The Classic Tales. Volume VI

Appley Dapply’s

Nursery Rhymes



( 1917 )

Appley Dapply,

a little brown mouse,

Goes to the cupboard

in somebody’s house.

In somebody’s cupboard

There’s everything nice,

Cake, cheese, jam, biscuits,

—All charming for mice!

Appley Dapply

has little sharp eyes.

And Appley Dapply

is so fond of pies!



Now who is this knocking

at Cottontail’s door?

Tap tappit! Tap tappit!

She’s heard it before?

And when she peeps out

there is nobodv there,

But a present of carrots

put down on the stair.

Hark! I hear it again!

Tap, tap, tappit! Tap tappit!

Why — I really believe

it’s a little black rabbit



Old Mr. Pricklepin

has never a cushion

to stick his pins in,

His nose is black and his

beard is gray,

And he lives in an ash stump

over the way.



You know the old woman

who lived in a shoe?

And had so many children

She didn’t know what to do?

I think if she lived in

a little shoe-house—

That little old woman

was surely a mouse!



Diggory Diggory Delvet!

A little old man in black velvet;

He digs and he delves—

You can see for yourselves

The mounds dug by Diggory Delvet.



Gravy and potatoes

in a good brown pot—

Put them in the oven,

and serve them verv hot!



There once was an amiable

guinea-pig,

Who brushed back his hair like

a periwig—

He wore a sweet tie,

As blue as the sky—

And his whiskers and buttons

Were very big.



for

LITTLE PETER

IN

NEW ZEALAND



Cecily Parsley’s

Nursery Rhymes



( 1922 )

Cecily Parsley

lived in a pen,

And brewed good ale

for gentlemen;

Gentlemen

came every day,

Till Cecily Parsley

ran away.



Goosey, goosey, gander,

Whither will you wander?

Upstairs and downstairs,

And in my lady’s chamber!



This pig went to market;

This pig stayed at home;

This pig had a bit of meat;

And this pig had none;

This little pig cried

Wee! wee! wee!

I can’t find my way home.



Pussy-cat sits by the fire;

How should she be fair?

In walks the little dog,

Says “Pussy! are you there?”

“How do you do, Mistress Pussy?

Mistress Pussy, how do you do?”

“I thank you kindly, little dog,

I fare as well as you!”



Three blind mice, three blind mice,

See how they run!

They all run after the farmer’s wife,

And she cut off their tails

with a carving knife,

Did ever you see such a thing

in your life

As three blind mice!



Bow, wow, wow!

Whose dog art thou?

“I’m little Tom Tinker’s dog,

Bow, wow, wow!”



We have a little garden,

A garden of our own,

And every day we water there

The seeds that we have sown.

We love our little garden,

And tend it with such care,

You will not find a faded leaf

Or blighted blossom there.



Ninny Nanny Netticoat,

In a white petticoat,

With a red nose —

The longer she stands,

The shorter she grows.



TO

MARGERY, JEAN

AND DAVID



The Tale of

Little Pig Robinson



( 1930 )