The King of the Polar Bears lived among the icebergs in the far north country. He was old and monstrous big; he was wise and friendly to all who knew him. His body was thickly covered with long, white hair that glistened like silver under the rays of the midnight sun. His claws were strong […]

A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at every person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under any circumstances. Especially he hated boys and girls; for the boys jeered at him, which aroused his wrath, and […]

Santa Claus lives in the Laughing Valley, where stands the big,rambling castle in which his toys are manufactured. His workmen,selected from the ryls, knooks, pixies and fairies, live with him, andevery one is as busy as can be from one year’s end to another. It is called the Laughing Valley because everything there is happyand […]

The Unique Adventures of the WOGGLE-BUG ONE day Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E., becoming separated from his comrades who had accompanied him from the Land of Oz, and finding that time hung heavy on his hands (he had four of them), decided to walk down the Main street of the City and try to […]

Hickory, Dickory, Dock! The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, Dickory, Dock! Within the hollow wall of an old brick mansion, away up near the roof, there lived a family of mice. It was a snug little home, pleasant and quiet, and as dark as any mouse […]

On the beautiful, undulating hills of Sussex feed many flocks of sheep, which are tended by many shepherds and shepherdesses, and one of these flocks used to be cared for by a poor woman who supported herself and her little girl by this means. They lived in a small cottage nestled at the foot of […]

Little Tommy Tucker sang for his supper. What did he sing for? white bread and butter. How could he cut it, without any knife? How could he marry, without any wife? Little Tommy Tucker was a waif of the streets. He never remembered having a father or mother or anyone to care for him, and […]

“Pussy-cat, Pussy-cat, where do you go?” “To London, to visit the palace, you know.” “Pussy-cat Mew, wily you come back again?” “Oh, yes! I ‘ll scamper with might and with main!” Pussy-cat Mew set off on her way, Stepping quite softly and feeling quite gay. Smooth was the road, so she traveled at ease, Warmed […]

Hark, hark, the dogs do bark, The beggars are coming to town: Some in rags, and some in tags, And some in velvet gown. Very fair and sweet was little Prince Lilimond, and few could resist his soft, pleading voice and gentle blue eyes. And as he stood in the presence of the King, his […]

Tom, Tom, the piper’s son, Stole a pig and away he run; The pig was eat and Tom was beat And Tom ran crying down the street. There was not a worse vagabond in Shrewsbury than old Barney the piper. He never did any work except to play the pipes, and he played so badly […]

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses And all the King’s men Cannot put Humpty together again. At the very top of the hay-mow in the barn, the Speckled Hen had made her nest, and each day for twelve days she had laid in it a […]

There was an old woman Who lived in a shoe, She had so many children She did n’t know what to do; She gave them some broth Without any bread, And whipped them all soundly And sent them to bed. A long time ago there lived a woman who had four daughters, and these in […]

Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey. There came a great spider And sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away. Little Miss Muffet’s father was a big banker in a big city, and he had so much money that the house he lived in was almost as beautiful […]

Three Wise Men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl. If the bowl had been stronger My tale had been longer. There lived in the great city of Gotham, over against the north gate, a man who possessed a very wise aspect, but very little else. He was tall and lean, and had a […]

“Oh, Little Bun Rabbit, so soft and so shy, Say, what do you see with your big, round eye?” “On Christmas we rabbits,” says Bunny so shy, “Keep watch to see Santa go galloping by.” Little Dorothy had passed all the few years of her life in the country, and being the only child upon […]

Sing a song o’ sixpence, a handful of rye, Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie; When the pie was opened the birds began to sing, Was not that a dainty dish to set before the King? If you have never heard the legend of Gilligren and the King’s pie, you will scarcely understand the above […]

Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon! The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran off with the spoon! Perhaps you think this verse is all nonsense, and that the things it mentions could never have happened; but they did happen, as you will […]

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. The sheep ‘s in the meadow, the cow ‘s in the corn; Where ‘s the little boy that minds the sheep? He ‘s under the haystack, fast asleep! There once lived a poor widow who supported herself and her only son by gleaning in the fields the stalks […]

Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl And he called for his fiddlers three. Old King Cole was not always a king, nor was he born a member of any royal family. It was only chance–“hard […]

Black sheep, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes, my little master, three bags full; One for my master and one for his dame, And one for the little boy that lives in the lane. It was a bright spring day, and the sun shone very warm and pleasant over the pastures, where the new […]