The Home Book of Verse
Chapter 11 : When will you pay me?Say the bells at Old Bailey.When I grow rich, Say the bells at Sh.

When will you pay me?

Say the bells at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich, Say the bells at Sh.o.r.editch.

Pray, when will that be?

Say the bells of Stepney.

I am sure I don't know, Says the great bell at Bow.

THE OWL, THE EEL AND THE WARMING-PAN

The owl and the eel and the warming-pan, They went to call on the soap-fat man.

The soap-fat man he was not within: He'd gone for a ride on his rolling-pin.

So they all came back by the way of the town, And turned the meeting-house upside down.

Laura E. Richards [1850-

THE COW

Thank you, pretty cow, that made Pleasant milk to soak my bread, Every day, and every night, Warm, and fresh, and sweet, and white.

Do not chew the hemlock rank, Growing on the weedy bank; But the yellow cowslips eat, They will make it very sweet.

Where the purple violet grows, Where the bubbling water flows, Where the gra.s.s is fresh and fine, Pretty cow, go there and dine.

Ann Taylor [1782-1866]

THE LAMB

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee, Gave thee life, and bade thee feed By the stream and o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee, Little Lamb, I'll tell thee; He is called by thy name, For He calls Himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and He is mild; He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by His name.

Little Lamb, G.o.d bless thee!

Little Lamb, G.o.d bless thee.

William Blake [1757-1827]

LITTLE RAINDROPS

Oh, where do you come from, You little drops of rain, Pitter patter, pitter patter, Down the window-pane?

They won't let me walk, And they won't let me play, And they won't let me go Out of doors at all to-day.

They put away my playthings Because I broke them all, And then they locked up all my bricks, And took away my ball.

Tell me, little raindrops, Is that the way you play, Pitter patter, pitter patter, All the rainy day?

They say I'm very naughty, But I've nothing else to do But sit here at the window; I should like to play with you.

The little raindrops cannot speak, But "pitter, patter pat"

Means, "We can play on this side: Why can't you play on that?"

"MOON, SO ROUND AND YELLOW"

Moon, so round and yellow, Looking from on high, How I love to see you s.h.i.+ning in the sky.

Oft and oft I wonder, When I see you there, How they get to light you, Hanging in the air:

Where you go at morning, When the night is past, And the sun comes peeping O'er the hills at last.

Sometime I will watch you Slyly overhead, When you think I'm sleeping Snugly in my bed.

Matthias Barr [1831-?]

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

This is the house that Jack built.

This is the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cat That killed the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the dog That worried the cat That killed the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cow with the crumpled horn That tossed the dog That worried the cat That killed the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.