Under the window is my garden,

Where sweet, sweet flowers grow

Will you be my little wife,

If I ask you? Do!

You see, merry Phillis, that dear little maid,

Has invited Belinda to tea

Three tabbies took out their cats to tea,

As well-behaved tabbies as well could be

Little Fanny wears a hat

Like her ancient Grannie

"Margery Brown, on the top of the hill,

Why are you standing idle still?"

Little wind, blow on the hill-top,

Little wind, blow down the plain

Indeed, it is true, it is perfectly true;

Believe me, indeed, I am playing no tricks

School is over,

Oh, what fun!

"Little Polly, will you go a-walking to-day?"

"Indeed Little Susan, I

I was walking up the street,

The steeple bells were ringing

Five little sisters walking in a row:

Now, isn't that the best way for little girls to go?

In go-cart so tiny

My sister I drew

Some geese went out a-walking,

To breakfast and to dine

You are going out to tea to-day,

So mind how you behave

Poor Dicky's dead!—The bell we toll,

And lay him in the deep, dark hole

Up you go, shuttlecocks, ever so high!

Why come you down again, shuttlecocks—why?

Tommy was a silly boy,

"I can fly," he said

Higgledy, piggledy, see how they run!

Hopperty, popperty! what is the fun?

Which is the way to Somewhere Town?

Oh, up in the morning early

The boat sails away, like a bird on the wing,

And the little boys dance on the sands in a ring

Pipe thee high, and pipe thee low,

Let the little feet go faster

Polly's, Peg's, and Poppety's

Mamma was kind and good

Bowl away! bowl away!

Fast as you can

"For what are you longing, you three little boys?

Or what would you like to eat?

O ring the bells! O ring the bells!

We bid you, sirs, good morning

Then ring the bells! then ring the bells!

For this fair time of Maying

I saw a ship that sailed the sea,

It left me as the sun went down

Yes, that's the girl that struts about,

She's very proud—so very proud!

It was Tommy who said,

"The sweet spring-time is come

"Shall I sing?" says the Lark,

"Shall I bloom?" says the Flower

Little Miss Patty and Master Paul

Have found two snails on the garden wall

Yes, it is sad of them,

Shocking to me

Now, all of you, give heed unto

The tale I now relate

What is Tommy running for,

Running for, running for?

A butcher's boy met a baker's boy

(It was all of a summer day)

The twelve Miss Pelicoes

Were twelve sweet little girls

Little baby, if I threw

This fair blossom down to you

The finest, biggest fish, you see,

Will be the trout that's caught by me

Prince Finikin and his mamma

Sat sipping their bohea

Heigh ho!—time creeps but slow:

I've looked up the hill so long

My house is red—a little house,

A happy child am I

Three little girls were sitting on a rail,

Sitting on a rail, sitting on a rail

Ring the bells—ring!

Hip, hurrah for the King!

Under the window is my garden,

Where sweet, sweet flowers grow;

And in the pear-tree dwells a robin,

The dearest bird I know.

Tho' I peep out betimes in the morning,

Still the flowers are up the first;

Then I try and talk to the robin,

And perhaps he'd chat—if he durst.

Will you be my little wife,

If I ask you? Do!

I'll buy you such a Sunday frock,

A nice umbrella, too.

And you shall have a little hat,

With such a long white feather,

A pair of gloves, and sandal shoes,

The softest kind of leather.

And you shall have a tiny house,

A beehive full of bees,

A little cow, a largish cat,

And green sage cheese.

You see, merry Phillis, that dear little maid,

Has invited Belinda to tea;

Her nice little garden is shaded by trees—

What pleasanter place could there be?

There's a cake full of plums, there are strawberries too,

And the table is set on the green;

I'm fond of a carpet all daisies and grass—

Could a prettier picture be seen?

A blackbird (yes, blackbirds delight in warm weather,)

Is flitting from yonder high spray;

He sees the two little ones talking together—

No wonder the blackbird is gay!

Three tabbies took out their cats to tea,

As well-behaved tabbies as well could be:

Each sat in the chair that each preferred,

They mewed for their milk, and they sipped and purred.

Now tell me this (as these cats you've seen them)—

How many lives had these cats between them?

Little Fanny wears a hat

Like her ancient Grannie;

Tommy's hoop was (think of that!)

Given him by Fanny.

"Margery Brown, on the top of the hill,

Why are you standing, idle still?"

"Oh, I'm looking over to London town;

Shall I see the horsemen if I go down?"

"Margery Brown, on the top of the hill,

Why are you standing, listening still?"

"Oh, I hear the bells of London ring,

And I hear the men and the maidens sing."

"Margery Brown, on the top of the hill,

Why are you standing, waiting still?"

"Oh, a knight is there, but I can't go down,

For the bells ring strangely in London town."

Little wind, blow on the hill-top,

Little wind, blow down the plain;

Little wind, blow up the sunshine,

Little wind, blow off the rain.

Indeed it is true, it is perfectly true;

Believe me, indeed, I am playing no tricks;

An old man and his dog bide up there in the moon,

And he's cross as a bundle of sticks.

School is over,

Oh, what fun!

Lessons finished,

Play begun.

Who'll run fastest,

You or I?

Who'll laugh loudest?

Let us try.

"Little Polly, will you go a-walking to-day?"

"Indeed, little Susan, I will, if I may."

"Little Polly, your mother has said you may go;

She was nice to say 'Yes;' she should never say 'No.'"

"A rook has a nest on the top of the tree—

A big ship is coming from over the sea:

Now, which would be nicest, the ship or the nest?"

"Why, that would be nicest that Polly likes best."

As I was walking up the street,

The steeple bells were ringing;

As I sat down at Mary's feet,

The sweet, sweet birds were singing.

As I walked far into the world,

I met a little fairy;

She plucked this flower, and, as it's sweet,

I've brought it home to Mary.

Five little sisters walking in a row;

Now, isn't that the best way for little girls to go?

Each had a round hat, each had a muff,

And each had a new pelisse of soft green stuff.

Five little marigolds standing in a row;

Now, isn't that the best way for marigolds to grow?

Each with a green stalk, and all the five had got

A bright yellow flower, and a new red pot.

In go-cart so tiny

My sister I drew;

And I've promised to draw her

The wide world through.

We have not yet started—

I own it with sorrow—

Because our trip's always

Put off till to-morrow.

Some geese went out a-walking,

To breakfast and to dine;

They craned their necks, and plumed themselves—

They numbered four from nine;

With their cackle, cackle, cackle!

They thought themselves so fine.

A dame went walking by herself,

A very ancient crone;

She said, "I wish that all you geese

Were starved to skin and bone!

Do stop that cackle, cackle, now,

And leave me here alone."

You are going out to tea to-day,

So mind how you behave;

Let all accounts I have of you

Be pleasant ones, I crave.

Don't spill your tea, or gnaw your bread,

And don't tease one another;

And Tommy mustn't talk too much,

Or quarrel with his brother.

Say "If you please," and "Thank you, Nurse:"

Come home at eight o'clock;

And, Fanny, pray be careful that

You do not tear your frock.

Now, mind your manners, children five,

Attend to what I say;

And then, perhaps, I'll let you go

Again another day.

Poor Dicky's dead!—The bell we toll,

And lay him in the deep, dark hole.

The sun may shine, the clouds may rain,

But Dick will never pipe again!

His quilt will be as sweet as ours—

Bright buttercups and cuckoo flowers.

Up you go, shuttlecocks, ever so high!

Why come you down again, shuttlecocks—why?

When you have got so far, why do you fall?

Where all are high, which is highest of all?

Tommy was a silly boy,

"I can fly," he said;

He started off, but very soon,

He tumbled on his head.

His little sister Prue was there,

To see how he would do it;

She knew that, after all his boast,

Full dearly Tom would rue it!

Higgledy, piggledy! see how they run!

Hopperty, popperty! what is the fun?

Has the sun or the moon tumbled into the sea?

What is the matter, now? Pray tell it me!

Higgledy, piggledy! how can I tell?

Hopperty, popperty! hark to the bell!

The rats and the mice even scamper away;

Who can say what may not happen to-day?