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he way you mind your sheep,--
 Under the haystack, fast asleep?"

 Little boy Blue, awake, awake,
 And see how merry your charges make!
 Through field and garden their course they steer,
 And the mischief they're doing,--oh dear, oh dear!

PAT-A-CAKE

 "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man
 Bake me a cake as quick as you can
 Pat it and prick it, and mark it with B,
 And put it in the oven for baby and me."

 Hurry it, hurry it, baker's man;
 Bring it to us as quick as you can.
 I hope it has raisins by way of surprise,
 And little black currants that look just like eyes.

 Here it comes, here it comes, baby mine.
 Never was cake that was half so fine;
 Brown as a berry, and hot from the pan,--
 Thank you, oh thank you, you good baker's man!

 * * *

 "Hickory, dickory, dock.
 The mouse ran up the clock,
 The clock struck one,
 The mouse ran down,--
 Hickory, dickory, dock."

 Hickory, dickory, dock,
 Again he tried the clock,
 This time,--don't frown,--
 The _clock_ ran down!
 Hickory, dickory, dock.

HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON?

 "HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON?
 THREE SCORE MILES AND TEN
 CAN I GET THERE BY CANDLELIGHT?
 YES, AND BACK AGAIN."

 How shall I go to Babylon?
 Who will tell me true?
 Oh, there are trains, and there are boats,
 And automobiles too.

 And one may ride a bicycle,
 Or go in a balloon;
 Or one may travel on his feet
 And get there 'most as soon.

 For trains go off the track, you see,
 And boats go down below;
 And automobiles go to smash
 In ways that none may know.

 And tires of bicycles go pop,
 Balloons will go and balk,
 So taking all in all, I think
 If I were you, I'd walk.

Hark! Hark!

 Hark, Hark the dogs do bark!
 The beggars have come to town.
 Some in rags, and some in tags,
 And some in velvet gowns.

 Hear, hear, they're drawing near!
 Just hark to the tramp of feet!
 So haste about, set tables out,
 And get them food to eat.

 Run, run, the turkey's done!
 I hope it is nicely dressed,
 For those who shirk and will not work
 Are sure to want the best.

There Was an Old Woman

 "There was an old woman
 Who lived in a shoe,
 Who had so many children
 She didn't know what to do
 She gave them some broth
 Without any bread
 And whipped them all soundly
 And sent them to bed."

 [Illustration:
 There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
 She had so many children she didn't know what to do;
 She gave them some broth without any bread;
 She whipped them all soundly, and put them to bed.
 FROM A DRAWING BY P. VINTON BROWN]

 Now it happened that Santa Claus,
 Passing that way,
 Peeped into the shoe top
 And saw how they lay--
 With their round, rosy faces
 All shining with tears,
 And resolved to do something
 To comfort the dears.

 So while they were sleeping
 In woful array,
 He bundled those children
 Right into his sleigh;
 And cracking his whip
 As his reindeers sped forth,
 Away they all flew
 To his home in the North.

 What wonders he showed them,
 Such beautiful toys!
 Such dolls for the girls,
 And such drums for the boys!
 Such farms and such stables,
 Such monkeys and bears,
 Such dishes and tables
 And tiny dolls' chairs!

 And when they had seen
 All the wonderful things
 Which each winter, at Christmas,
 Dear Santa Claus brings,
 He gave them, to make
 Their enchantment complete,
 Just all of the candy
 And cake they could eat.

 When they told of their travels,
 Their mother, it seems,
 Only laughed, and declared
 They were nothing but dreams.
 I am sure, though, things _must_
 Have occurred as they say,
 Else why were they, all of them,
 Ill the next day?

Humpty Dumpty

 "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
 Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
 All the King's horses and all the King's men
 Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again."

 I
 There he lay, stretched out on the ground,
 While all the company gathered around;
 When, valiantly stifling his tears and his groans,
 He sadly addressed them in quavering tones.

 II
 "Friends," said Humpty, wiping his eyes,
 "This sudden descent was an awful surprise.
 It inclines me to think,--you may laugh at my views,--
 That a seat that is humble is safest to choose.

 III
 "All are not fitted to sit on a wall,
 Some have no balance, and some are too small;
 Many have tried it and found, as I guess,
 They've ended, like me, in a terrible mess.

 IV
 "Hark, you horses, and all you king's men!
 Hear it, and never forget it again!
 'Tis those who are patient in seats that are low,
 Who some day get up in high places and crow."

 V
 Then they took him and put him to bed.
 I hope you'll remember the things that he said;
 For all the king's horses and all the king's men
 Never once thought of his sermon again.

The Queen of Hearts

 "The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts
 All on a summer's day
 The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts
 And with them ran away.
 The King of Hearts called for the tarts
 And beat the Knave full sore.
 The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts,
 And vowed he'd steal no more."

 This noble queen, with mind serene,
 Then made a mammoth cake.
 The naughty knave for cake did crave,
 And off with it did make.
 The haughty king, for punishing,
 Would have him eat it all,
 Which made the knave--unhappy slave--
 Too sick to speak or crawl.

 Since then, at ease, their majesties
 Eat pastries every day.
 The knave affirms his stomach squirms,
 And looks the other way.
 Alas, alas, to such a pass
 Doth gluttony invite!
 'Tis very sad to be so bad,
 And lose one's appetite.

 Next day the queen, with lofty mien,
 Prepared some lovely pies.
 The feeble knave side-glances gave
 At them with longing eyes.
 The cruel king, with mocking fling,
 Said: "Do, now, have some pie!"
 The qualmish knave, no longer brave,
 Could only groan, "Not I."

One Misty Moisty Morning

 "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 I began to grin,
 How do you do, and how do you do
 And how do you do again?"

 This morning as I wandered
 To enjoy the charming weather,
 I met a man in goggles and a modern suit of leather.
 He began to toot a horn and I began to run,
 He knocked me flat nor cared for that;
 And down the road he spun.

OLD KING COLE

 "Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
 And a merry old soul was he:
 He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
 And he called for his fiddlers three.
 Every fiddler had a fine fiddle,
 And a very fine fiddle had he:
 (Twee-tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee, went the fiddlers three)--
 Oh, there's none so rare as can compare
 With King Cole and his fiddlers three!"

 I
 Good Queen Kate was his royal mate,
 And a right royal mate was she:
 She would frequently state that carousing till late
 Was something that never should be.
 But every fiddler had such a fine fiddle,--
 Oh, such a fine fiddle had he,--
 That old King Cole, in his inmost soul,
 Was as restive as he could be.

 II
 When thus spoke she to his majesty,
 He planted his crown on tight.
 "We will wait,"

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