p

P was once a little pump, Pumpy, Slumpy, Flumpy, Pumpy, Dumpy, thumpy, Little pump!

q

Q was once a little quail, Quaily, Faily, Daily, Quaily, Stumpy-taily, Little quail!

r

R was once a little rose, Rosy, Posy, Nosy, Rosy, Blows-y, grows-y, Little rose!

s

S was once a little shrimp, Shrimpy, Nimpy, Flimpy, Shrimpy, Jumpy, jimpy, Little shrimp!

t

T was once a little thrush, Thrushy, Hushy, Bushy, Thrushy, Flitty, flushy, Little thrush!

u

U was once a little urn, Urny, Burny, Turny, Urny, Bubbly, burny, Little urn!

v

V was once a little vine, Viny, Winy, Twiny, Viny, Twisty-twiny, Little vine!

w

W was once a whale, Whaly, Scaly, Shaly, Whaly, Tumbly-taily, Mighty whale!

x

X was once a great king Xerxes, Xerxy, Perxy, Turxy, Xerxy, Linxy, lurxy, Great King Xerxes!

y

Y was once a little yew, Yewdy, Fewdy, Crudy, Yewdy, Growdy, grewdy, Little yew!

z

Z was once a piece of zinc, Tinky, Winky, Blinky, Tinky, Tinkly minky, Piece of zinc!

Edward Lear.

_A was an Ant_

A was an ant Who seldom stood still, And who made a nice house In the side of a hill.

a Nice little ant!

B was a book With a binding of blue, And pictures and stories For me and for you.

b Nice little book!

C was a cat Who ran after a rat; But his courage did fail When she seized on his tail.

c Crafty old cat!

D was a duck With spots on his back, Who lived in the water, And always said "Quack!"

d Dear little duck!

E was an elephant, Stately and wise: He had tusks and a trunk, And two queer little eyes.

e Oh, what funny small eyes!

F was a fish Who was caught in a net; But he got out again, And is quite alive yet.

f Lively young fish!

G was a goat Who was spotted with brown: When he did not lie still He walked up and down.

g Good little goat!

H was a hat Which was all on one side; Its crown was too high, And its brim was too wide.

h Oh, what a hat!

I was some ice So white and so nice, But which n.o.body tasted; And so it was wasted.

i All that good ice!

J was a jackdaw Who hopped up and down In the princ.i.p.al street Of a neighboring town.

j All through the town!

K was a kite Which flew out of sight, Above houses so high, Quite into the sky.

k Fly away, kite!

L was a light Which burned all the night, And lighted the gloom Of a very dark room.

l Useful nice light!

M was a mill Which stood on a hill, And turned round and round With a loud hummy sound.

m Useful old mill!

N was a net Which was thrown in the sea To catch fish for dinner For you and for me.

n Nice little net!

O was an orange So yellow and round: When it fell off the tree, It fell down to the ground.

o Down to the ground!

P was a pig, Who was not very big; But his tail was too curly, And that made him surly.

p Cross little pig!

Q was a quail With a very short tail; And he fed upon corn In the evening and morn.

q Quaint little quail!