Children's Literature Part 12

113

Two-legs sat upon three-legs, With one-leg in his lap; In comes four-legs And runs away with one-leg; Up jumps two-legs, Catches up three-legs, Throws it after four-legs, And makes him bring one-leg back.

(_One-leg is a leg of mutton; two-legs, a man; three-legs, a stool; four-legs, a dog._)

114

The following is another good "tongue twister"

(see No. 77). It is recommended for the little lisper, and in former days it was recommended as a sure cure for the hiccoughs.

When a twister a-twisting would twist him a twist, For twisting a twist three twists he will twist; But if one of the twists untwists from the twist, The twist untwisting untwists the twist.

115

"w.i.l.l.y boy, w.i.l.l.y boy, where are you going?

I will go with you, if I may."

"I am going to the meadow to see them a-mowing, I am going to see them make the hay."

116

No. 116 and the two rhymes following are by Miss Wilhelmina Seegmiller. (By permission of the publishers, Rand McNally & Co., Chicago.) Their presence will allow teachers to compare some widely and successfully used modern efforts with the traditional jingles in the midst of which they are placed.

MILKWEED SEEDS

As white as milk, As soft as silk, And hundreds close together: They sail away, On an autumn day, When windy is the weather.

117

AN ANNIVERSARY

Pop! fizz! bang! whizz!

Don't you know what day this is?

Fizz! bang! whizz! pop!

Hurrah for the Fourth! and hippity-hop!

118

TWINK! TWINK!

Twink, twink, twink, twink, Twinkety, twinkety, twink!

The fireflies light their lanterns, Then put them out in a wink.

Twink, twink, twink, twink, They light their light once more, Then twinkety, twinkety, twink, twink, They put them out as before.

Nos. 119-146 are in the main the longer nursery favorites and may somewhat loosely be called the novels and epics of the nursery as the former group may be called the lyrics and short stories. All of them are marked by dramatic power, a necessary element in all true cla.s.sics for children whether in verse or prose. Nos.

119 and 120 are two of the favorite jingles used in teaching the alphabet. Each letter suggests a distinct image. In No. 119 the images are all of actions, and connected by the direction of these actions upon a single object. In No. 120 the images are each complete and independent. Here it may be noticed that some of the elements of the pictures are determined by the exigencies of rhyme, as, for instance, what the archer shot at, and what the lady had. The originator doubtless expected the child to see the relation of cause and consequence between Y and Z.

119

A WAS AN APPLE-PIE

A was an apple-pie; B bit it; C cut it; D dealt it; E eat it; F fought for it; G got it; H had it; J joined it: K kept it; L longed for it; M mourned for it; N nodded at it; O opened it; P peeped in it; Q quartered it; R ran for it; S stole it; T took it; V viewed it; W wanted it; X, Y, Z, and Ampersand (&) All wished for a piece in hand.

120

TOM THUMB'S ALPHABET

A was an archer, and shot at a frog; B was a butcher, and kept a bull-dog.

C was a captain, all covered with lace; D was a drunkard, and had a red face.

E was an esquire, with insolent brow; F was a farmer, and followed the plough.

G was a gamester, who had but ill luck; H was a hunter, and hunted a buck.

I was an innkeeper, who loved to carouse; J was a joiner, and built up a house.

K was a king, so mighty and grand; L was a lady, who had a white hand.

M was a miser, and h.o.a.rded up gold; N was a n.o.bleman, gallant and bold.

O was an oyster girl, and went about town; P was a parson, and wore a black gown.

Q was a queen, who sailed in a s.h.i.+p; R was a robber, and wanted a whip.

S was a sailor, and spent all he got; T was a tinker, and mended a pot.

U was an usurer, a miserable elf; V was a vintner, who drank all himself.