Peter Piper.

ETER PIPER picked a penn'orth of pepper out of a pauper's pocket.

PETE

If Peter Piper picked a penn'orth of pepper out of a pauper's pocket, Where's the produce of the pauper's pocket Peter Piper picked?

Mary Contrary.

H, Mary, Mary, sweet little fairy,

How gaily your garden grows!

With its bright blue-bells, and its border of shells,
And the columbines planted in rows.

Oh, Mary, Mary, why so contrary?

Oh, wherefore say 'No, no, no!'

When I'd make you my wife, and as happy for life

As a child at the Lord Mayor's show?

A

The Little Cock-Sparrow.

LITTLE Cock-sparrow sat top of a tree,

And he whistled so merry, so happy was he;
Till a little boy came with his bow and his arrow,
And threatened to shoot at this little Cock-sparrow.

'Oh! your body will make me a nice little stew,
And your giblets will make me a little pie, too.'
Says the little Cock-sparrow, 'I'll be shot if I stay,
So I'm off, little sportsman, and wish you good day.'

MORAL.

Don't count up your chickens before they are hatched,
Or count on a dinner before it is catched.

THE

The Carrion Crow.

HERE was an old crow once sat upon an oak,
Watching a fat tailor cutting out a cloak:

'Heigho!' says the Carrion Crow,

'You of your trade, sir, very little know!'

'Wife!' cried the tailor, 'bring arrows and a bow,

And I'll harrow up the feelings of this wretched Carrion Crow!'

Heigho!' said the Carrion Crow,

'Now mind you do not aim too high, and mind don't shoot too low.'

The tailor shot, but the cruel, treach'rous dart,

Flew far wide of the enemy, and pierced the old sow's heart. 'Heigho!' says the Carrion Crow,

'Passionate old tailor, I guessed it would be so!'

'Wife! run and fetch me some treacle in a spoon,

That I may try and put an end to our sow's swoon.'
"'Tis useless!' cried his better-half, now weeping o'er the slain,
'She must be cured as bacon now-she'll never grunt again.'

E

The tailor then cast up a stone to strike the foeman dead;
But midway, lo! to earth it fell, and cracked his old wife's head.

'Heigho!' cries the Carrion Crow,

'If I must speak, your aims are weak; pray who has felt that blow?' The tailor now beside himself, his anger mounting higher,

Has brought some straw, some sticks, a torch, to set the tree on fire.

6

Heigho!' said the Carrion Crow,

As now you're getting personal, I deem it time to go.'

The tree was dry, the wind was high, the flames with great despatch Climb up the oak midst clouds of smoke, and reach the cottage thatch.

'Heigho!' cries the Carrion Crow,

'Excuse me, Mr. Tailor, if over you I crow!'

That night there was a party, the poor old sow was there, And five-and-twenty blackbirds-so I've heard folks declare. 'Heigho!' sings the Carrion Crow,

'Let's drink the funny tailor's health, my friends, before we go.'

MORAL.

Don't give way to temper, though 'tis much the fashion,
And if crows crow over you, don't get in a passion;
Never go out shooting, if only with a bow,

Without a glance on every side-above, behind, below.

Bad Companions.

OME little mice sat in a hole to spin,

SOME

Puss came by and puss peeped in

'May I come and help you to wind up your threads?'
'Oh, no, Mistress Pussy, you'd bite off our heads!'

'Now, surely, you're joking!' the Cat replied,
'On my word and my honour you may confide;
I never touch nothing but bread soaked in milk:
Oh, let me then come in to wind up your silk.'

Oh, no, thank you, Miss Puss, we've heard mother relate
How that she, through your aid, nearly met a sad fate;
And besides, from the books we have read for advice,
We have learnt "there are cats who can feed upon mice!"'

MORAL.

Then all you young people from this beware,

Against all bad companions the door shut with care;
For had these mice trifled with what mother said,

They had all in a moment been dead-quite dead!

John Cook he went riding up Down-come-hill,

He, he, he, and haw, haw, haw;

When the mare she laid down, and she made her will, And resolved not to work any more.

Now what were her legacies? what was her wealth?
He, he, he, and haw, haw, haw;

There's a rotten old bridle a-top of the shelf,
And a half truss of musty old straw.

Molly.

MOLLY my wife and I fell out,

And what do you think it was about?

She had money and I had none,

This was how the row begun.

Molly my wife, when she goes out,

Spends twice as much as she ought, no doubt;
But declares 'tis her money has been expended,
So I hold my tongue, and the row is ended.