The Book of Humorous Verse
Chapter 191 : THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL There was a little girl, And she had a little curl Right in th

THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL

There was a little girl, And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good She was very, very good, And when she was bad she was horrid.

One day she went upstairs, When her parents, unawares, In the kitchen were occupied with meals And she stood upon her head In her little trundle-bed, And then began hooraying with her heels.

Her mother heard the noise, And she thought it was the boys A-playing at a combat in the attic; But when she climbed the stair, And found Jemima there, She took and she did spank her most emphatic.

_Unknown._

THE NAUGHTY DARKEY BOY

There was a cruel darkey boy, Who sat upon the sh.o.r.e, A catching little fishes by The dozen and the score.

And as they squirmed and wriggled there, He shouted loud with glee, "You surely cannot want to live, You're little-er dan me."

Just then with a malicious leer, And a capacious smile, Before him from the water deep There rose a crocodile.

He eyed the little darkey boy, Then heaved a blubbering sigh, And said, "You cannot want to live, You're little-er than I."

The fishes squirm and wriggle still, Beside that sandy sh.o.r.e, The cruel little darkey boy, Was never heard of more.

_Unknown._

DUTCH LULLABY

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Sailed off in a wooden shoe,-- Sailed on a river of misty light Into a sea of dew.

"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"

The old moon asked the three.

"We have come to fish for the herring-fish That live in this beautiful sea; Nets of silver and gold have we,"

Said Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sung a song, As they rocked in the wooden shoe; And the wind that sped them all night long Ruffled the waves of dew; The little stars were the herring-fish That lived in the beautiful sea.

"Now cast your nets wherever you wish, But never afeard are we!"

So cried the stars to the fishermen three, Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw For the fish in the twinkling foam, Then down from the sky came the wooden shoe, Bringing the fishermen home; 'Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed As if it could not be; And some folk thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed Of sailing that beautiful sea; But I shall name you the fishermen three: Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, And Nod is a little head, And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies Is a wee one's trundle-bed; So shut your eyes while Mother sings Of wonderful sights that be, And you shall see the beautiful things As you rock on the misty sea Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three, Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

_Eugene Field._

THE d.i.n.kEY-BIRD

In an ocean, 'way out yonder (As all sapient people know), Is the land of Wonder-Wander, Whither children love to go; It's their playing, romping, swinging, That give great joy to me While the d.i.n.key-Bird goes singing In the Amfalula-tree!

There the gum-drops grow like cherries, And taffy's thick as peas,-- Caramels you pick like berries When, and where, and how you please Big red sugar-plums are clinging To the cliffs beside that sea Where the d.i.n.key-Bird is singing In the Amfalula-tree.

So when children shout and scamper And make merry all the day, When there's naught to put a damper To the ardor of their play; When I hear their laughter ringing, Then I'm sure as sure can be That the d.i.n.key-Bird is singing In the Amfalula-tree.

For the d.i.n.key-Bird's bravuras And staccatos are so sweet-- His roulades, appogiaturas, And robustos so complete, That the youth of every nation-- Be they near or far away-- Have especial delectation In that gladsome roundelay.

Their eyes grow bright and brighter, Their lungs begin to crow, Their hearts get light and lighter, And their cheeks are all aglow; For an echo cometh bringing The news to all and me That the d.i.n.key-Bird is singing In the Amfalula-tree.

I'm sure you'd like to go there To see your feathered friend-- And so many goodies grow there You would like to comprehend!

_Speed, little dreams, your winging To that land across the sea Where the d.i.n.key-Bird is singing In the Amfalula-Tree!_

_Eugene Field._

THE LITTLE PEACH

A little peach in the orchard grew, A little peach of emerald hue: Warmed by the sun, and wet by the dew, It grew.

One day, walking the orchard through, That little peach dawned on the view Of Johnny Jones and his sister Sue-- Those two.

Up at the peach a club they threw: Down from the limb on which it grew, Fell the little peach of emerald hue-- Too true!

John took a bite, and Sue took a chew, And then the trouble began to brew,-- Trouble the doctor couldn't subdue,-- Paregoric too.

Under the turf where the daisies grew, They planted John and his sister Sue; And their little souls to the angels flew-- Boo-hoo!

But what of the peach of emerald hue, Warmed by the sun, and wet by the dew?

Ah, well! its mission on earth is through-- Adieu!

_Eugene Field._