Nature-songs
: NATURE SONGS: Popular Rhymes And Nursery Tales
Rhymes upon natural objects and rural sayings are perhaps more generally
interesting than any other relics of the popular anthology. They not
unfrequently contain scientific truths, and have been considered worthy
of examination by the philosopher; while the unlearned are often
contented to use them as substitutes for the barometer or Nautical
Almanac. We all recollect the story of Dr. Johnson, and the boy who
prophesied a shower when not a speck was to be seen in the sky. The
doctor, drenched with rain, hastened back to the lad, and offered him a
shilling if he would divulge the data of his prediction. "Why, you zee,
zur, when that black ram holds its tail up, it be sure to rain!" The
story loses none of its force when we find it in the Hundred Merry
Tales, printed nearly two centuries before Dr. Johnson was born.
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Mr Nightingale's New Friend Mr Blackbird
"I heard a story the other day," said daddy, "a quite true story. Mr. Nightingale had built too large a nest. "After a while he thought of a visitor he would like to have all the time, and off he started on his travels. "As he went along, ... Mr Pepys His Valentine
AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN 1666 (ADAPTED) This morning, came up to my wife's bedside, I being up dressing myself, little Will Mercer, to be her valentine; and brought her name writ upon blue paper in gold letters, done by himself, very pretty; an... Mr Plain Sparrow Calls On Ducks
"It was such a hot day yesterday," said daddy, "that Mr. Plain Sparrow simply could not get cool. You see he never goes away in the winter and so he gets used to really cold weather. On a day as hot as it was yesterday he simply doesn't know wh... Mr Wardle's Servant Joe
AN old country gentleman named Wardle had a servant of whom he was very proud, not because of the latter's diligence, but because Joe, commonly called the "Fat Boy," was a character which could not be matched anywhere in the world. At the time whe... Mrs Deer Explains
For the first time in his life Nimble felt quite grown up. He forgot that he had not yet lived a whole summer. He had made a suggestion to his mother which she had promptly acted upon. It had never happened before. And that was enough to cause him... Mrs Veal's Ghost
Now you are going to hear a ghost story published, but he says, not written, by Daniel Defoe the author of 'Robinson Crusoe.' If you read it carefully, you will find how very curious it is. Miss Veal, or as she was then called according to custo... Muckle-mou'ed Meg
"O wha hasna heard o' the bauld Juden Murray, The Lord o' the Elibank Castle sae high? An' wha hasna heard o' that notable foray, Whan Willie o' Harden was catched wi' the kye?" Of all the towers and castles which belonged t... Munachar And Manachar
There once lived a Munachar and a Manachar, a long time ago, and it is a long time since it was, and if they were alive now they would not be alive then. They went out together to pick raspberries, and as many as Munachar used to pick Manachar ... My Cock Lily-cock
An inferior version of the following, which was obtained from Essex, is printed in Mr. Chambers's Popular Rhymes of Scotland, ed. 1847, p. 190. A Swedish version, or rather a variation, in Lilja, p. 17, commences as follows: "I served a farmer for f... My Daughter Jane
Eccleshall version, played as a game by the schoolgirls. See the Nursery Rhymes of England, p. 114. Suitors. Here come two dukes all out of Spain, A courting to your daughter Jane. Mother. My daughter Jane, she is ... My Dearest Is A Lady
BY MIRIAM S. CLARK My dearest is a lady, she wears a gown of blue, She sits beside the window where the yellow sun comes through; The light is shining on her hair, and all the time she sews, She sings a song about a knight, a ... My Dolly
Hush, Dolly, bye, Dolly, sleep, Dolly, dear, See what a bed, Dolly, I've for you here; Therefore, to sleep, Dolly! don't fret and cry; Lay down your head, Dolly, shut up your eye. When the bright morn, Dolly, once more ha... My Little Garden
See my little garden, How I rake it over, Then I sow the little brown seeds, And with soft earth cover. Now the raindrops patter On the earth so gayly; See the big round sun smile On my garden daily. ... My Lord Bag Of Rice
Long, long ago there lived in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice." His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change his name. One day he sallied forth in... My Maid Mary
My maid Mary She minds her dairy, While I go a-hoeing and mowing each morn. Merrily runs the reel And the little spinning-wheel While I am singing and mowing my corn. ... My Possessions
I'm a rich man, If ever there was one: I've a horse and an apple, And both are my own. But some others might wish Such fine presents to keep; So I'll take them to bed, To hold while asleep. ... My Sow Has Pigged
A game at cards, played now only by children. It is alluded to by Taylor the Water-poet, in his Motto, 12mo. Lond. 1622, and it is also mentioned in Poor Robin's Almanac for 1734. The following distich is used in this game: Higgory, diggory... Nagoba The Snake-king
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a Brahman who had seven little daughters-in-law. In the fulness of time the month of Shravan came and with it Nagpanchmi Day [12]. In honour of the festival, one little daughter-in-la... Naming The Fingers
BY LAURA E. RICHARDS This is little Tommy Thumb, Round and smooth as any plum. This is busy Peter Pointer: Surely he's a double-jointer. This is mighty Toby Tall, He's the biggest one of all. This is dainty R... Nature-songs
Rhymes upon natural objects and rural sayings are perhaps more generally interesting than any other relics of the popular anthology. They not unfrequently contain scientific truths, and have been considered worthy of examination by the philosopher... Ned And Rover And Jack
A boy named Ned had a little puppy-dog named Rover. One day, Ned's papa gave him a nice new toy wagon. Ned was pulling it around the yard when he saw Rover. "Come, Rover!" he said, "I will give you a fine ride." So he took Rover and put him in the w... Neglect The Fire
And You Cannot Put It Out Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy... Nelson And Hardy
Lord Nelson was one of the greatest seamen that ever lived. He commanded the British fleet at the battle of Trafalgar, when the navies of France and Spain were beaten, and England was saved from a great danger. He did not look like a famous admira... Nettles Grow In An Angry Bush
Nettles grow in an angry bush, An angry bush, an angry bush; Nettles grow in an angry bush, With my High, Ho, Ham! This is the way the lady goes, The lady goes, the lady goes; This is the way the la... New Year's Day
God bless the master of this house, The mistress also, And all the little children That round the table go; And all your kin and kinsmen, That dwell both far and near; I wish you a merry Christmas, ... Niddy-noddy
A simple but very amusing game at cards, at which any number can play. The cards are dealt round, and one person commences the game by placing down a card, and the persons next in succession who hold the same card in the various suits place them dow... Niels And The Giants
On one of the great moors over in Jutland, where trees won't grow because the soil is so sandy and the wind so strong, there once lived a man and his wife, who had a little house and some sheep, and two sons who helped them to herd them. The elder o... Nimble's Mistake
One morning Nimble's mother said to him, "To-night, just as the moon rises, we'll start for Farmer Green's garden patch." He knew what that meant. It meant that he was going to know, at last, what carrots tasted like. And he was delighted. "Y... Nine Lives Of A Cat
<p class = "illustration"> <img src = "/images/cover.jpg" width = "447" height = "565" alt = "NINE LIVES OF A CAT by CHARLES BENNETT" /> </p> <!-- png 02 --> <p class = "page"> </p> <!-- png 03 --> <p class = "illustration"> <img src = "/images/... Nippit Fit And Clippit Fit
In a country, far across the sea, there once dwelt a great and mighty Prince. He lived in a grand Castle, which was full of beautiful furniture, and curious and rare ornaments. And among them was a lovely little glass shoe, which would only fit th... Nix Naught Nothing
Once upon a time there lived a King and a Queen who didn't differ much from all the other kings and queens who have lived since Time began. But they had no children, and this made them very sad indeed. Now it so happened that the King had to go an... Noel
N. for a word of deniance, E. with a figure of L. fiftie, Spelleth his name that never Will be thriftie. MS. Sloane 2497, of the sixteenth century. ... Nonsense Alphabet
BY EDWARD LEAR A was an ant Who seldom stood still, And who made a nice house In the side of a hill. a Nice little ant! B was a book With a binding of blue, And pictu... Nonsense Rhyme
from the Negro quarters Jay-bird a-sittin' on a Hickory limb. He winked at me, I winked at him. 'Taint gwine to rain no mo'. Hawk and Buzzard went to law; Hawk fell down and broke his jaw. 'Taint gwine to... North Acre
The Lord Dacre Was slain in North Acre. North Acre is or was the name of the spot where Lord Dacre perished at the battle of Towton in 1461. He is said to have been shot by a boy out of an elder tree. ... Norwegian Bird-legends
The Norwegians have several quaint old legends connected with some of their birds. This is the story of the goldcrest, known in Norway as the "bird-king": Once upon a time the golden eagle determined to be publicly acknowledged as king of the b... Not Angles But Angels
In old days the people of England were not all free, as they are now. Sometimes young men, and women, and little children were sold as slaves, and had to work hard for their masters. Many of these slaves were sent to Rome, for the Romans thought... Noureddin And The Fair Persian
Balsora was the capital of a kingdom long tributary to the caliph. During the time of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid the king of Balsora, who was his cousin, was called Zinebi. Not thinking one vizir enough for the administration of his estates he ...