The Peter Patter Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 8

There's water in the ocean, And water in the skies, And when a fellow blubbers He gets water in his eyes.

But in the Barca desert Where the hippodoodles play, The water in the rivers Just dries up and blows away.

OLD MOLLY IS LOWING

Old Molly is lowing and lowing 'Way down in the old meadow lot.

I've given her water and clover, And all of the apples I've got; But she won't eat a thing that I give her, And never drinks even a sup, For they've taken her baby to market And some one has eaten it up.

I'd just like to go to the city And cut them all up into halves And feed them to sharks and to lions-- Those people that eat little calves.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SNOWFLAKES

The snowflakes are falling by ones and by twos; There's snow on my jacket, and snow on my shoes; There's snow on the bushes, and snow on the trees-- It's snowing on everything now, if you please.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE SNOWFLAKES ARE FALLING BY ONES AND BY TWOS]

DIPPY-DIPPY-DAVY

Dippy-Dippy-Davy, Half the Royal Navy In the dampness and the dark Was driving off a savage shark To Dippy-Dippy-Davy.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

WHEN I'M AS RICH AS UNCLE CLAUS

When I'm as rich as Uncle Claus, With whiskers on my chin, I'm going to have a great big house To put my people in.

I'll never let them wander out Or ride with me to town; They'll come a-running when I shout And tremble when I frown.

I'll have some men in soldier tents, A pirate and his mate, And wildcats all around the fence, And mad dogs on the gate.

RINKY-TATTLE

Rinky-tattle, rinky-tattle, Rinky-tattle--who?

Little Tommy Taylor Is a rinky-tattle too.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

TWENTY LITTLE SNOWFLAKES

Twenty little snowflakes climbing up a wire.

"Now, listen," said their mother, "don't you climb up any higher.

The sun will surely catch you, and scorch you with his fire."

But the naughty little snowflakes didn't mind a word she said, Each tried to clamber faster than his fellow just ahead; They thought that they'd be back in time enough to go to bed.

But they found out that their mother wasn't quite the dunce they thought her, The sun bobbed up--remember this, my little son and daughter-- And turned those twenty snowflakes into twenty drops of water.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SLIPPERY SLIM

Slippery Slim, a garter snake, Leaned against a garden rake And smiled a sentimental smile At Tilly Toad, on the gravel pile, Till that bashful miss was forced to hop And hide her face in a carrot-top.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THROUGH FOG AND RAIN I RUN MY TRAIN]

THE FREIGHTER

Through fog and rain I run my train Wherever the track is laid, And over the road I carry a load Whenever the freight is paid.

A kaddy of tea For Genessee, For Troy an empty crate, A man in brown For Uniontown To help them celebrate.

NO ONE AT HOME