Cradle Songs

Seven happy little chicks walked out one day in June, Thought they would enjoy the way by starting up a tune; Seven ugly little ducks, whose names I will not mention, Made up their minds to follow them, and spoil their good intention; Now everybody knows that a duckling’s voice is deep, And everybody knows that quack will make more noise than peep.

So when they found their music drowned, these plucky little chicks Made up their minds to cure these ducks of all such naughty tricks; So they chased them from the barn-yard, on this pleasant day in June, Then started on their walk again, and went on with their tune. --_J. S._

THE GENEROUS CLOVER.

Clover, clover in the field, Why do you hang your head? Have you done anything unkind? Or any cross word said?

O no, my little maiden, no! I only droop with dew; And from my lips sweet honey drips; Come, I will share with you. --_C. C. B._

WHERE THEY GROW.

Down in the valley, deep, deep, deep, Where little sunbeams wink and peep, Under the grasses hiding low-- There’s where the dear little violets grow.

Out in the meadow, bright, bright, bright, Close by the clovers red and white-- With heart of gold and a fringe of snow, There’s where the dear little daisies grow.

Up in the older tree, tree, tree, Peep, and a tiny nest you’ll see, Swung by the breezes to and fro-- There’s where the dear little birdlings grow.

Up in the nursery, neat, neat, neat, Hear the patter of wee, wee feet-- Hear little voices chirp and crow-- There’s where the dear little babies grow!

BA-BY FAY FERN-Y.

What is this, with blue Lit-tle shoes, so new-- Cun-ning lit-tle feet, Trot-ting down the street, What will mam-ma say? Ba-by’s run a-way-- Ba-by Fay Fer-ny.

Calls a boy: “Hal-loo! See here, lit-tle pop-pet show, Come with me!” No, no, Ba-by’s do-in’ do Ba-by’s own self! Fast Round the cor-ner passed Ba-by Fay Fer-ny.

Stops a great big man Hur-ry-ing all he can: “Here! what’s this! My! Dropped down from the sky? Some-bod-y’s to blame! Ba-by, what’s your name?” “Ba-by Fay Fer-ny.”

“Where you go-ing? say!” “Day-day.” “What’s that, hey? See the ba-by fidg-et! What d’you want, you midg-et.” “Piece o’but-ter-bed, Su-gy on it, ’las-ses on it, Jam on it,” said Ba-by Fay Fer-ny.

Peo-ple pause to see: La-dies, one, two, three; A po-lice-man, too; But no one that knew Whence the ba-by came. “What’s your pa-pa’s name?” “Pa-pa Fay Fer-ny.”

Comes a breath-less maid: “O dear! I’m a-fraid Ba-by’s lost and gone-- Ba-by Fer-gu-son! No--there down the street! O, you naugh-ty sweet Ba-by Fay Fer-ny!”

THE DOUGH-DOG.

One day when grandma was making some pies, She wished to give Tommy a pleasant surprise; So she made a puppy-dog out of some dough, And baked it, and marked it, and named it Bruno. This wonderful dog could stand on its feet,

Its body was chubby, and cunning and neat, Its little dough-head was spotted with black, And its little dough-tail curled over its back. And when Tommy saw it he shouted with glee, “How good grandma was to make that for me!” And he played with the puppy-dog day after day, Till its head and its tail were both worn away. --_M. E. N. H._

THE LION’S O-PIN-ION OF HIM-SELF.

A li-on gazed down at his shad-ow one day; Said he, “I look fierce, I de-clare! No won-der my neigh-bors keep out of my way, And wish they were birds of the air!

“And I own that real-ly I feel a-fraid Some-times when I hear my-self roar!” And he wished as he went and lay down in the shade That he need be a li-on no more.

WHICH IS TALL-EST.

Look! how they meas-ure, Dai-sy and Rose; Naught-y Dai-sy will stand On the tips of her toes!

If I was in her place I’d try to act fair! And Rose is the tall-est For all, I de-clare!

THE ANX-IOUS DOG-GY.

Take care, lit-tle mas-ter, Or you’ll fall in! That wa-ter is up To your ver-y chin.

Please don’t! please don’t, My mas-ter dear-- O, I wish your moth-er Wouldn’t send you here!

For oh! lit-tle mas-ter, What could I do, If you should fall in, But jump in too?

NINE LITTLE BIRDIES.

Nine little birdies rocked by the breeze: First birdie said, “I’m tired of these trees;” Next birdie said, “Where shall we go?” Third birdie said, “Where red cherries grow!” Fourth birdie said, “Are they ripe, do you think?” Fifth birdie laughed with a rogue’s own wink; Sixth birdie said, “I’m sure that they are;” Seventh birdie said, “Is it very far?” Eighth birdie said, “Who’ll leader be?” Ninth birdie said, “I’m off, follow me!” Whew! Whew! And away they all flew Into Mr. John Lee’s Choice cherry trees!

WHAT BA-BY DID.

What do you think the ba-by did? Why, Ba-by did as he was bid!

The dar-ling took a pen, and wrote-- A lit-tle in-vi-ta-tion note,

To all the aunts, and grand-mam-ma, To un-cles all, and grand-pa-pa,

To all the ba-by kin ar-ray, To come to din-ner Christ-mas Day.

He wrote it ver-y black and plain, Criss-crossed and marked it all a-gain;

And though he had not had his nap He next was seen in cloak and cap,

And go-ing up the crowd-ed street, Safe in his hand the mis-sive sweet,