Part 8
This is the _Donkey_ who loudly brayed at sight of the Glittering Cavalcade that rode after the Lady in gay brocade who followed the Knight with the red cockade who rode on the Horse that pranced and neighed when he saw the Woodman sober and staid who slung the Ax with a shining blade that chopped the Tree of a dusky shade that gave the Wood that heated the Oven that baked the Cake that fed the Doll that lived in the House that Jill built.
This is the _King_ who was much dismayed to hear the Donkey who loudly brayed at sight of the Glittering Cavalcade that rode after the Lady in gay brocade who followed the Knight with the red cockade who rode on the Horse that pranced and neighed when he saw the Woodman sober and staid who slung the Ax with a shining blade that chopped the Tree of a dusky shade that gave the Wood that heated the Oven that baked the Cake that fed the Doll that lived in the House that Jill built.
THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG[H]
An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."
As she was coming home, she came to a stile, but the piggy wouldn't go over the stile.
She went a little further, and she met a dog. So she said to him: "Dog! dog! bite pig, piggy won't go over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the dog wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met a stick. So she said: "Stick! stick! beat dog! dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the stick wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met a fire. So she said: "Fire! fire! burn stick, stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the fire wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met some water. So she said: "Water! water! quench fire; fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile, and I shan't get home to-night." But the water wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met an ox. So she said: "Ox! ox! drink water; water won't quench fire; fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the ox wouldn't.
So she went a little further, and she met a butcher. So she said: "Butcher! butcher! kill ox; ox won't drink water; water won't quench fire; fire won't burn stick, stick won't beat dog, dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the butcher wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met a rope. So she said: "Rope! rope! hang butcher; butcher won't kill ox; ox won't drink water; water won't quench fire; fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile, and I shan't get home to-night!" But the rope wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met a rat. So she said: "Rat! rat! gnaw rope; rope won't hang butcher; butcher won't kill ox; ox won't drink water; water won't quench fire; fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the rat wouldn't.
She went a little further, and she met a cat. So she said: "Cat! cat! kill rat; rat won't gnaw rope; rope won't hang butcher; butcher won't kill ox; ox won't drink water; water won't quench fire; fire won't burn stick, stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile; and I shan't get home to-night." But the cat said to her: "If you will go to yonder cow, and fetch me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat." So away went the old woman to the cow.
But the cow said to her: "If you will go to yonder hay-stack, and fetch me a handful of hay, I'll give you the milk." So away went the old woman to the hay-stack; and she brought the hay to the cow.
As soon as the cow had eaten the hay she gave the old woman the milk; and away she went with it in a saucer to the cat.
As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk, the cat began to kill the rat; the rat began to gnaw the rope; the rope began to hang the butcher; the butcher began to kill the ox; the ox began to drink the water; the water began to quench the fire; the fire began to burn the stick; the stick began to beat the dog; the dog began to bite the pig, the little pig in a fright jumped over the stile; and so the old woman got home that night.
[H] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.
THE LAMBIKIN[I]
Once upon a time there was a wee, wee Lambikin, who frolicked about on his little tottery legs, and enjoyed himself amazingly. Now one day he set off to visit his Granny, and was jumping with joy to think of all the good things he should get from her, when whom should he meet but a Jackal, who looked at the tender young morsel and said: "Lambikin! Lambikin! I'LL EAT YOU!"
But Lambikin only gave a little frisk, and said:
"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."
The Jackal thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.
By and by he met a Vulture, and the Vulture, looking hungrily at the tender morsel before him, said: "Lambikin! Lambikin! I'LL EAT YOU!"
But the Lambikin only gave a little frisk, and said:
"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."
The Vulture thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.
And by and by he met a Tiger, and then a Wolf, and a Dog, and an Eagle; and all these, when they saw the tender little morsel, said: "Lambikin! Lambikin! I'LL EAT YOU!"
But to all of them Lambikin replied, with a little frisk:
"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."
At last he reached his Granny's house, and said, all in a great hurry, "Granny dear, I've promised to get very fat, so, as people ought to keep their promises, please put me into the corn-bin at once."
So his Granny said he was a good boy, and put him into the corn-bin, and there the greedy little Lambikin stayed for seven days, and ate, and ate, and ate, until he could scarcely waddle, and his Granny said he was fat enough for anything, and must go home. But cunning little Lambikin said that would never do, for some animal would be sure to eat him on the way back, he was so plump and tender.
"I'll tell you what you must do," said Master Lambikin; "you must make a little drumikin out of the skin of my little brother who died, and then I can sit inside and trundle along nicely, for I'm as tight as a drum myself."
So his Granny made a nice little drumikin out of his brother's skin, with the wool inside, and Lambikin curled himself up snug and warm in the middle, and trundled away gayly. Soon he met with the Eagle, who called out:
"Drumikin! Drumikin! Have you seen Lambikin?"
And Mr. Lambikin, curled up in his soft, warm nest, replied:
"Fallen into the fire, and so will you, On little Drumikin! Tum-pa, tum-too!"
"How very annoying!" sighed the Eagle, thinking regretfully of the tender morsel he had let slip.
Meanwhile Lambikin trundled along, laughing to himself, and singing.
"Tum-pa, tum-too; Tum-pa, tum-too!"
Every animal and bird he met asked him the same question:
"Drumikin! Drumikin! Have you seen Lambikin?"
And to each of them the little slyboots replied:
"Fallen into the fire, and so will you, On little Drumikin! Tum-pa, tum-too; Tum-pa, tum-too; Tum-pa, tum-too!"
Then they all sighed to think of the tender little morsel they had let slip.
At last the Jackal came limping along, for all his sorry looks as sharp as a needle, and he, too, called out:
"Drumikin! Drumikin! Have you seen Lambikin?"
And Lambikin, curled up in his snug little nest, replied gayly:
"Fallen into the fire, and so will you, On little Drumikin! Tum-pa----"
But he never got any farther, for the Jackal recognized his voice at once, and cried "Hullo! you've turned yourself inside out, have you? Just you come out of that!"
Whereupon he tore open Drumikin and gobbled up Lambikin.
[I] From "Indian Fairy Tales," edited by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE[J]
The cat and the mouse Played in the malt-house:
The cat bit the mouse's tail off. "Pray, puss, give me my tail." "No," says the cat, "I'll not give you your tail, till you go to the cow, and fetch me some milk."
First she leaped, and then she ran, Till she came to the cow, and thus began:
"Pray, Cow, give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," said the cow, "I will give you no milk, till you go to the farmer, and get me some hay."
First she leaped, and then she ran, Till she came to the farmer, and thus began:
"Pray, Farmer, give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," said the farmer, "I'll give you no hay, till you go to the butcher and fetch me some meat."
First she leaped, and then she ran, Till she came to the butcher, and thus began:
"Pray, Butcher, give me meat, that I may give farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," says the butcher, "I'll give you no meat, till you go to the baker and fetch me some bread."
First she leaped, and then she ran, Till she came to the baker, and thus began:
"Pray, Baker, give me bread, that I may give butcher bread, that butcher may give me meat, that I may give farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."
"Yes," says the baker, "I'll give you some bread, But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head."
Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse gave butcher bread, and butcher gave mouse meat, and mouse gave farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse hay, and mouse gave cow hay, and cow gave mouse milk, and mouse gave cat milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail again.
[J] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.
HENNY-PENNY[K]
One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the cornyard when--whack!--something hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" says Henny-penny; "the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king."
So she went along, and she went along, and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. "Where are you going, Henny-penny?" says Cocky-locky. "Oh! I'm going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny. "May I come with you?" says Cocky-locky. "Certainly," says Henny-penny. So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell the king the sky was falling.
They went along, and they went along, and they went along till they met Ducky-daddles. "Where are you going to, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?" says Ducky-daddles. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. "May I come with you?" says Ducky-daddles. "Certainly," says Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.
So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they met Goosey-poosey. "Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles?" says Goosey-poosey. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny, and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles. "May I come with you?" says Goosey-poosey. "Certainly," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.
So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they met Turkey-lurkey. "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" says Turkey-lurkey. "Oh! we're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. "May I come with you, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" says Turkey-lurkey. "Oh, certainly, Turkey-lurkey," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, and Goosey-poosey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.
So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy says to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?" And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-Poosey, and Turkey-lurkey says to Foxy-woxy: "We're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling." "Oh! but this is not the way to the king, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey," says Foxy-woxy; "I know the proper way; shall I show it you?" "Oh, certainly, Foxy-woxy," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.
So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave. But Foxy-woxy says to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "This is the short way to the king's palace; you'll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey," "Why, of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?" says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.
So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far, but turned round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So at last Turkey-lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't got far when "Hrumph!" Foxy-woxy snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and "Hrumph!" off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles waddled down, and "Hrumph!" snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles's head was off, and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey and Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave, and he hadn't gone far when "Snap, Hrumph!" went Foxy-woxy, and Cocky-locky was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey, and Ducky-daddles.
[Illustration: "THIS IS THE SHORT WAY"]
But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill him, he called out to Henny-penny. But she turned tail and off she ran home, so she never told the king the sky was a-falling.
[K] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.
THREE GOATS IN THE RYEFIELD
ADAPTED BY CECILIA FARWELL
Once upon a time there was a little boy whose task it was to drive the goats to and from the hills. One morning, as they went along the road, the first goat saw a hole in the fence which shut off a field of rye.
"Oh," said the first goat, "here is a chance to get into that field. I do not think that we want to eat rye--there is plenty of grass on the hill. But we can go in and see what it is like, just the same."
With that he turned aside from the road and went through the hole into the ryefield, and the others followed after him.
"Here," cried the boy, "come out of that!"
But the goats did not come out, so the boy climbed over the fence and started after them to chase them out. But the goats just ran round and round in the field, until at last the little boy was so tired that he sat down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a dog came down the road. "Why, little boy," he said, "what are you crying for?"
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was driving them along the road to the hills and they went through the fence, and I have chased them and chased them, and they will not come out."
"Well," said the dog, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So the dog ran through the hole and started after the goats, barking loudly. When the goats saw him coming they started to run, and ran round and round in the field until at last the dog was so tired that he sat down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a fox came trotting down the road. "Why, dog," he said, "what are you crying for?"
"I am crying because little boy is crying," said the dog.
"And what are you crying for, little boy?" asked the fox.
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was driving them along the road to the hills and they went through the fence, and I have chased them and chased them and they will not come out."
"Well," said the fox, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So the fox ran through the hole and started after the goats, barking shrilly. And when they saw him coming they started to run, and ran round and round in the field until at last the fox was so tired that he sat down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a bee came flying lightly overhead.
"Why, fox," he said, "why are you crying?"
"I am crying because dog is crying," said the fox.
"And why are you crying, dog?" asked the bee.
"I am crying because little boy is crying," said the dog.
"And why are you crying, little boy?" asked the bee.
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was driving them along the road to the hills, and they went through the fence, and I have chased them and chased them and they will not come out!"
"Oh," said the bee, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So he flew over the fence and flew straight to the first goat and began to buzz in his ear. The first goat lifted up his head and said: "Ho! What is this?" and he looked all around him, but could see nothing from which to run.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" said the bee, and he lighted on the ear of the goat.
"Now here is someone that means business," said the goat, and he shook his head to shake off the bee, but the bee only clung the tighter.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" he said. Then he stung the first goat in the ear. "Now," said the first goat, "this is a serious matter. Ouch!" he added, as the bee stung him again. "Come on, you," he called to the others, "it is time to get out of here!" With that he led them straight to the hole in the fence, and they ran through it, all three of them, and out into the road where the little boy sat with the dog and the fox.
"Oh," said the dog, "the bee can do something that I cannot, even if he is so small."
"Yes," said the fox, "the bee didn't make much noise, but the noise that he did make counted more than all of our barking."
[Illustration: LITTLE BUNNIE BROWN IS AT THE HEAD OF HIS CLASS]
TEENY TINY[L]
There was once upon a time a teeny-tiny woman who lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet and went out of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk. And when this teeny-tiny woman had gone a teeny-tiny way, she came to a teeny-tiny gate; so the teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny gate, and went into a teeny-tiny meadow. And when this teeny-tiny woman had got into the teeny-tiny meadow, she saw a teeny-tiny bone on a teeny-tiny stone, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny self: "This teeny-tiny bone will make me some teeny-tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper." So the teeny-tiny woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to her teeny-tiny house.
Now, when the teeny-tiny woman got home to her teeny-tiny house, she was a teeny-tiny bit tired; so she went up her teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny bed, and put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny cupboard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep a teeny-tiny time, she was awakened by a teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard, which said:
"GIVE ME MY BONE!"
And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny bit frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head under the teeny-tiny clothes, and went to sleep again. And when she had been asleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice again cried out from the teeny-tiny cupboard a teeny-tiny louder:
"GIVE ME MY BONE!"
This made the teeny-tiny woman a teeny-tiny more frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head a teeny-tiny further under the teeny-tiny clothes. And when the teeny-tiny woman had been asleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard said again a teeny-tiny louder:
"GIVE ME MY BONE!"
At this the teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny bit more frightened; but she put her teeny-tiny head out of the teeny-tiny clothes, and said in her loudest teeny-tiny voice:
"TAKE IT!"
[L] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.
SONG OF THE PEAR TREE
Out in the green, green orchard Standeth a fine pear tree; The fine pear tree has leaves, too. What on the tree may be? Why, there's a beautiful branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.
Out in the green, green orchard Standeth a fine pear tree, The fine pear tree has leaves, too, And what on its branch may be? A beautiful twig. Twig on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.
Out in the green, green orchard Standeth a fine pear tree, The fine pear tree has leaves, too. Now what on the twig may be? A beautiful nest. Nest on the twig, Twig on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.