136

THE FOX AND HIS WIFE

The fox and his wife they had a great strife,

They never ate mustard in all their

whole life;

They ate their meat without fork or knife, And loved to be picking a bone, e-oh!

The fox jumped up on a moonlight night; The stars they were shining, and all things bright;

Oh, ho! said the fox, it's a very fine night

For me to go through the town, e-oh!

The fox when he came to yonder stile, He lifted his ears and he listened awhile! Oh, ho! said the fox, it's but a short mile From this unto yonder wee town, e-oh!

The fox when he came to the farmer's gate,

JEMIMA

There was a little girl, and she had a

little curl,

Right down the middle of her forehead, When she was good, she was very, very good,

But when she was bad, she was horrid.

One day she went upstairs, while her parents, unawares,

In the kitchen down below were occu

pied with meals,

And she stood upon her head, on her little truckle-bed.

And she then began hurraying with her heels.

Her mother heard the noise, and thought it was the boys,

A playing at a combat in the attic, But when she climbed the stair and saw Jemima there,

She took and she did whip, her most emphatic!

140

The following was one of the favorite "toybook"texts of the eighteenth century. These little books generally had a crude woodcut and one stanza of text on a page. It can be seen how easily this story lends itself to illustration. Each stanza is a chapter, and the story-teller could continue as long as his inventiveness held out. In one edition there are these additional lines:

"Old Mother Hubbard sat down in a
chair,

And danced her dog to a delicate air;
She went to the garden to buy him a
pippin,

When she came back the dog was
a-skipping."

MOTHER HUBBARD AND HER DOG

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,

To get her poor dog a bone;
But when she came there,
The cupboard was bare,

And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker's

To buy him some bread; But when she came back,

The poor dog was dead.

She went to the joiner's

To buy him a coffin; But when she came back, The poor dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish,

To get him some tripe; But when she came back

He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the fishmonger's
To buy him some fish;
And when she came back
He was licking the dish.

She went to the ale-house

To get him some beer; But when she came back

The dog sat in a chair.

She went to the tavern

For white wine and red; But when she came back The dog stood on his head. }

She went to the hatter's

To buy him a hat;

But when she came back

He was feeding the cat.

The Cock then blew his horn,

To let the neighbors know, This was Robin's wedding-day,

And they might see the show. And first came parson Rook,

With his spectacles and band, And one of Mother Hubbard's books He held within his hand.

Then followed him the Lark,
For he could sweetly sing,
And he was to be clerk

At Cock Robin's wedding.
He sang of Robin's love

For little Jenny Wren; And when he came unto the end, Then he began again.

Then came the bride and bridegroom;

Quite plainly was she dressed, And blushed so much, her cheeks were

As red as Robin's breast. But Robin cheered her up:

"My pretty Jen," said he, "We're going to be married

And happy we shall be."

The Goldfinch came on next,
To give away the bride;
The Linnet, being bride's maid,
Walked by Jenny's side;
And, as she was a-walking,

She said, "Upon my word,

I think that your Cock Robin Is a very pretty bird."

The Bullfinch walked by Robin,
And thus to him did say,

"Pray, mark, friend Robin Redbreast, That Goldfinch, dressed so gay; What though her gay apparel

Becomes her very well,

Yet Jenny's modest dress and look
Must bear away the bell."

The Blackbird and the Thrush,
And charming Nightingale,
Whose sweet jug sweetly echoes
Through every grove and dale;
The Sparrow and Tom Tit,

And many more, were there:
All came to see the wedding
Of Jenny Wren, the fair.

"O then," says parson Rook,

"Who gives this maid away?" "I do," says the Goldfinch,

"And her fortune I will pay: Here's a bag of grain of many sorts, And other things beside; Now happy be the bridegroom, And happy be the bride!"

"And will you have her, Robin, To be your wedded wife?" "Yes, I will," says Robin,

"And love her all my life." "And will you have him, Jenny,

Your husband now to be?" "Yes, I will," says Jenny,

"And love him heartily."

Then on her finger fair

Cock Robin put the ring; "You're married now," says parson Rook,

While the Lark aloud did sing: "Happy be the bridegroom, And happy be the bride!

And may not man, nor bird, nor beast, This happy pair divide."

The birds were asked to dine;

Not Jenny's friends alone,

But every pretty songster

That had Cock Robin known. They had a cherry pie,

Besides some currant wine, And every guest brought something, That sumptuous they might dine.