Complete Works of L. Frank Baum

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Complete Works of L. Frank Baum Page 874

by L. Frank Baum


  The author and illustrator of “Father Goose” have had no intent to imitate or parody the famous verse and pictures of “Mother Goose.” They own to having followed, in modern fashion, the plan of the book that pleased children ages ago--and still pleases them. These are newer jingles and pictures for children of to-day, and intended solely to supplement the nursery rhymes of our ancestors.

  Father Goose

  Old Mother Goose became quite new,

  And joined a Woman’s Club;

  She left poor Father Goose at home

  To care for Sis and Bub.

  They called for stories by the score,

  And laughed and cried to hear

  All of the queer and merry songs

  That in this book appear.

  When Mother Goose at last returned

  For her there was no use;

  The goslings much preferred to hear

  The tales of FATHER GOOSE.

  Why?

  Why does the doggy bark, papa,

  Why does the doggy bark?

  The reason why,

  if you must know,

  Is that the little

  dog can’t crow,

  And so he has to bark.

  Why does the rooster crow, papa?

  Why does the rooster crow?

  The reason why

  I’ll tell to you;

  Because the rooster

  cannot mew,

  And so he has to crow.

  Why does the kitten mew, papa,

  Why does the kitten mew?

  The reason why

  I’m forced to say

  Is that the kitten

  Can not bray,

  And so she has to mew.

  Why does the donkey bray, papa,

  Why does the donkey bray?

  The reason for

  the donkey’s bray

  Is that the beast

  was born that way,

  And so, he has to bray.

  Did You Ever See a Rabbit?

  Did you ever see a rabbit climb a tree?

  Did you ever see a lobster ride a flea?

  Did you ever?

  No, you never!

  For they simply couldn’t do it, don’t you see!

  Did you ever see a fire burn with snow?

  Did you ever climb a ladder down below?

  Did you ever?

  No, you never!

  For these things cannot happen, don’t you know?

  Did you ever see a ship sail on the land?

  Did you ever hold a mountain in your hand?

  Did you ever?

  No, you never!

  For it really can’t be done, you understand.

  To Walk Jim Jones

  To walk Jim Jones was not contented,

  And so an air-ship he invented;

  He sailed away

  One Summer day

  And people say

  He won’t return very soon,

  For Jim Jones sailed up to the moon.

  Clockwork Man

  Now, once I owned a funny man,

  A clockwork was inside him;

  You’d be surprised how fast he ran

  When I was there beside him.

  He was the pride of all the boys

  Who lived within our town;

  But when this man ran up a hill

  He always would run down!

  Tick Tock

  “Tick-Tock!

  Tick-Tock!”

  Don’t you hear our friend

  the clock?

  With his pendulum so swinging

  All the day he’s softly singing

  “Tick-Tock!”

  Tick-Tock!”

  Can’t you hear our friend

  the clock?

  This Bold Boy

  This bold boy had done no wrong;

  His hair had simply grown too long.

  So Auntie placed the bowl just so

  To see how far the shears could go.

  Now the boy is full of glee;

  His hair is nicely cut, you see;

  And Auntie gives her head a bob,

  To see how well she did the job.

  There Was a Goose

  There was a Goose in Syracuse

  And full of fun was he;

  He met a Clown and bought his gown

  And thought a clown he’d be.

  But for his jokes the little folks

  Had very little use:

  And when the Clown

  danced up and down

  They thought he was a Goose!

  Mister Jinks

  Have you seen Mister Jinks, Mister Jinks, Mister Jinks,

  Have you seen him when he’s walking down the street?

  He nods and then he winks

  And most everybody thinks

  That is smile is really beautiful and sweet.

  Have you seen Mister Jinks, Mister Jinks, Mister Jinks,

  Have you seen him when he’s walking down the lane?

  He’s full of fun and folly,

  He’s round and fat and jolly,

  And we’re always glad to see his face again.

  Little Barelegs Runs

  Little Barelegs runs

  and races all the day;

  Birds and butterflies

  she chases far away.

  In the brook she wades, and wishes

  She could hook the little fishes

  Just to cook them in her dishes while at play.

  Who’s Afraid?

  Who’s afraid?

  Ev’ry Goblin, known of old,

  Perished years ago, I’m told.

  Ev’ry Witch, on broomstick riding,

  Has been burned or is in hiding.

  Burglars dare not venture near

  When they know that papa’s here.

  Lions you now only see

  Caged in the menagerie.

  And the Grizzly Bear can’t hug

  When he’s made into a rug--

  Who’s afraid?

  The Cats They Sit

  The cats they sit upon the fence

  At night,

  And show they hav’n’t any sense

  Of right,

  By making such a noise

  They wake the girls and boys

  And caterwaul till they commence

  To fight.

  A Sailor from China

  There once came a sailor from China,

  And he fell in love with Aunt Dinah.

  And he laughed till he cried

  And he cried till he sighed:

  “Oh , why wont you have me, Aunt Dinah?”

  Then you should have heard old Aunt Dinah

  Reply to this sailor from China,

  Saying “Sir don’t you see

  I could never agree

  With a sailor that once

  lived in China.”

  If Johnny Had No Eye

  If our Johnny had no eye

  Not a single thing he’d spy;

  If our Johnny had no nose

  He could never smell the rose;

  If our Johnny had no ear

  Not a thing could Johnny hear;

  And his mouth is made to talk,

  And his feet are made to walk

  ‘Tis no wonder that I say

  Johnny’s made a funny way!

  Sally Dance

  Have you seen little Sally

  Dance the Ostrich Dance?

  The dainty way she does it

  Will surely you entrance.

  With the left foot here,

  And the right foot there,

  And the ostrich feathers waving

  In her golden hair:

  She’s Surely very charming--

  You’ll see it at a glance--

  When little Sally dances

  In the Ostrich dance.

  Old Mister Micklejohn

  Old Mister Micklejohn

  Had a leg of hickory on;

  He went hippity,

  He went hopp
ity,

  Hip,

  hip,

  hop,

  To the baker’s shop.

  Bought a loaf and ate it up,

  Bought some tea and drank a cup.

  Then went hippity,

  Hip,

  hip,

  hoppity,

  Home again from the

  baker’s shop.

  Baby Found a Feather

  Baby found a feather in the hall;

  Baby saw the masks upon the wall;

  She tickled first a chin

  Till it began to grin,

  And wondered why the other one did bawl.

  Jack Lantern

  A pumpkin in pies

  We all of us prize;

  And surely

  no pumpkin

  a boy would

  affright.

  But a jack-lantern light

  Is a terrible sight

  And scares all the children

  that walk out at night.

  A Bumble Bee

  A Bumble-Bee was buzzing

  On a yellow holly-hock

  When came along a turtle

  Who at the be did mock.

  Saying, “prithee, Mr. Bumble,”

  Why make that horrid noise?

  It’s really distracting,

  And every one annoys.”

  “I’m sorry,” said, quite humble,

  The buzzing, droning Bee,

  “The noise is just my bumble,

  And natural, you see.

  And if I didn’t buzz so,

  I’m sure that you’ll agree

  I’d only be a big fly,

  And not a Bumble-Bee.”

  Grandpa’s Head

  Grandpa’s head is rather bald,

  Bald the baby’s too;

  Grandpa has n’t many teeth,

  Baby has a few.

  Grandpa sits within his chair

  All the live-long day,

  Watching baby sitting there

  Busy at his play.

  Uncle Dick Gave Me a Dolly

  Uncle Dick gave me a dolly,

  Funny doll, as you can see;

  ‘Twas an Injun, so he called my

  Dolly “Ab-or-rig-i-ne.”

  Dolly’s made of rags and

  patches,

  Can’t be broke by girls

  like me;

  So I think he’ll last

  Forever--

  Funny “Ab-o-rig-i-ne.”

  Captain Bing

  Captain Bing was a Pirate King,

  And sailed the broad seas o’er;

  On many a lark he sailed his bark

  Where none had sailed before,

  And filled his hold so full of gold

  That it would hold no more.

  The sea was smooth, and so, forsooth,

  They took a bit of leisure,

  And all the crew. good men and true

  A hornpipe dance for pleasure

  And had their fling, while Captain Bing

  Kept watch above the treasure.

  The wind it blew, and all the crew

  Were sorry that it blew so;

  If they were wrecked they might expect

  To share the fate of Crusoe,

  And ride the spars like jolly tars--

  All shipwrecked men must do so.

  The gale it roared, and all on board

  Began to say their prayers,

  And Captain Bing commenced to sing,

  To drown his many cares

  But when he found that he had drowned,

  It took him unawares.

  I Had a Dog

  I had a dog

  whose head was red.

  He always slept

  upon his bed.

  He always ate

  what he was fed

  And barked when-e’er

  a word was said.

  Little Tommy Toddlekin

  Little Tommy Toddlekin,

  He fell Down and bumped his shin;

  Hurt him sadly.

  Cried quite badly,

  Now his shin is well again.

  Organ Grinder

  Have you seen the

  Organ Grinder

  With a monkey

  on a string?

  He stands upon the sidewalk

  And makes the music ring.

  And all the little children

  Around him dance and play

  And have a merry time

  Before he goes away.

  The monkey climbs the houses

  To windows everywhere,

  And gathers all the pennies

  The children have to spare.

  Master Bunny

  Master Bunny

  looks so funny

  When he’s sitting at his ease.

  Little Dick

  declares the trick

  Any audience will please.

  Mr. Green

  Oh, have you seen Mr. Green?

  He is neither fat nor lean,

  Laughs and cries

  Smiles and sighs

  Eats and drinks

  Reads and thinks.

  Coughs and sneezes

  When he pleases

  Walks and ambles,

  Skips and gambols,

  Slumbers deep

  When asleep,

  Tears his clothes

  Where ‘ere he goes,

  Always found where he is seen--

  Funny man is Mr. Green!

  Elephant

  An elephant to a city went--

  Poor old elephant!

  And lived his life beneath a tent,

  Eating, drinking, thinking, blinking,

  With his trunk chain a-clinking,

  Dreaming of the jungle cool,

  Juicy leaves and rippling pool--

  Poor old elephant!

  Kitty Klymer

  Kitty Klymer had a dress.

  Gingham dress, all white and blue;

  Tried to pick a water-cress,

  Tore her dress an inch or two!

  Home she ran, and in distress

  Took a thread and needle, too,

  Neatly mended her torn dress--

  Now it is as good as new.

  Lee-Hi-Lung-Whan

  Lee-Hi-Lung-Whan

  Was a little Chinaman.

  Wooden shoes with pointed toes,

  Almond eyes and tiny nose.

  Pig-tail long and slick and black,

  Clothes the same both front and back.

  Funny little Chinaman,

  Le*-Hi-Lung-Whan.

  *Corrected in the sixth edition, but remains in The Songs of Father Goose.

  Little Nigger Boy

  There was a little nigger boy

  Hadn’t any shoes;

  He heard his mammy shoo the hens

  And saved the shoos to use.

  There was a little nigger boy

  Hadn’t any hat;

  He wore instead a cabbage leaf,

  It was so big and flat.

  There was a little nigger boy

  Hadn’t any collar;

  And when the copper collared him

  Nigger boy did holler.

  There was a little nigger boy

  Hadn’t any hose;

  He bought a pear, but couldn’t wear

  It as you may suppose.*

  There was a little nigger boy

  Hadn’t any coat;

  So he tried to borrow one

  From a nanny goat.

  *This stanza replaces the original third in the sixth edition.

  John Harrison Hoy

  John Harrison Hoy

  Was a cute Yankee boy,

  With a face that was freckled and red;

  “Each American boy

  Is a King,” said young Hoy,

  “For a crown always grows on his head.”

  Polly Wants a Cracker

  “Polly wants a cracker!”

  The parrot loud did shout.

  “Here’s a
cracker, Polly,”

  Said little Dickey Stout.

  Poll took the cracker quickly,

  Not knowing it was loaded,

  But while she held it tightly

  It suddenly exploded.

  Polly gave an awful cry

  Of mingled pain and rage.

  She flew away from Dickey

  And hid within her cage.

  Baby Pulled the Pussy’s Tail

  Baby pulled the pussy’s tail--

  Naughty boy!

  Pussy gave a painful wail

  Struggle hard without avail;

  Still the baby pulled her tail--

  Naughty boy!

  Pussy raised her little paw--

  Angry cat!

  Gave the baby’s face a claw!

  Scratched his cheek till it was raw--

  Awf’lest scratch you ever saw--

  Think of that!

  Patsy Bedad

  Patsy Bedad

  Was a bright Irish lad

  Who loved to work hard at his ease;

  “When I grow up,” said he,

  “I’ll a gentleman be,

  For then I shall join the Police.”

  Caterpillar

  I knew a Caterpillar

  Which crawled to see a miller,

  To ask if he would deign

  To sell a load of grain.

  But when he came to buy

  He became a Butterfly,

  So he couldn’t use the grain

  And he flew away again.

  Ding a Ling

  Ding-a-ling-a-ling-ling!

  Can’t you hear the bell ring?

  First the man who sells the milk,

  Then a lady dressed in silk,

  Next a beggar asking bread,

  Glad to work when he is fed;

  Ting-a-ling-a-ling-ling!

  Can’t you hear the bell ring?

  Now the gas man after money,

  Then a peddlar peddling honey;

  Then a plumber, then a drummer,

  Selling books to read in summer,

  Ting-a-ling-a-ling-ling!

  Can’t you hear the bell ring?

 

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