To start the train to Glasgow. Now Donald was quick and Donald was neat And Donald was nimble on his feet. He caught the hens and he caught the cocks And he put them back in their great big box. ‘The guard was pleased as pleased could be ‘And invited Donald to come to tea On Saturday, at Donibristle, And let him blow his lovely whistle, And said in all his life he'd never Seen @ boy so quick and clever, And so did the driver, Mr. Maclver Who drove the train to Glasgow. Wilma Horsbrugh THE HOLIDAY TRAIN Tall children stand in two rows, one behind another. They form the ‘train’. Other children are the people who are going to the seaside. They get into the train after the first verse. The train begins to move and ‘makes its way round the classroom. Here is the train, here is the train, Let us get in, let us get in! Where shall we sit? Where shall we sit? When will it go? When will it go? 82 What does it say? What does it say? Train speaks: Let us go on! Let us go on! Train starts. Look at the trees! Look at the trees! See all the cows! see all the cows! Isn't it fun? Isn't fun? Going along, going along! Getting faster Hurrying on, hurrying on! Nearly there, nearly there! Slower Look at the sea! Look at the sea! See all the ships! See all the ships! Train stops Here we are! Here we are! Out we get! Out we get! MY LITTLE HOUSE have a little house, With windows and a door, ‘Two chimneys on the top, And a plot of grass before. Ihave a little house, With curtains and a blind, Two chimneys on the top, And a plot of grass behind. Ihave a little house, Where I go in and out, ‘Two chimneys on the top, And a garden all about. MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER, My sister and my brother, ‘Two grandfathers, two grandmothers, ‘Three uncles and a cousin — They all make up a dozen SLOWLY, SLOWLY walks my Granddad Leaning hard upon his stick. “Wait for me, my boy”, says Granddad, “I'm too old, | can’t be quick.”” Father goes to work each morning, This is how he walks along; He is not so old as Granddad He walks fast, his legs are strong. td. PPMP PPP PP PP PPP m mm mmm mmPeople and Occupations When to schoo! I have to hurry, Often down the road I run; ‘Then how fast my feet are moving — Like a race, | think it’s fun. “MOTHER, MOTHER, | AM ILL. Call the doctor over the hill.”” In came the doctor, In came the nurse, In came the lady With the alligator purse. SUZY HAD A BABY, She called him Tiny Tim, She put him in the marmalade Too see if he could swim. He drank up all the water, He ate up all the soap, He tried to eat the butter But it wouldn't go down his throat. Suzy called the doctor, Suzy called the nurse, Suzy called the lady With the alligator purse. In came the doctor, In came the nurse, In came the lady With the alligator purse. ‘Mumps’, said the doctor, ‘Measles’, said the nurse, ‘Chicken-pox’, said the lady With the alligator purse. Out went the doctor, Out went the nurse, Out went the lady With the alligator purse. LITTLE JACK HORNER Sat in the corner, Eating his Christmas pie: He put in his thumb, And pulled out a plum, And said, What a good boy am I!" 83 JACK AND JILL. Jack and Jill Went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, And broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. ‘Then up Jack got, And home did trot, As fast as he could caper; He went to bed And covered his head With vinegar and brown paper. Then Jill came in, ‘And she did grin To see Jack’s paper plaster; Mother, vexed, Did whip her next, For laughing at Jack’s Find music on p. 139 JACK BE NIMBLE, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. Right foot in and left foot out, We must see what we're about. Right foot out and left foot Do our best and see who'll wi Let us go, to and fro, Then we rest ~ in our nest. LOOK, HERE IS A JUMPING JACK With his legs, arms, head, and back. Hair and ears are on his head. Hair is black and ears are red. Hold him up and pull the string. Jumping Jack can jump and spring. And he can stand still, HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON AWALL, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; Alll the King’s horses and all the King’s men Couldn‘t put Humpty Dumpty together again.LITTLE DAME CRUMP With her little hair-broom Was carefully sweeping Her little bedroom. ‘"Hobs-bobs," cried the Dame, “A penny | spy. To market I'll go And a pig I'll buy.” DAME TROT Dame Trot and her cat Led a peaceable life, When they were not troubled With other folk’s strife. ‘When Dame had her Near pussy would wait, ‘And was sure to receive A nice piece from her plats SIMPLE SIMON ‘Simple Simon met a pieman Going to the fair; Says Simple Simon to the pieman, Let me taste your ware. ‘Says the pieman to Simple Simon, ‘Show me first your penny; ‘Says Simple Simon to the pieman, Indeed | have not any. Simple Simon went a-fishing, For to catch a whale; All the water he had got ‘Was in his mother’s pail. Simple Simon went a-hunting, For to catch a hare; He rode a goat about the streets But couldn't find one there. People and Occupations > 84 He went to catch a dickey bird, ‘And thought he could not fail, Because he’d got a little salt, To put upon its tail. He went to shoot a wild duck But wild duck flew away; Says Simon, “I can’t hit him, Because he will not stay.” He went to ride a spotted cow, That had a little calf; She threw him down upon the ground Which made the people laugh. ‘Once Simon made a great snowball, And brought it in to roast: He laid it down before the fire, ‘And soon the ball was lost. He went to try if cherries ripe, Did grow upon a thistle, He pricked his fingers very much, Which made poor Simon whistle. He went for water in a sieve, But soon it all ran through; And now poor Simple Simon Bids you all adieu. WEE WILLIE WINKIE RUNS THROUGH THE: TOWN, Upstairs, downstairs in his nightgown, Knocking at the window, crying through the lock, “Are the children in their beds, for now it’s ‘eight o'clock?” Find music in: PENTATONIC SONGS, by E. LebretDAILY ACTIVITIES WHEN | GET UP IN THE MORNING "i tell you what | do, wash my hands and | wash my face, Splishity splash, splishity splash. [clean my teeth till they're shining white, Scrubbity-scrub, scrubbity-serub, Then | put on my clothes and brush my hair, And runnity-run, | run downstairs. BUSY DAISY Washes on Monday, Irons on Tuesday, ‘Shops on Wednesday, Sews on Thursday, Cleans on Friday, Bakes on Saturday, Dances on Sunday — This is what Daisy Does every week. ONE BUSY HOUSEWIFE SWEEPING UP THE FLOOR, Two busy housewives polishing the door, ‘Three busy housewives washing all the socks, Four busy housewives winding up the clocks, Five busy housewives cleaning with the broom, ‘Six busy housewives tidying the room, Seven busy housewives washing in the sink, Eight busy housewives giving puss a drink, Nine busy housewives cooking dinner too, ‘Ten busy housewives with nothing else to do. (Children invent suitable mimes to accompany the words.) IN AND OUT AND ROUND THE HOUSE, Round the house, round the house, In and out and round the house, There's lots of work to do. Bring a broom and sweep the room, ‘Sweep the room, sweep the room, Bring a broom and sweep the room, To make it bright and clean. Bring your soap and scrub the floor, Scrub the floor, scrub the floor, Bring your soap and scrub the floor, To make it bright and clean Will you come and dance with me, Dance with me, dance with me, Will you come and dance with me, Our work is done, hurray! Find music on p. 132 WASHING-UP Sing a song of washing-up, Water hot as hot, Cups and saucers, plates and spoons, Dishes such a lot! Work the dish-mop round and round, Wash them clean as clean, Polish with a dry white cloth, How busy we have been! WASH-DAY This is the way we wash our clothes, Rub--dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub! Watch them getting clean and white, Rub-a-dub-dub, rub-adub-dub! This is the way we mangle them, Rumble-de-dee, rumble-de-dee! Round and round the handle goes, Rumble-de-dee, rumble-de-dee! This is the way we hang them out, Flippity-flap, flippity-flap! ‘See them blowing in the wind, Flippity-flap, flippity-flap! This is the way we iron them ‘Smooth as smooth can be! Soon our wash-day will be done, Then we'll all have tea. Lilian McCrea WASHING What is all this washing about, Every day, week in, week out? From getting up till going to bed, Vm tired of hearing the same thing said. etd. ‘Several of the verses in the two chapters PEOPLE AND OCCUPATIONS and ACTION RHYMES could also be considered port of this chapter.Daily Activities Whether I’m dirty or whether I’m not, Whether the water is cold or hot, Whether | like or whether | don’t Whether | will or whether | won't — “Have you washed your hands, and washed your face?” seem to Ii in the washing-place, Whenever | go for a walk or ride, ‘As soon as | put my nose inside The door again, there’s someone there With a sponge and soap, and a lot they care If Ihave something better to do, “Now wash your face and your fingers too.’ Before a meal is ever begun, And after ever a meal is done, It’s time to turn on the waterspout. Please, what is all this washing about? John Drinkwater MY MAID MARY My maid Mary, ‘She minds her dairy, While | go a-hoeing and mowing each morn. Merrily runs the reel And the little spinning-wheel, Whilst | am singing and mowing my corn. POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON, Polly, put the kettle on, Polly, put the kettle on, We'll all have some tea. 86 Sukie, take it off again, Sukie, take it off again, Sukie, take it off again, We're all going away. Find music on p, 132 RICE PUDDING What is the matter with Mary Jane? She’s crying with all her might and main, And she won't eat her dinner — rice pudding again — What is the matter with Mary Jane? What is the matter with Mary Jane? ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain, And a book about animals — all in vain — What is the matter with Mary Jane? ‘What is the matter with Mary Jane? She's perfectly well, and she hasn't a pain; But, look at her, now she’s beginning again What is the matter with Mary Jane? What is the matter with Mary Jane? I've promised her sweets and a ride in the train, And I've begged her to stop for a bit and explain — What is the matter with Mary Jane? What is the matter with Mary Jane? She’s perfectly well and she hasn't @ pain, And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again! ‘What is the matter with Mary Jane? A.A. MilneCLASSROOM GAMES” WHICH COLOUR OF CHALK? Five to seven children get a piece of differently coloured chalk each. They each draw a line on the blackboard and then exchange their chalks among themselves. After this they stand in a row facing the rest of the class who begin asking questions (name), have you got / do you have the blue (white, orange, green etc.) chalk? When the answer is ‘yes’, the two children change places and the game starts again. BLINDFOLD GUESSING All the pupils have their eyes shut, resting heads on arms on their desks. The questions are about the colour of things in the classroom and pupils’ clothes. ‘Teacher: “What colour is Joan's dress, Peter?” Peter: “It is blue and white.” Teacher: “Yes, that’s right.” {""No, guess once more") Note: Make sure the pupils are familiar with the plural when asking them about shoes, socks, trousers ete. (They arered...) 1 SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE standing in front of the class starts the game by saying: “I spy with my little eye Something in our classroom That is... (red, green, yellow etc.)"” ‘The other children ask questions about the objects of the respective colour, e.g: “Is it the ceiling?” Is it the writing on the blackboard?” The object must be visible. The which object he has chosen). An alternative, to avoid ‘spy’ which is uncommon in everyday English: rst to guess correctly may choose the next object (and whisper to the teacher “One — two — three, What can | see? Something in the room That is ..:"" At a more advanced stage the opening statement can be more refined, e.g.: “I see something you don't see. Itis. "(any colour). oF (going beyond the classroom in the Middle School): “I'm thinking of something you can't see.” 1) See also, “Button, you must wander” (singing geme). p. 115 87Classroom Games ‘The former opening might lead to questions like: “Is it on the floor, on the wall, on the table, on a person, near the door, near the window, on the left side, on the right?” The latter kind of opening will be met by questions like: “ts it alive? {sit in this room? sit made of paper, wood, glass, metal, wool, silk, or linen?” All questions must be answerable with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. One child can be asked to count the number of questions that are asked till the solution is found. HOW MANY TAPS. [The teacher (or, at an advanced stage of class one, a pupil,) claps or taps the table, the blackboard, a triangle (or ounces 2 ball on the floor) a certain number of times. Everyone counts silently for himself and the first oo give the correct answer to the question, “How many taps did you hear?”* May go on tapping. As a variation the teacher can ask the pupils to clap more loudly, ‘tap more quickly than John, clap twice as quickly as Peter etc, GOOD MORNING, MARY! One player (say, Mary) comes to the front of the class and faces the blackboard, In addition, he / she can be blindfold. The teacher points to one of the other pupils who says, “Good morning, Mary!” or “What ¢ fine sunny day, to-day, Mary!” ("What a cold, rainy morning, Mary’ etc.) Mary must guess who said it and reply accordingly, “Good morning, David”, or, “What a fine sunny day, to- Gey. David If she makes a mistake or cannot guess at all, she changes places with the other pupil. Pupils may disguise their voices a little or move quetly from their usual places. Ire {ext can be varied; the pupil in front can atk, “Are you Christine?” and be answered, “Yes, | am!” or “No, I'm not Christine, I'm Joan!” WHERE AM I? One child stands blindfold in front of the class, facing the blackboard. The teacher points at another Pupil who {hen tiptoes to one of several fixed places in the classroom arranged beforehand and. — in 2 slightly disguised voice asks: “Where am 1?” The pupil at the blackboard asks: “Are you at the washbasin? Are you near the waste-paper basket? Are you in the corner near the cupboard? Are you in the far corner near the window? Are you in the middle of the classroom?” ete, The pupil at the blackboard may ask three (or more) questions and the child asking, “Where am I?" can, after each question, move quietly to another of the arranged places. If his position has not been guessed after three (or more) questions he takes the place of the blindfold player at the blackboard, who sits down again. Now the ext round can start. 88Classroom Games WHERE ARE YOU? ‘The pupils stand in a circle holding hands. Two stand in the middle, one of whom is blindfold. Thomas: "Susan, where are you?” Susan: “Here | am!” (tiptoeing away) ‘Thomas tries to catch Susan by repeatedly asking his question, which Susan must answer every time, and by following her voice. Susan can duck and dodge freely but must not leave the ring. When she is caught, Susan ‘changes places with Thomas and someone else is chosen as Thomas. BLIND MAN'S BUFF About seven children are picked. They must move inside a certain area at the front of the class. One pupil, who is blindfolded with a scarf, tries to catch one of the others and guess who he / she is: Blind Man: “Are you Michael?" Captive: “Yes, | am.’ If the answer is ‘Yes!’, the captive becomes the Blind Man, if it is, ‘No! I'm not’, the Blind Man must let his captive go and try again. WHO IS IT? One child is allowed to leave the classroom. The rest ‘choose’ one pupil in the classroom and the child from outside is called back in. He / She tries to find out who is “it” by asking questions (only yes / no questions): eg. “Isit a boy?” “Has he got dark hair?” “Is he wearing a blue shirt?” etc. Before the questions start one child may volunteer to count the questions needed to find out who is “it”. WHAT IS IT? One pupil goes out while the rest of the class chooses an object in the classroom or visible in a picture. The pul outside is then called in and must find out what the class is thinking of by asking questions such as: “Is it the book on the top shelf? Is it Bob’s satchel? Is it Ronald's blue crayon? Is it the picture beside the blackboard?” WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT IT? The teacher or a pupil has an object (a book, a sweet, a pencil) in his hand and is going to put it somewhere. The class must guess where: "Are you going to put it on my desk? in the cupboard? in Sandra's sleeve? = behind your ear?” The first to guess correctly takes the place of the person with the object. Before starting the next round with, “Where am | going to put it?”, the new player must whisper in the teacher's ear which place he has in mind,Classroom Games WHERE IS THE PENNY? ‘The teacher asks: “Where can the penny go within the classroom?” The pupils make suggestions “The penny can go ... (in, under, on, between, behind . ..)” Four pupils then take parts: First: “May | go out?” ‘Second: “May | hide the penny?” Third: “May | open the door?"" Fourth: “May I count the questions?” While the first pupil is outside, the second hides the penny in one of the places mentioned at the beginning, The third then calls in the first who must locate the penny by asking questions: "Is the penny under . . 2" ete, The class (or a fifth pupil who has been given this ‘task’) answers: “Yes, it is” or, “No, it isn’t”. ‘The fourth pupil counts the questions needed. When the penny is found, the game recommences with: “Let's have another game! HIDE AND FIND Several pupils (perhaps 6) go out of the room while an object (2 ring, a penny) is hidden. They are then called in ‘and may each ask the class a question, naming the pupil who is to answer it. This is done three times so that a good many pupils have a chance to answer. The six pupils may have planned their questions together before they ‘came in so as to make most effective use of them. They try to find out where the object is before they use up all the questions. If they succeed a new group goes out, but if they have used up all their questions and still do not know, the object is shown. ‘The game might sound like this: A: Is it on the floor, John? John: No, it isn’t. B: Is it on a table, Mary? Mary: No, it isn’t. C: Ist on someone's finger, Paul? Paul: No, it isn’t. D: Is it in the teacher's pocket, William? William: No, it’s not there. E: Have you got it in your hand, Jane? Jane: Yes, | have. WHAT IS THERE IN THE BOX? About six to eight small objects (toys, pencil sharpener, rubber band etc.) are shown to the class and put into a box. Then the teacher says: “Here is a box, | put on the lid, Who can tell me what inside is hid?" 90Classroom Games The children answer (at first in chorus) : “In the box there is a piece of white chalk, >! In the box there is a matchbox,” etc. Alternatively, the objects are shown to the class, then hidden in a drawer or in a desk. One pupil may take one object and put it in the box. The other children guess which it "ls there a shell in the box? Is there a penny in the box? Are there some nuts (marbles) in the box?" etc. ‘The boy or girl who guesses correctly may come and take the object(s) out of the box and put a new one in. “WHAT HAVE I. GOT IN MY HAND? ‘A number of small objects is shown to the class and then hidden in a box, a bag, a drawer or on a chair outside the classroom. One pupil may, pick one of the objects and hide it in his hand or under his jumper. The others ask him: . hisch La. t toms “Do you have / Have you got a table-tennis ball in your hand? Do you have / Have you got a pencil in your hand?” etc. ‘The first pupil to guess correctly chooses the next object. As annice variation the object can be put on a chair outside the classroom and a hat next to it. The pupil who goes ‘out chooses an object and puts it on his head — under the hat. Then the questions change to: "Do you have / Have you got a handkerchief on your head?" etc. \( WHAT HAVE | GOT IN MY BAG? ‘Once a class is familiar with a certain number of small objects (and toy animals) the teacher can add a new variation to the guessing game by starting with the question above. The pupils ask: "Have you got a donkey in your bag? Have you got a letter in your bag?” This game can be kept interesting by adding one or two objects or animals once a week which the class have not seen before. LUCKY DIP A bag, a basket, or a box containing several objects (such as a candle, a pretty stone, or a paper bird) is placed in front of the first row of children. About five children may draw something out of the bag without looking in. Teacher: "What do you have / have you got, John?” John: “I have a shell / I've got a shell.”” WHAT'S IN YOUR PARCEL? A game that is similar to ‘Lucky Dip’. — Some pupils stand facing the class with their hands behind their backs. The teacher has various small objects wrapped as parcels which he places in the pupils’ hands. Each pupil feels his parcel and, in turn, guesses what is in it. Each then unwraps his object and shows it to the class. The teacher asks: “"Was he / she right? Were you right, Johnny?” 91Classroom Games {In the parcels there might be things ike a rubber, a key, a lump of sugar, a few beans, a nut, a biscuit etc. To make the game more interesting the questions can be put at an increasing speed and in a different order from that in which the pupils are standing in front of the class. x “STAND BACK TO BACK Ten or twelve pupils stand facing a partner in a big circle. Somebody in the centre of the circle gives commands which all the pupils in the ring must obey with their partners: eg. “Stand back to back! Run round each other. Shake hands. Touch each other's shoulders.”” Suddenly the pupil in the middle calls out: “All change!” and everyone must seize @ new partner, the centre pupil, too. Whoever is left without a partner goes into the middle and gives the commands. ‘See also, “Adam has seven sons”, (singing Game) p. 100 FOUR CORNERS At first the teacher gives his own instructions for the "Four Corners”, but later uses the children’s suggestions. Teacher: “The first (2nd, 3rd or 4th) person must ...” (see examples) Now children who think they have understood raise their hands. The teacher selects four who then go to the appropriate corners of the room and carry out the respective actions,one after the otheriif the clessis satisfied they. applaud, if doubtful they shake their heads and others raise their hands in the hope of doing it correctly. 9 9 Examples (getting progressively more difficult until a complicated series of actions is executed) "The first (2nd, 3rd, 4th) person must . 90, to the window, open it, look out, close it and go back to his place. 90 to the blackboard and draw a five-pointed star on it. clean the blackboard and open the door. go out, put on a blue coat (or whatever) and come back. fetch some chalk (an exercise book, piece of paper) from the office, get a stone (blade of grass, snowball, raindrop) from the school garden or playground. sing an English song. do three somersaults. (s choose a partner and dance with him (provided they know the dance) run round the classroom twice.”” Combinations are also possible: ‘The first must open and close the door. The second must go out The third must hide in the classroom, The fourth must fetch the second back fn. ‘must touch his ear and point to a picture must hold up book and touch a piece of chalk. must run round his desk and jump over this line. 1.4 must draw a mouse on the blackboard and give me the chalk must knock on his desk and hold up his right hand. 92 Wr ee i eeeClassroom Games O'GRADY / SIMON SAYS The teacher or, once the class is familiar with the game, a pupil, acts as “O'Grady” (or “Simon” and the others have to do what he / she says. For example: “O'Grady says, «+. Touch your head!” ‘Sit down’! "Hands up! etc. Everyone does as biden unless the words “O'Grady says” are omitted. Those who do wrong are out, the last cone being the winner. The commands should follow one another in brisk succession. X grase tt —po1t At first, the children carry out the teacher's commands together, eg. “Shut your eyes! w Stand on your left foot! | WWave your right hand! ‘Twiddle your thumbs! Nod your head! Put your arms across! Rub your nose! Walk (on the spot)! Open your eyes!” Adjectives can be included, too, eg. “Look happy! © Look angry! Look sad! Look sleepy!” At a more advanced stage pupils like to carry out the actions individually standing on a chair in front of the class. < HOWTO DOIT This is @ guessing game for fairly advanced classes. While one pupil, say Mary, is outside, the class chooses an adverb of manner such as azily, carefully, quickly, slowly, angrily, politely. When Mary comes in she gives orders 10 individual children: “John, say “Good morning’ Catherine, run round the room! Martin, take off your jumper!” etc. ‘These pupils must perform the action in the manner of the adverb chosen and Mary guesses which adverb it is. ‘Sometimes, a child may have to say to Mary, “I'm sorry, but | can’t do it the way | shoul ‘Then Mary gives a new task to another pupil AM | COOKING? When a class has learnt the action rhyme “I'm standing, I'm sitting. ..”, or a big enough number of other actions, 4 pupil or the teacher performs an action and asks the class what he / she is doing: “Am | eating?’ (You could pretend to be sleeping) ‘Am | walking?” (In fact you might be seated). etc. ‘After three questions the next gets his / her turn, 93