There Was An Old Woman

: MOTHER GOOSE CONTINUED
: Boys And Girls Bookshelf

"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."




There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children she didn't know what to do;

She gave t em 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?