Part 1
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THE
NATIONAL NURSERY BOOK.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE NATIONAL
NURSERY BOOK.
COMPRISING
RED RIDING-HOOD. PUSS-IN-BOOTS. MOTHER HUBBARD. COCK ROBIN'S DEATH. JACK AND BEAN-STALK. TOM THUMB. CINDERELLA. THE THREE BEARS. PUNCH AND JUDY. THE PETS. NURSERY SONGS. NURSERY RHYMES. NURSERY DITTIES. NURSERY TALES. NURSERY JINGLES.
WITH
_ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS_.
London: FREDERICK WARNE AND CO.,
BEDFORD STREET, COVENT GARDEN. NEW YORK: SCRIBNER, WELFORD, AND ARMSTRONG.
[Illustration]
CONTENTS.
RED RIDING-HOOD. PUSS-IN-BOOTS. MOTHER HUBBARD. COCK ROBIN'S DEATH. JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. TOM THUMB. CINDERELLA. THE THREE BEARS. PUNCH AND JUDY. THE PETS. NURSERY SONGS. NURSERY RHYMES. NURSERY DITTIES. NURSERY TALES. NURSERY JINGLES.
[Illustration]
PREFACE.
The Publishers offer in this little volume well known and long loved stories to their young readers. The tales which have delighted the children of many generations will, they feel assured, be equally welcome in the nurseries of the present day, which, with the popularity and antiquity of the contents of the volume, justify them in styling it THE NATIONAL NURSERY BOOK.
[Illustration]
RED RIDING-HOOD.
Once upon a time there lived on the borders of a great forest a woodman and his wife who had one little daughter, a sweet, kind child, whom every one loved. She was the joy of her mother's heart, and to please her, the good woman made her a little scarlet cloak and hood, and the child looked so pretty in it that everybody called her Little Red Riding-Hood.
[Illustration: RED RIDING HOOD PREPARING FOR HER JOURNEY.]
One day her mother told her she meant to send her to her grandmother--a very old woman who lived in the heart of the wood--to take her some fresh butter and new-laid eggs and a nice cake. Little Red Riding-Hood was very pleased to be sent on this errand, for she liked to do kind things, and it was so very long since she had seen her grandmother that she had almost forgotten what the dame looked like.
[Illustration: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD GATHERING FLOWERS.]
_THE WOLF._
The sun was shining brightly, but it was not too warm under the shade of the old trees, and Red Riding-Hood sang with glee as she gathered a great bunch of wild flowers to give to her grandmother. She sang so sweetly that a cushat dove flew down from a tree and followed her. Now, it happened that a wolf, a very cruel, greedy creature, heard her song also, and longed to eat her for his breakfast, but he knew Hugh, the woodman, was at work very near, with his great dog, and he feared they might hear Red Riding-Hood cry out, if he frightened her, and then they would kill him. So he came up to her very gently and said, "Good day, Little Red Riding-Hood; where are you going?"
"To see my grandmother," said the child, "and take her a present from mother of eggs and butter and cake."
"Where does your grandmamma live?" asked the wolf.
"Quite in the middle of the wood," she replied.
"Oh! I think I know the house. Good day, Red Riding-Hood." And the wolf ran off as fast as he could
_AT PLAY IN THE WOOD._
Little Red Riding-Hood was not in a hurry, and there were many things to amuse her in the wood. She ran after the white and yellow butterflies that danced before her, and sometimes she caught one, but she always let it go again, for she never liked to hurt any creature.
[Illustration: THE WOLF FOLLOWS LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.]
And then there were the merry, cunning little squirrels to watch, cracking nuts on the branches of the old trees, and every now and then a rabbit would hurry away through the tall ferns, or a great bee come buzzing near her, and she would stop to watch it gathering honey from the flowers, and wild thyme. So she went on very slowly. By-and-by she saw Hugh, the woodman. "Where are you going, Little Red Riding-Hood," said he, "all alone?"
[Illustration: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD CATCHING BUTTERFLIES.]
"I am going to my grandmamma's," said the child. "Good day; I must make haste now, for it grows late."
_GRANDMOTHER AND THE WOLF._
While Little Red Riding-Hood was at play in the wood, the great wolf galloped on as fast as he could to the old woman's house. Grandmother lived all by herself, but once or twice a-day a neighbour's child came to tidy her house and get her food. Now, grandmother was very feeble, and often kept her bed; and it happened that she was in bed the day Little Red Riding-Hood went to see her. When the wolf reached the cottage door he tapped.
"Who is there?" asked the old dame.
"Little Red Riding-Hood, granny," said the wolf, trying to speak like the child.
"Come in, my dear," said the old lady, who was a little deaf. "Pull the string and the latch will come up."
The wolf did as she told him, went in, and you may think how frightened poor grandmother was when she saw him standing by her bed instead of Little Red Riding-Hood.
_RED RIDING-HOOD AT THE DOOR._
Very soon the wolf, who was quite hungry after his run, eat up poor grandmother. Indeed, she was not enough for his breakfast, and so he thought he would like to eat sweet Red Riding-Hood also. Therefore he dressed himself in granny's nightcap and got into bed, and waited for the child to knock at the door. But he waited a long time.
[Illustration: THE WOLF AT THE GRANDMOTHER'S COTTAGE.]
By and by Little Red Riding-Hood reached her grandmother's house, and tapped at the door.
[Illustration: RED RIDING HOOD AT HER GRANDMOTHER'S DOOR.]
"Come in," said the wolf, in a squeaking voice. "Pull the string, and the latch will come up."
Red Riding-Hood thought grandmother must have a cold, she spoke so hoarsely; but she went in at once, and there lay her granny, as she thought, in bed.
"If you please, grandmamma, mother sends you some butter and eggs," she said.
"Come here, dear," said the wicked wolf, "and let me kiss you," and Red Riding-Hood obeyed.
_THE WOLF AND THE CHILD._
But when Red Riding-Hood saw the wolf she felt frightened. She had nearly forgotten grandmother, but she did not think she had been so ugly.
"Grandmamma," she said, "what a great nose you have."
"All the better to smell with, my dear," said the wolf.
"And, grandmamma, what large ears you have."
"All the better to hear with, my dear."
"Ah! grandmamma, and what large eyes you have."
"All the better to see with, my dear," said the wolf, showing his teeth, for he longed to eat the child up.
"Oh, grandmamma, and what great teeth you have!" said Red Riding-Hood.
[Illustration: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD DISCOVERS THE WOLF.]
"All the better to eat you up with," growled the wolf, and, jumping out of bed, he rushed at Red Riding-Hood and would have eaten her up, but just at that minute the door flew open and a great dog tore him down. The wolf and the dog were still fighting when Hugh, the woodman, came in and killed the wicked wolf with his axe.
[Illustration: DEATH OF THE WOLF.]
_DEATH OF THE WOLF._
Little Red Riding-Hood threw her arms round the woodman Hugh's neck and kissed him, and thanked him again and again.
"Oh, you good, kind Hugh," she said, "how did you know the wolf was here, in time to save me?"
"Well," said Hugh, "when you were gone by, I remembered that a wolf had been seen about the wood lately, and I thought I would just come after you and see if you were safe. When we came near grandmother's house Trim sniffed and ran to the door and whined, and then he pushed it open--you had not shut it close--and rushed in, and I followed him, and between us we have killed the wolf."
Then Hugh took the child home, and her mother and father could not thank him enough for saving Little Red Riding-Hood.
PUSS IN BOOTS.
Once upon a time there was a miller who had three sons. When he died he left his mill to the eldest son, his ass to the second son, and his cat to the youngest, who had always been his favourite.
The two eldest sons resolved to live together; but they would not let their brother live with them, because he had only a cat. So the poor lad was very sorrowful, and wondered what he should do to get his bread. While he was sitting thinking about it, Puss jumped up on the table, and touched him with her paw.
[Illustration: PUSS CONSOLING THE MILLER'S SON.]
"My dear master," she said, "do not fret. I will get your living for you. Only you must buy me a pair of boots and give me a bag."
[Illustration: PUSS CATCHING THE RABBITS.]
The miller's son had very little money, but he thought it such a wonderful thing to hear a cat talk that he could not refuse her request. So he took Puss to the shoemaker's, and got him to make her a very smart pair of boots, and then he gave her a nice large bag.
_THE RABBIT WARREN._
Now, not far from the mill there was a rabbit warren, and Puss resolved to catch some rabbits for dinner. So she put some lettuce leaves and fine parsley into her bag, went into the warren, and held the bag very quietly open, hiding herself behind it. And little greedy rabbits, who knew no better, ran into it, to have a feast. Directly they were safe in, Puss pulled the string of the bag, and carried them off to her master. The miller's son killed them, and cooked one for dinner; but Puss took away the other, which was a very fine one, and hung it up for their next day's meal.
But although their larder was thus provided, early the next day Puss took her bag and went again into the warren, and in the same manner caught two more fine young rabbits. But instead of carrying them home she walked to the king's palace and knocked at the door.
_PUSS AT THE PALACE._
The king's porter asked who was there. "I have brought a present to the king," said Puss. "Please let me see his majesty."
The porter let her in, and when Puss came into the king's presence she made a low bow, and, taking a fine rabbit out of her bag, said, "My Lord Marquis of Carrabas sends this rabbit to your majesty with his respects."
[Illustration: PUSS MAKES A PRESENT TO THE KING.]
"I am much obliged to the marquis," said the king, and he ordered his head cook to dress the rabbit for dinner.
[Illustration: PUSS CALLS ON THE OGRE.]
By the king's side sat his daughter, a very beautiful lady. She ordered one of the attendants to give Puss a good cup of cream, which she liked very much; and she went home and told her master all she had done. The miller's son laughed; but every morning Puss caught a rabbit, and carried it to the palace with the same message.
_THE OGRE._
Now, in that country there lived a cruel ogre, who used to eat children, so everybody was afraid of him; but nobody could kill him, he was such a giant. One day Puss went to call on him. He received her civilly, for he did not care to eat cats, so Puss sat down, and began to talk:--"I hear," she said, "great Ogre, that you are so clever, that you can turn yourself into any creature you please."
"Yes, so I can," said the ogre.
"Dear me," said Puss, "how much I should like to see your ogreship do it."
Then the ogre, who liked to show how clever he was, turned himself into a lion, and roared so loudly that Puss was quite frightened, and jumped out of the way. Then he changed back into an ogre again. Puss praised him a great deal, and then said, "Can your ogreship become a small animal as well as a large one?"
"Oh, yes," said the vain ogre; and he changed himself into a little mouse. Directly Puss saw him in this form she jumped at him and killed him on the spot.
_THE MARQUIS OF CARRABAS._
Then Puss ran home and bade her master go and bathe in the river, and he should see what she would do for him. The miller's son obeyed; and while he was in the water, Puss took away all his clothes, and hid them under a large stone. Now, the king's carriage came in sight soon after, just as Puss had expected, for he always drove in that direction, and directly she saw it, she began to cry very loudly, "Help, help, for my Lord the Marquis of Carrabas." The king put his head out, and asked what was the matter.
[Illustration: PUSS ASKS HELP FOR HIS MASTER.]
"Oh, your majesty," said Puss, "my master the marquis was bathing, and some one has taken away his clothes. He will catch the cramp and be drowned."
[Illustration: PUSS THREATENS THE REAPERS.]
Then the king ordered one of his attendants to ride back to the palace and get a suit of his own clothes for the marquis, "who had so often sent him gifts," he said. And when they were brought, Puss took them to her master, and helped him to dress in them.
_PUSS FRIGHTENS THE REAPERS._
The miller's son looked quite like a gentleman in the king's clothes, and when he went to thank his majesty for them, the king asked him to get into the coach and he would drive him home. Then Puss told the coachman where to go, and ran on before and came to some reapers. "Reapers," said she, "if the king asks you whose field this is, say it belongs to the Marquis of Carrabas; if you don't say so, you shall be chopped up as small as mincemeat."
The reapers were so frightened that they promised to obey her. And she ran on and told all the other labourers on the road to say the same. So when the king asked, "To whom do these fine fields belong?" the reapers answered, "To the Marquis of Carrabas." The herdsmen said the same of the cattle, and the king, turning to the miller's son, said, "My lord, you have a fine property." But all had belonged really to the ogre, for it was to his castle the cunning cat had told the coachman to drive.
_THE CASTLE._
At last the coach stopped at the Ogre's castle, and Puss came out, and bowing very low, said, "Your majesty and the princess are welcome to the castle of my Lord Marquis of Carrabas."
[Illustration: THE KING AND PRINCESS VISIT THE MARQUIS.]
The king was delighted, for it was indeed a very nice castle, full of riches. They sat down to a great feast, which Puss ordered to be served, and the king was so pleased with the miller's son and thought him such a good match for the princess, that he invited him to court, and in a little while gave him his daughter for his wife, and made him a prince.
[Illustration: MARRIAGE OF THE MARQUIS AND PRINCESS.]
You may be quite sure that the miller's son was very grateful to Puss for his good fortune, and she never had to catch mice for her dinner any more, for dainty meat and the best cream were every day given to Puss in Boots.
OLD MOTHER HUBBARD.
Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard To get her poor Dog a bone; But when she came there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor Dog had none.
[Illustration: OLD MOTHER HUBBARD AND HER DOG.]
She went to the baker's To buy him some bread, But when she came back The poor Dog looked dead.
[Illustration: THE DOG LOOKING DEAD.]
She went to the hatter's To buy him a hat, But when she came back He was feeding the cat.
She went to the barber's To buy him a wig, But when she came back He was dancing a jig.
She went to the joiner's To buy him a coffin, But when she came back The poor Dog was laughing.
She took a clean dish To get him some tripe, But when she came back He was smoking a pipe.
[Illustration: THE DOG SMOKING A PIPE.]
[Illustration: THE DOG STANDING ON HIS HEAD.]
She went to the ale-house To get him some beer, But when she came back The Dog sat in a chair.
She went to the tavern For white wine and red, But when she came back The Dog stood on his head.
She went to the fruiterer's To buy him some fruit, But when she came back He was playing the flute.
She went to the tailor's, To buy him a coat, But when she came back He was riding a goat.
[Illustration: THE DOG PLAYING THE FLUTE.]
[Illustration: THE DOG SPINNING.]
She went to the sempstress To buy him some linen, But when she came back The Dog was a-spinning.
She went to the hosier's To buy him some hose, But when she came back He was dressed in his clothes.
She went to the cobbler's To buy him some shoes, But when she came back He was reading the news.
The Dame made a curtsey, The Dog made a bow; The Dame said, "Your servant;" The Dog said, "Bow-wow!"
[Illustration: THE DOG READING THE NEWS.]
[Illustration: THE DOG MADE A BOW.]
This wonderful Dog Was Dame Hubbard's delight; He could sing, he could dance, He could read, he could write.
So she gave him rich dainties Whenever he fed, And erected a monument When he was dead.
COCK ROBIN.
Who killed Cock Robin? I, said the Sparrow, With my bow and arrow. I killed Cock Robin.
[Illustration: THE SPARROW, COCK ROBIN, AND THE FISH.]
[Illustration: THE LINNET, THE DOVE, AND COCK ROBIN.]
Who saw him die? I, said the Fly, With my little eye. I saw him die.
Who caught his blood? I, said the Fish, With my little dish. I caught his blood.
Who'll carry him to the grave? I, said the Kite, If it's not in the night. I'll carry him to the grave.
Who'll carry the link? I, said the Linnet, I'll fetch it in a minute. I'll carry the link.
[Illustration: THE KITE AND COCK ROBIN.]
[Illustration: THE OWL, THE BEETLE, AND COCK ROBIN.]
Who'll make his shroud? I, said the Beetle, With my thread and needle. I'll make his shroud.
Who'll dig his grave? I, said the Owl, With my spade and shovel. I'll dig his grave.
Who'll toll the bell? I, said the Bull, Because I can pull. I'll pull the bell.
[Illustration: THE BULL TOLLING THE BELL]
[Illustration: THE ROOK AND THE LARK]
Who'll be the Parson? I, said the Rook, With my little book. I'll be the Parson.
Who'll be the Clerk? I, said the Lark, If it's not in the dark. I'll be the Clerk.
Who'll be chief mourner? I, said the Dove, For I mourn for my love. I'll be chief mourner.
Who'll sing a psalm? I, said the Thrush, As she sat in a bush. I'll sing a psalm.
[Illustration: THE THRUSH.]
[Illustration: SIGHING AND SOBBING FOR POOR COCK ROBIN.]
All the birds of the air Fell a-sighing and sobbing When they heard the bell toll For poor Cock Robin.
JACK & THE BEAN-STALK.
Once upon a time there was a poor widow who lived in a little cottage with her only son Jack.
[Illustration: JACK SELLS A COW FOR SOME BEANS.]
Jack was a giddy, thoughtless boy, but very kind-hearted and affectionate. There had been a hard winter, and after it the poor woman had suffered from fever and ague. Jack did no work as yet, and by degrees they grew dreadfully poor. The widow saw that there was no means of keeping Jack and herself from starvation but by selling her cow; so one morning she said to her son, "I am too weak to go myself, Jack, so you must take the cow to market for me, and sell her." Jack liked going to market to sell the cow very much; but as he was on the way, he met a butcher who had some beautiful beans in his hand. Jack stopped to look at them, and the butcher told the boy that they were of great value, and persuaded him to sell the cow for them! And Jack was so silly as to consent to this foolish bargain.
[Illustration: THE BEAN-STALK GROWS OUT OF SIGHT IN A NIGHT.]
When he brought them home to his mother instead of the money she expected for her nice cow, she was very vexed and shed many tears, scolding Jack for his folly. He was very sorry; but, he said, he might as well make the best of his bargain, so he put the seed-beans into the ground close by the side of the steep hill under shelter of which their cottage was built, and went to bed. The next morning when he got up, he found that the beans had grown, till the bean stalks reached right over the top of the hill, and were lost to his sight. Greatly surprised, he called his mother, and they both gazed in silent wonder at the bean-stalk, which was not only of great height, but was thick enough to bear Jack's weight.
"I wonder where it goes?" said Jack to his mother; "I think I will climb up and see."
His mother wished him not to venture up this strange ladder, but Jack coaxed her to give her consent to the attempt, for he was certain there must be something wonderful in the bean-stalk.
Jack instantly began to climb, and went up and up on the ladder-like bean till every thing he had left behind him, the cottage, the village, and even the tall church tower, looked quite little, and still he did not see the top of the bean stalk.
Jack felt a little tired, and thought for a moment that he would go back again; but he was a very persevering boy, and he knew that the way to succeed in anything is not to give up. So after resting for a moment he went on, and at last reached the top of the bean, and found himself in a beautiful country, finely wooded; and not far from the place where he had got off the bean-stalk stood a fine and strong castle.
Jack wondered very much that he had never heard of or seen this castle before; but when he reflected on the subject, he saw that it was as much separated from the village by the perpendicular rock on which it stood as if it were in another land.
While Jack was standing looking at the castle, a very strange-looking woman came out of the wood and advanced towards him.
[Illustration: JACK CLIMBS THE BEAN-STALK.]
Jack took off his hat to the old lady, and she said, pointing to the castle, "Boy, that castle belongs to you. A wicked giant killed your father, and took it from your mother; try and win it back from the monster who now has it." As she ceased speaking she suddenly disappeared, and of course Jack knew she was a fairy.
[Illustration: JACK ASKS ABOUT THE CASTLE.]