She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said--

"Ox, ox, drink water!

Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG]

But the ox would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said--

"Butcher, butcher, kill ox!

Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night."

But the butcher would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said--

"Rope, rope, hang butcher!

Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night."

But the rope would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said--

"Rat, rat, gnaw rope!

Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night."

But the rat would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said--

"Cat, cat, kill rat; Rat won't gnaw rope; Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile, And I shan't get home to-night."

The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."

So the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk--

The cat began to kill the rat; The rat began to gnaw the rope; The rope began to hang the butcher; The butcher began to kill the ox; The ox began to drink the water; The water began to quench the fire; The fire began to burn the stick; The stick began to beat the dog; The dog began to bite the pig; The pig jumped over the stile, And so the old woman got home that night.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

THIS is the key of the kingdom.

In that kingdom there is a city.

In that city there is a town.

In that town there is a street.

In that street there is a lane.

In that lane there is a yard.

In that yard there is a house.

In that house there is a room.

In that room there is a bed.

On that bed there is a basket.

In that basket there are some flowers.

Flowers in the basket, basket in the bed, bed in the room, &c. &c.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RELICS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: w.i.l.l.y boy, w.i.l.l.y boy, where are you going?]

w.i.l.l.y boy, w.i.l.l.y boy, where are you going?

I'll go with you, if I may.

"I'm going to the meadow to see them a mowing; I'm going to help them, make hay."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

THE girl in the lane, that couldn't speak plain, Cried, "Gobble, gobble, gobble."

The man on the hill, that couldn't stand still, Went hobble, hobble, hobble.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

HINK, minx! the old witch winks, The fat begins to fry: There's n.o.body at home but little jumping Joan, Father, mother, and I.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

HANNAH BANTRY in the pantry, Eating a mutton bone; How she gnawed it, how she clawed it, When she found she was alone!

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

LITTLE Miss m.u.f.fet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey; There came a spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss m.u.f.fet away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "What are Little Boys made of?"]

WHAT are little boys made of, made of; What are little boys made of?

"Snaps and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails; And that's what little boys are made of, made of."

What are little girls made of, made of, made of; What are little girls made of?

"Sugar and spice, and all that's nice; And that's what little girls are made of, made of."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

WHAT'S the news of the day, Good neighbour, I pray?

"They say the balloon Is gone up to the moon."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]