path: root/70271-0.txt

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 70271 ***




  WHEN WE WERE
   VERY YOUNG




[Illustration: HALFWAY DOWN]




                      when
                  we were very
                     young

                       by
                   a.a.milne

                e.p.dutton & co.




  Copyright, 1924
  By E. P. DUTTON COMPANY

  _All rights reserved_


  _First Published in 1924_


  _First Edition          Nov., 1924
   Second Edition         Dec., 1924
   Third Edition           〃    1924
   Fourth Edition          〃    1924
   Fifth Edition           〃    1924
   Sixth Edition           〃    1924
   Seventh Edition         〃    1924
   Eighth Edition         Jan., 1925
   Ninth Edition           〃    1925
   Tenth Edition           〃    1925
   Eleventh Edition        〃    1925
   Twelfth Edition         〃    1925
   Thirteenth Edition      〃    1925
   Fourteenth Edition      〃    1925
   Fifteenth Edition       〃    1925
   Sixteenth Edition       〃    1925
   Seventeenth Edition    Mar., 1925
   Eighteenth Edition      〃    1925
   Nineteenth Edition      〃    1925
   Twentieth Edition       〃    1925
   Twenty-first Edition    〃    1925
   Twenty-second Edition   〃    1925
   Twenty-third Edition    〃    1925_


_Printed in the United States of America_




                       TO
            CHRISTOPHER ROBIN MILNE
                       OR
         AS HE PREFERS TO CALL HIMSELF
                   BILLY MOON
                   THIS BOOK
           WHICH OWES SO MUCH TO HIM
                     IS NOW
                 HUMBLY OFFERED




JUST BEFORE WE BEGIN


At one time (but I have changed my mind now) I thought I was going to
write a little Note at the top of each of these poems, in the manner
of Mr. William Wordsworth, who liked to tell his readers where he was
staying, and which of his friends he was walking with, and what he was
thinking about, when the idea of writing his poem came to him. You
will find some lines about a swan here, if you get as far as that, and
I should have explained to you in the Note that Christopher Robin, who
feeds this swan in the mornings, has given him the name of “Pooh.”
This is a very fine name for a swan, because, if you call him and he
doesn’t come (which is a thing swans are good at), then you can
pretend that you were just saying “Pooh!” to show how little you
wanted him. Well, I should have told you that there are six cows who
come down to Pooh’s lake every afternoon to drink, and of course they
say “Moo” as they come. So I thought to myself one fine day, walking
with my friend Christopher Robin, “Moo rhymes with Pooh! Surely there
is a bit of poetry to be got out of that?” Well, then, I began to
think about the swan on his lake; and at first I thought how lucky it
was that his name was Pooh; and then I didn’t think about that any
more ... and the poem came quite differently from what I intended ...
and all I can say for it now is that, if it hadn’t been for
Christopher Robin, I shouldn’t have written it; which, indeed, is all
I can say for any of the others. So this is why these verses go about
together, because they are all friends of Christopher Robin; and if I
left out one because it was not quite like the one before, then I
should have to leave out the one before because it was not quite like
the next, which would be disappointing for them.

Then there is another thing. You may wonder sometimes who is supposed
to be saying the verses. Is it the Author, that strange but
uninteresting person, or is it Christopher Robin, or some other boy
or girl, or Nurse, or Hoo? If I had followed Mr. Wordsworth’s plan I
could have explained this each time; but, as it is, you will have to
decide for yourselves. If you are not quite sure, then it is probably
Hoo. I don’t know if you have ever met Hoo, but he is one of those
curious children who look four on Monday, and eight on Tuesday, and
are really twenty-eight on Saturday, and you never know whether it is
the day when he can pronounce his “r’s.” He had a great deal to do
with these verses. In fact, you might almost say that this book is
entirely the unaided work of Christopher Robin, Hoo, and Mr. Shepard,
who drew the pictures. They have said “Thank you” politely to each
other several times, and now they say it to you for taking them into
your house. “Thank you so much for asking us. We’ve come.”

                                                            A. A. M.

[Illustration: Boy walking away from bear sitting on a line]




CONTENTS

                                        PAGE
  CORNER-OF-THE-STREET                     1
  BUCKINGHAM PALACE                        2
  HAPPINESS                                4
  THE CHRISTENING                          5
  PUPPY AND I                              6
  TWINKLETOES                              9
  THE FOUR FRIENDS                        10
  LINES AND SQUARES                       12
  BROWNIE                                 14
  INDEPENDENCE                            15
  NURSERY CHAIRS                          16
  MARKET SQUARE                           21
  DAFFODOWNDILLY                          28
  WATER-LILIES                            29
  DISOBEDIENCE                            30
  SPRING MORNING                          34
  THE ISLAND                              36
  THE THREE FOXES                         38
  POLITENESS                              41
  JONATHAN JO                             43
  AT THE ZOO                              46
  RICE PUDDING                            48
  THE WRONG HOUSE                         49
  MISSING                                 52
  THE KING’S BREAKFAST                    55
  HOPPITY                                 60
  AT HOME                                 62
  SUMMER AFTERNOON                        65
  THE DORMOUSE AND THE DOCTOR             66
  SHOES AND STOCKINGS                     71
  SAND-BETWEEN-THE-TOES                   73
  KNIGHTS AND LADIES                      75
  LITTLE BO-PEEP AND LITTLE BOY-BLUE      76
  THE MIRROR                              79
  HALFWAY DOWN                            81
  THE INVADERS                            82
  BEFORE TEA                              83
  TEDDY BEAR                              85
  BAD SIR BRIAN BOTANY                    92
  IN THE FASHION                          95
  THE ALCHEMIST                           96
  GROWING UP                              97
  IF I WERE KING                          98
  VESPERS[1]                              99

[1: _This poem being in the Library of the Queen’s Dolls’ House,
is printed here by special permission._]




  WHEN WE WERE
   VERY YOUNG




[Illustration: Boy skipping followed by woman, with wind blowing leaves]


CORNER-OF-THE-STREET


        Down by the corner of the street,
          Where the three roads meet,
                  And the feet
  Of the people as they pass go “Tweet-tweet-tweet—”
  Who comes tripping round the corner of the street?
        One pair of shoes which are Nurse’s;
        One pair of slippers which are Percy’s . . .
              Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!




[Illustration: Woman and boy entering the palace gate]


BUCKINGHAM PALACE


  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  Alice is marrying one of the guard.
  “A soldier’s life is terrible hard,”
                                      Says Alice.

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
  “One of the sergeants looks after their socks,”
                                      Says Alice.

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  We looked for the King, but he never came.
  “Well, God take care of him, all the same,”
                                      Says Alice.

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  They’ve great big parties inside the grounds.
  “I wouldn’t be King for a hundred pounds,”
                                      Says Alice.

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  A face looked out, but it wasn’t the King’s.
  “He’s much too busy a-signing things,”
                                      Says Alice.

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—
  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
  “Do you think the King knows all about _me?_”
  “Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea,”
                                      Says Alice.

[Illustration: Boy saluting guard]




[Illustration: Ducks in the rain]

[Illustration: Boy wearing gumboots and rainhat]

[Illustration: Boy putting on raincoat]

HAPPINESS


  John had
  Great Big
  Waterproof
  Boots on;
  John had a
  Great Big
  Waterproof
  Hat;
  John had a
  Great Big
  Waterproof
  Mackintosh—
  And that
  (Said John)
  Is
  That.

[Illustration: Boy standing in puddle with ducks in the rain]




[Illustration: Boy watching mouse on table]


THE CHRISTENING


        What shall I call
          My dear little dormouse?
        His eyes are small,
          But his tail is e-nor-mouse.

  I sometimes call him Terrible John,
  ’Cos his tail goes on—
  And on—
  And on.
  And I sometimes call him Terrible Jack,
  ’Cos his tail goes on to the end of his back.
  And I sometimes call him Terrible James,
  ’Cos he says he likes me calling him names. . . .

        But I think I shall call him Jim,
        ’Cos I _am_ so fond of him.




PUPPY AND I


[Illustration: Boy talking with man]

  I met a man as I went walking;
  We got talking,
  Man and I.
  “Where are you going to, Man?” I said
   (I said to the Man as he went by).
  “Down to the village, to get some bread.
   Will you come with me?” “No, not I.”

  I met a Horse as I went walking;
  We got talking,
  Horse and I.
  “Where are you going to, Horse, to-day?”
   (I said to the Horse as he went by).
  “Down to the village to get some hay.
   Will you come with me?” “No, not I.”

[Illustration: Boy patting horse]

  I met a Woman as I went walking;
  We got talking,
  Woman and I.
  “Where are you going to, Woman, so early?”
   (I said to the Woman as she went by).
  “Down to the village to get some barley.
   Will you come with me?” “No, not I.”

[Illustration: Boy talking with woman]

  I met some Rabbits as I went walking;
  We got talking,
  Rabbits and I.
  “Where are you going in your brown fur coats?”
   (I said to the Rabbits as they went by.
  “Down to the village to get some oats.
   Will you come with us?” “No, not I.”

[Illustration: Boy with rabbits]

  I met a Puppy as I went walking;
  We got talking,
  Puppy and I.
  “Where are you going this nice fine day?”
   (I said to the Puppy as he went by).
  “Up in the hills to roll and play.”
   “_I’ll_ come with you, Puppy,” said I.

[Illustration: Boy playing with puppy]




[Illustration: Fairy and apple branch]


TWINKLETOES


                When the sun
  Shines through the leaves of the apple-tree,
                When the sun
  Makes shadows of the leaves of the apple-tree,
                Then I pass
                On the grass
          From one leaf to another,
          From one leaf to its brother
                Tip-toe, tip-toe!
                Here I go!




[Illustration: Elephant, lion, goat and snail]


THE FOUR FRIENDS


  Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow,
    Leonard was a lion with a six-foot tail,
  George was a goat, and his beard was yellow,
          And James was a very small snail.

  Leonard had a stall, and a great big strong one,
    Ernest had a manger, and its walls were thick,
  George found a pen, but I think it was the wrong one,
          And James sat down on a brick.

[Illustration: Snail crossing a brick]

[Illustration: Elephant trumpeting]

  Ernest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger,
    Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall,
  James gave the huffle of a snail in danger
          And nobody heard him at all.

  Ernest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus
    Leonard started roaring and trying to kick,
  James went a journey with the goat’s new compass
          And he reached the end of his brick.

  Ernest was an elephant and very well-intentioned,
    Leonard was a lion with a brave new tail,
  George was a goat, as I think I have mentioned,
          But James was only a snail.

[Illustration: Lion roaring]




[Illustration: Bears in wait on the footpath]


LINES AND SQUARES


  Whenever I walk in a London street,
  I’m ever so careful to watch my feet;
    And I keep in the squares,
    And the masses of bears,
  Who wait at the corners all ready to eat
  The sillies who tread on the lines of the street,
    Go back to their lairs,
    And I say to them, “Bears,
    Just look how I’m walking in all of the squares!”

[Illustration: Bears on the footpath]

[Illustration: Boy walking past bears in a stairwell]

  And the little bears growl to each other, “He’s mine,
  As soon as he’s silly and steps on a line.”
  And some of the bigger bears try to pretend
  That they came round the corner to look for a friend;
  And they try to pretend that nobody cares
  Whether you walk on the lines or squares.
  But only the sillies believe their talk;
  It’s ever so portant how you walk.
  And it’s ever so jolly to call out, “Bears,
  Just watch me walking in all the squares!”

[Illustration: Boy standing in squares, with bear in the background]




[Illustration: Boy peeking behind curtain]


BROWNIE


  In a corner of the bedroom is a great big curtain,
    Someone lives behind it, but I don’t know who;
  I think it is a Brownie, but I’m not quite certain.
    (Nanny isn’t certain, too.)

  I looked behind the curtain, but he went so quickly—
    Brownies never wait to say, “How do you do?”
  They wriggle off at once because they’re all so tickly.
    (Nanny says they’re tickly too.)




[Illustration: Boy astride branch]


INDEPENDENCE


  I never did, I never did, I never _did_ like “Now take care, dear!”
    I never did, I never did, I never _did_ want “Hold-my-hand”;
  I never did, I never did, I never _did_ think much of “Not up there,
        dear!”
    It’s no good saying it. They don’t understand.




NURSERY CHAIRS


 _One of the chairs is South America,
    One of the chairs is a ship at sea,
  One is a cage for a great big lion,
    And one is a chair for Me._


[Illustration: Boy in paper hat sitting in chair]

_The First Chair._

  When I go up the Amazon,
  I stop at night and fire a gun
    To call my faithful band.
  And Indians in twos and threes,
  Come silently between the trees,
    And wait for me to land.
  And if I do not want to play
  With any Indians to-day,
    I simply wave my hand.
  And then they turn and go away—
    They always understand.


[Illustration: Boy kneeling on chair scaring Nanny]

_The Second Chair._

  I’m a great big lion in my cage,
    And I often frighten Nanny with a roar.
        Then I hold her very tight, and
      Tell her not to be so frightened—
    And she doesn’t be so frightened any more.

[Illustration: Boy hugging Nanny]


[Illustration: Boy standing on chair, ships and ocean in background]

_The Third Chair._

  When I am in my ship, I see
    The other ships go sailing by.
  A sailor leans and calls to me
    As his ship goes sailing by.
  Across the sea he leans to me,
    Above the winds I hear him cry:
  “Is this the way to Round-the-World?”
    He calls as he goes by.


_The Fourth Chair._

  Whenever I sit in a high chair
    For breakfast or dinner or tea,
  I try to pretend that it’s _my_ chair,
    And that I am a baby of three.

[Illustration: Boy seated at table]


 _Shall I go off to South America?
    Shall I put out in my ship to sea?
  Or get in my cage and be lions and tigers?
    Or—shall I be only Me?_




[Illustration: Woman offering boy a bunch of lavender]


MARKET SQUARE


                I had a penny,
                A bright new penny,
                I took my penny
                  To the market square.
                I wanted a rabbit,
                A little brown rabbit,
                And I looked for a rabbit
                  ’Most everywhere.

  For I went to the stall where they sold sweet lavender
  (“_Only a penny for a bunch of lavender!_”).
  “Have you got a rabbit, ’cos I don’t want lavender?”
     But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

[Illustration: Boy looking at fishmonger’s stall]

                I had a penny,
                And I had another penny,
                I took my pennies
                  To the market square.
                I did want a rabbit,
                A little baby rabbit,
                And I looked for rabbits
                  ’Most everywhere.

  And I went to the stall where they sold fresh mackerel
  (“_Now then! Tuppence for a fresh-caught mackerel!_”)
  “Have you got a rabbit, ’cos I don’t like mackerel?”
     But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

[Illustration: Boy beside saucepan stall]

                I found a sixpence,
                A little white sixpence.
                I took it in my hand
                  To the market square.
                I was buying my rabbit
                (I do like rabbits),
                And I looked for my rabbit
                  ’Most everywhere.

  So I went to the stall where they sold fine saucepans
  (“_Walk up, walk up, sixpence for a saucepan!_”).
  “Could I have a rabbit, ’cos we’ve got two saucepans?”
     But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

[Illustration: Boy watching rabbits]

                I had nuffin’,
                No, I hadn’t got nuffin’,
                So I didn’t go down
                  To the market square;
                But I walked on the common,
                The old-gold common . . .
               _And I saw little rabbits
                  ’Most everywhere!_

  So I’m sorry for the people who sell fine saucepans,
  I’m sorry for the people who sell fresh mackerel,
  I’m sorry for the people who sell sweet lavender,
    ’Cos they haven’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there!




[Illustration: Daffodils]


DAFFODOWNDILLY


  She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
    She wore her greenest gown;
  She turned to the south wind
    And curtsied up and down.
  She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
  And whispered to her neighbour:
    “Winter is dead.”




[Illustration: Fairy sitting on lilypad]


WATER-LILIES


  Where the water-lilies go
  To and fro,
  Rocking in the ripples of the water,
  Lazy on a leaf lies the Lake King’s daughter,
  And the faint winds shake her.
  Who will come and take her?
  I will! I will!
  Keep still! Keep still!
  Sleeping on a leaf lies the Lake King’s daughter . . .
  Then the wind comes skipping
  To the lilies on the water;
  And the kind winds wake her.
  Now who will take her?
  With a laugh she is slipping
  Through the lilies on the water.
  Wait! Wait!
  Too late, too late!
  Only the water-lilies go
  To and fro,
  Dipping, dipping,
  To the ripples of the water.

[Illustration: Boy with butterfly net]




DISOBEDIENCE


        James James
        Morrison Morrison
        Weatherby George Dupree
        Took great
        Care of his Mother,
        Though he was only three.
        James James
        Said to his Mother,
        “Mother,” he said, said he;
  “You must never go down to the end of the town, if you don’t go down
     with me.”

[Illustration: Boy on tricycle following woman]

        James James
        Morrison’s Mother
        Put on a golden gown,
        James James
        Morrison’s Mother
        Drove to the end of the town.
        James James
        Morrison’s Mother
        Said to herself, said she:
  “I can get right down to the end of the town and be back in time for
     tea.”

        King John
        Put up a notice,
        “LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
        JAMES JAMES
        MORRISON’S MOTHER
        SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
        LAST SEEN
        WANDERING VAGUELY:
        QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
  SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END OF THE TOWN—FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!”

[Illustration: Boy talking with royalty]

        James James
        Morrison Morrison
        (Commonly known as Jim)
        Told his
        Other relations
        Not to go blaming _him_.
        James James
        _Said_ to his Mother,
        “Mother,” he said, said he;
  “You must _never_ go down to the end of the town without consulting
     me.”

[Illustration: Boy on tricycle leading woman]

        James James
        Morrison’s mother
        Hasn’t been heard of since.
        King John
        Said he was sorry,
        So did the Queen and Prince.
        King John
        (Somebody told me)
        Said to a man he knew:
  “If people go down to the end of the town, well, what can _anyone_
     do?”


    (_Now then, very softly_)

        J.J.
        M. M.
        W. G. Du P.
        Took great
        C/o his M*****
        Though he was only 3.
        J.J.
        Said to his M*****
        “M*****,” he said, said he:
  “You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-if-you-don’t-go-down-
     with ME!”

[Illustration: Stern-faced boy on tricycle]




[Illustration: Boy flying kite]


SPRING MORNING


  Where am I going? I don’t quite know.
  Down to the stream where the king-cups grow—
  Up on the hill where the pine trees blow—
  Anywhere, anywhere. _I_ don’t know.

  Where am I going? The clouds sail by,
  Little ones, baby ones, over the sky.
  Where am I going? The shadows pass,
  Little ones, baby ones, over the grass.

  If you were a cloud, and sailed up there,
  You’d sail on water as blue as air,
  And you’d see me here in the fields and say:
  “Doesn’t the sky look green to-day?”

  Where am I going? The high rooks call:
  “It’s awful fun to be born at all.”
  Where am I going? The ring-doves coo:
  “We do have beautiful things to do.”

  If you were a bird, and lived on high,
  You’d lean on the wind when the wind came by,
  You’d say to the wind when it took you away:
  “_That’s_ where I wanted to go to-day!”

  Where am I going? I don’t quite know.
  What does it matter where people go?
  Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow—
  Anywhere, anywhere. _I_ don’t know.

[Illustration: Boy examining blue-bells]




[Illustration: Boy on beach watching waves]


THE ISLAND


        If I had a ship,
        I’d sail my ship,
        I’d sail my ship
        Through Eastern seas;
        Down to a beach where the slow waves thunder—
        The green curls over and the white falls under—
        Boom! Boom! Boom!
        On the sun-bright sand.
        Then I’d leave my ship and I’d land,
        And climb the steep white sand,
        And climb to the trees,
        The six dark trees,
        The coco-nut trees on the cliff’s green crown—
        Hands and knees
        To the coco-nut trees,
        Face to the cliff as the stones patter down,
        Up, up, up, staggering, stumbling,
        Round the corner where the rock is crumbling,
        Round this shoulder,
        Over this boulder,
        Up to the top where the six trees stand. . . .

        And there would I rest, and lie,
        My chin in my hands, and gaze
        At the dazzle of sand below,
        And the green waves curling slow,
        And the grey-blue distant haze
        Where the sea goes up to the sky. . . .

  And I’d say to myself as I looked so lazily down at the sea:
  “There’s nobody else in the world, and the world was made for me.”




THE THREE FOXES


  Once upon a time there were three little foxes
  Who didn’t wear stockings, and they didn’t wear sockses,
  But they all had handkerchiefs to blow their noses,
  And they kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes.

[Illustration: Foxes asleep]

  They lived in the forest in three little houses,
  And they didn’t wear coats, and they didn’t wear trousies.
  They ran through the woods on their little bare tootsies,
  And they played “Touch last” with a family of mouses.

[Illustration: Foxes fishing]

  They didn’t go shopping in the High Street shopses,
  But caught what they wanted in the woods and copses.
  They all went fishing, and they caught three wormses,
  They went out hunting, and they caught three wopses.

[Illustration: Foxes hunting]

  They went to a Fair, and they all won prizes—
  Three plum-puddingses and three mince-pieses.
  They rode on elephants and swang on swingses,
  And hit three coco-nuts at coco-nut shieses.

[Illustration: Foxes at the fair]

  That’s all that I know of the three little foxes
  Who kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes.
  They lived in the forest in three little houses,
  But they didn’t wear coats and they didn’t wear trousies,
  And they didn’t wear stockings and they didn’t wear sockses.




[Illustration: Rear view of boy]


POLITENESS


  If people ask me,
  I always tell them:
  “Quite well, thank you, I’m very glad to say.”
  If people ask me,
  I always answer,
  “Quite well, thank you, how are you to-day?”
  I always answer,
  I always tell them,
  If they ask me
  Politely. . . .
  BUT SOMETIMES

              I wish

                        That they wouldn’t.




[Illustration: Man wheeling boy and dog in barrow]


JONATHAN JO


        Jonathan Jo
        Has a mouth like an “O”
  And a wheelbarrow full of surprises;
        If you ask for a bat,
        Or for something like that,
  He has got it, whatever the size is.

[Illustration: Man watching boy with cricket bat]

[Illustration: Man showing hoop to boy]

        If you’re wanting a ball,
        It’s no trouble at all;
  Why, the more that you ask for, the merrier—
        Like a hoop and a top,
        And a watch that won’t stop,
  And some sweets, and an Aberdeen terrier.

[Illustration: Worried man watching dog with ball]

        Jonathan Jo
        Has a mouth like an “O”
  But this is what makes him so funny:
        If you give him a smile,
        Only once in a while,
 _Then he never expects any money!_

[Illustration: Man seated with boy and dog]




[Illustration: Boy looking at hippo]


AT THE ZOO


  There are lions and roaring tigers, and enormous camels and things,
  There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons, and a great big bear with wings,
  There’s a sort of a tiny potamus, and a tiny nosserus too—
  But _I_ gave buns to the elephant when _I_ went down to the Zoo!

  There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers, and a Super-intendent’s
        House,
  There are masses of goats, and a Polar, and different kinds of mouse,
  And I think there’s a sort of a something which is called a wallaboo—
  But _I_ gave buns to the elephant when _I_ went down to the Zoo!

  If you try to talk to the bison, he never quite understands;
  You can’t shake hands with a mingo—he doesn’t like shaking hands.
  And lions and roaring tigers _hate_ saying, “How do you do?”—
  But _I_ give buns to the elephant when _I_ go down to the Zoo!

[Illustration: Boy looking at bison]




[Illustration: Girl in high chair kicking off her shoe]


RICE PUDDING


 _What_ is the matter with Mary Jane?
  She’s crying with all her might and main,
  And she won’t eat her dinner—rice pudding again—
  What _is_ the matter with Mary Jane?

[Illustration: Woman observing scattered toys]

 _What_ is the matter with Mary Jane?
  I’ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain,
  And a book about animals—all in vain—
  What _is_ the matter with Mary Jane?

[Illustration: Doctor looking at girl in bed]

 _What_ is the matter with Mary Jane?
  She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain;
  But, look at her, now she’s beginning again!—
  What _is_ the matter with Mary Jane?

 _What_ is the matter with Mary Jane?
  I’ve promised her sweets and a ride in the train,
  And I’ve begged her to stop for a bit and explain—
  What _is_ the matter with Mary Jane?

 _What_ is the matter with Mary Jane?
  She’s perfectly well and she hasn’t a pain,
  _And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again!_—
  What _is_ the matter with Mary Jane?

[Illustration: Girl in high chair kicking off her shoe]




[Illustration: Mouse in hat; boy searching under table]


MISSING

 _Has anybody seen my mouse?_

  I opened his box for half a minute,
  Just to make sure he was really in it,
  And while I was looking, he jumped outside!
  I tried to catch him, I tried, I tried. . . .
  I think he’s somewhere about the house.
  Has _anyone_ seen my mouse?

[Illustration: Boy with empty box]

[Illustration: Boy with box standing in corner]

 _Uncle John, have you seen my mouse?_

  Just a small sort of mouse, a dear little brown one,
  He came from the country, he wasn’t a town one,
  So he’ll feel all lonely in a London street;
  Why, what could he possibly find to eat?

[Illustration: Boy showing empty box to seated man]

[Illustration: Boy talking with woman knitting]

  He must be somewhere. I’ll ask Aunt Rose:
  Have _you_ seen a mouse with a woffelly nose?
  Oh, somewhere about—
  He’s just got out. . . .


  Hasn’t _anybody_ seen my mouse?




THE KING’S BREAKFAST


[Illustration: King and queen seated at table]

  The King asked
  The Queen, and
  The Queen asked
  The Dairymaid:
  “Could we have some butter for
  The Royal slice of bread?”
  The Queen asked
  The Dairymaid,
  The Dairymaid
  Said, “Certainly,
  I’ll go and tell
  The cow
  Now
  Before she goes to bed.”

    The Dairymaid
    She curtsied,

[Illustration: Woman curtseying]

    And went and told
    The Alderney:
    “Don’t forget the butter for
    The Royal slice of bread.”

[Illustration: Woman with bucket speaking with recumbent cow]

    The Alderney
    Said sleepily:
    “You’d better tell
    His Majesty
    That many people nowadays
    Like marmalade
    Instead.”

[Illustration: Woman with large jar of marmalade]

      The Dairymaid
      Said, “Fancy!”
      And went to
      Her Majesty
      She curtsied to the Queen, and
      She turned a little red:
      “Excuse me,
      Your Majesty,
      For taking of
      The liberty,
      But marmalade is tasty, if
      It’s very
      Thickly
      Spread.”

      The Queen said
      “Oh!”
      And went to
      His Majesty:
      “Talking of the butter for
      The Royal slice of bread,
      Many people
      Think that
      Marmalade
      Is nicer.
      Would you like to try a little
      Marmalade
      Instead?”

[Illustration: Queen]

        The King said,
        “Bother!”
        And then he said,
        “Oh, deary me!”
        The King sobbed, “Oh, deary me!”
        And went back to bed.
        “Nobody,”
        He whimpered,
        “Could call me
        A fussy man;
        I _only_ want
        A little bit
        Of butter for
        My bread!”

[Illustration: King]

        The Queen said,
        “There, there!”
        And went to
        The Dairymaid.
        The Dairymaid
        Said, “There, there!”
        And went to the shed.
        The cow said,
        “There, there!
        I didn’t really
        Mean it;
        Here’s milk for his porringer
        And butter for his bread.”

[Illustration: Woman and cow dancing]

        The Queen took
        The butter
        And brought it to
        His Majesty;
        The King said,
        “Butter, eh?”
        And bounced out of bed.
        “Nobody,” he said,
        As he kissed her
        Tenderly,
        “Nobody,” he said,
        As he slid down
        The banisters,
        “Nobody,
        My darling,
        Could call me
        A fussy man—

        BUT

  “_I do like a little bit of butter to my bread!_”

[Illustration: King and queen dancing]




HOPPITY

  Christopher Robin goes
  Hoppity, hoppity,

[Illustration: Boy hopping]

  Hoppity, hoppity, hop.
  Whenever I tell him
  Politely to stop it, he
  Says he can’t possibly stop.

[Illustration: Boy hopping]

  If he stopped hopping, he couldn’t go anywhere,
  Poor little Christopher
  Couldn’t go anywhere . . .
  That’s why he _always_ goes
  Hoppity, hoppity,
  Hoppity,
  Hoppity,
  Hop.

[Illustration: Boy hopping]




[Illustration: Toy soldiers with cake]


AT HOME


  I want a soldier
  (A soldier in a busby),
  I want a soldier to come and play with me.
  I’d give him cream-cakes
  (Big ones, sugar ones),
  I’d give him cream-cakes and cream for his tea.

  I want a soldier
  (A tall one, a red one),
  I want a soldier who plays on the drum.
  Daddy’s going to get one
  (He’s written to the shopman)
  Daddy’s going to get one as soon as he can come.

[Illustration: Toy soldiers, one face down in cake]




[Illustration: Boy on porch speaking to man in open doorway]


THE WRONG HOUSE


  I went into a house, and it wasn’t a house,
    It has big steps and a great big hall;
  But it hasn’t got a garden,
                A garden,
                A garden,
    It isn’t like a house at all.

  I went into a house, and it wasn’t a house,
    It has a big garden and great high wall;
  But it hasn’t got a may-tree,
                A may-tree,
                A may-tree,
    It isn’t like a house at all.

  I went into a house and it wasn’t a house—
    Slow white petals from the may-tree fall;
  But it hasn’t got a blackbird,
                A blackbird,
                A blackbird,
    It isn’t like a house at all.

[Illustration: Blackbird carolling on branch]

  I went into a house, and I thought it was a house,
    I could hear from the may-tree the blackbird call. . . .
  But nobody listened to it,
                Nobody
                Liked it,
    Nobody wanted it at all.




[Illustration: Cows standing in stream]


SUMMER AFTERNOON


  Six brown cows walk down to drink
    (_All the little fishes blew bubbles at the may-fly_).
  Splash goes the first as he comes to the brink,
    Swish go the tails of the five who follow. . . .
  Twelve brown cows bend drinking there
    (_All the little fishes went waggle-tail, waggle-tail_)—
  Six from the water and six from the air;
    Up and down the river darts a blue-black swallow.




[Illustration: Mouse with geraniums]


THE DORMOUSE AND THE DOCTOR


  There once was a Dormouse who lived in a bed
  Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red),
  And all the day long he’d a wonderful view
  Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).

[Illustration: Doctor hurrying]

  A Doctor came hurrying round, and he said:
  “Tut-tut, I am sorry to find you in bed.
  Just say ‘Ninety-nine,’ while I look at your chest. . . .
  Don’t you find that chrysanthemums answer the best?”

[Illustration: Doctor looking into garden bed]

  The Dormouse looked round at the view and replied
  (When he’d said “Ninety-nine”) that he’d tried and he’d tried,
  And much the most answering things that he knew
  Were geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).

  The Doctor stood frowning and shaking his head,
  And he took up his shiny silk hat as he said:
  “What the patient requires is a change,” and he went
  To see some chrysanthemum people in Kent.

  The Dormouse lay there, and he gazed at the view
  Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue),
  And he knew there was nothing he wanted instead
  Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red).

[Illustration: Mouse]

[Illustration: Doctor hurrying with flowers]

  The Doctor came back and, to show what he meant,
  He had brought some chrysanthemum cuttings from Kent.
  “Now _these_,” he remarked, “give a _much_ better view
  Than geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).”

  They took out their spades and they dug up the bed
  Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red),
  And they planted chrysanthemums (yellow and white).
  “And _now_,” said the Doctor, “we’ll _soon_ have you right.”

  The Dormouse looked out, and he said with a sigh:
  “I suppose all these people know better than I.
  It was silly, perhaps, but I _did_ like the view
  Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).”

  The Doctor came round and examined his chest,
  And ordered him Nourishment, Tonics, and Rest,
  “How very effective,” he said, as he shook
  The thermometer, “all these chrysanthemums look!”

  The Dormouse turned over to shut out the sight
  Of the endless chrysanthemums (yellow and white).
  “How lovely,” he thought, “to be back in a bed
  Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red).”

[Illustration: Mouse with nurse]

  The Doctor said, “Tut! It’s another attack!”
  And ordered him Milk and Massage-of-the-back,
  And Freedom-from-worry and Drives-in-a-car,
  And murmured, “How sweet your chrysanthemums are!”

[Illustration: Mouse being chauffeured]

  The Dormouse lay there with his paws to his eyes,
  And imagined himself such a pleasant surprise:
  “I’ll _pretend_ the chrysanthemums turn to a bed
  Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red)!”

[Illustration: Doctor admiring chrysanthemums]

  The Doctor next morning was rubbing his hands,
  And saying, “There’s nobody quite understands
  These cases as I do! The cure has begun!
  How fresh the chrysanthemums look in the sun!”

  The Dormouse lay happy, his eyes were so tight
  He could see no chrysanthemums, yellow or white,
  And all that he felt at the back of his head
  Were delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red).

[Illustration: Mouse curled up asleep]

  _And that is the reason (Aunt Emily said)
  If a Dormouse gets in a chrysanthemum bed,
  You will find (so Aunt Emily says) that he lies
  Fast asleep on his front with his paws to his eyes._




[Illustration: Shoemakers]


SHOES AND STOCKINGS


  There’s a cavern in the mountain where the old men meet
  (_Hammer, hammer, hammer . . .
  Hammer, hammer, hammer_ . . .)
  They make gold slippers for my lady’s feet
  (_Hammer, hammer, hammer . . .
  Hammer, hammer, hammer_ . . .)
  My lady is marrying her own true knight,
  White her gown, and her veil is white,
  But she must have slippers on her dainty feet.
 _Hammer, hammer hammer . . .
  Hammer_.

  There’s a cottage by the river where the old wives meet
  (_Chatter, chatter, chatter . . .
  Chatter, chatter, chatter_ . . .)

[Illustration: Women spinning and sewing]

  They weave gold stockings for my lady’s feet
  (_Chatter, chatter, chatter . . .
  Chatter, chatter, chatter_ . . .)
  My lady is going to her own true man,
  Youth to youth, since the world began,
  But she must have stockings on her dainty feet.
 _Chatter, chatter, chatter . . .
  Chatter_.

[Illustration: Fine lady]




[Illustration: Man and boy on beach]


SAND-BETWEEN-THE-TOES


  I went down to the shouting sea,
  Taking Christopher down with me,
  For Nurse had given us sixpence each—
  And down we went to the beach.

      We had sand in the eyes and the ears and the nose,
      And sand in the hair, and sand-between-the-toes.
      Whenever a good nor’ wester blows,
      Christopher is certain of
      Sand-between-the-toes.

  The sea was galloping grey and white;
  Christopher clutched his sixpence tight;
  We clambered over the humping sand—
  And Christopher held my hand.

      We had sand in the eyes and the ears and the nose,
      And sand in the hair, and sand-between-the-toes.
      Whenever a good nor’ wester blows,
      Christopher is certain of
      Sand-between-the-toes.

  There was a roaring in the sky;
  The sea-gulls cried as they blew by;
  We tried to talk, but had to shout—
  Nobody else was out.

      When we got home, we had sand in the hair,
      In the eyes and the ears and everywhere;
      Whenever a good nor’ wester blows,
      Christopher is found with
      Sand-between-the-toes.

[Illustration: Boy on beach]




[Illustration: Boy watching knight riding out of forest]


KNIGHTS AND LADIES


  There is in my old picture-book
  A page at which I like to look,
  Where knights and squires come riding down
  The cobbles of some steep old town,
  And ladies from beneath the eaves
  Flutter their bravest handkerchiefs,
  Or, smiling proudly, toss down gages . . .
  But that was in the Middle Ages.
  It wouldn’t happen now; but still,
  Whenever I look up the hill
  Where, dark against the green and blue,
  The firs come marching, two by two,
  I wonder if perhaps I _might_
  See suddenly a shining knight
  Winding his way from blue to green—
  Exactly as it would have been
  Those many, many years ago. . . .

[Illustration: Knight galloping]

  Perhaps I might. You never know.




LITTLE BO-PEEP AND LITTLE BOY-BLUE


[Illustration: Toy sheep]

  “What have you done with your sheep,
            Little Bo-Peep?
  What have you done with your sheep,
            Bo-Peep?”
  “Little Boy Blue, what fun!
  I’ve lost them, every one!”
  “Oh, what a thing to have done,
            Little Bo-Peep!”

  “What have you done with your sheep,
            Little Boy Blue?
  What have you done with your sheep,
            Boy Blue?”
  “Little Bo-Peep, my sheep
  Went off, when I was asleep.”
  “I’m sorry about your sheep,
            Little Boy Blue.”

[Illustration: Girl with crook, boy sleeping on grass]

  “What are you going to do,
            Little Bo-Peep?
  What are you going to do,
            Bo-Peep?”
  “Little Boy Blue, you’ll see
  They’ll all come home to tea.”
  “They wouldn’t do that for me,
            Little Bo-Peep.”

[Illustration: Girl with crook, boy blowing horn]

  “What are you going to do,
            Little Boy Blue?
  What are you going to do,
            Boy Blue?”
  “Little Bo-Peep, I’ll blow
  My horn for an hour or so.”
  “Isn’t that rather slow,
            Little Boy Blue?”

[Illustration: Sheep gambolling]

  “Whom are you going to marry,
            Little Bo-Peep?
  Whom are you going to marry,
            Bo-Peep?”
  “Little Boy Blue, Boy Blue,
  I’d like to marry you.”
  “I think I should like it too,
            Little Bo-Peep.”

[Illustration: Girl holding crook and sheep, boy scratching head]

  “Where are we going to live,
            Little Boy Blue?
  Where are we going to live,
            Boy Blue?”
  “Little Bo-Peep, Bo-Peep,
  Up in the hills with the sheep.”
  “And you’ll love your little Bo-Peep,
            Little Boy Blue?”

  “I’ll love you for ever and ever,
            Little Bo-Peep.
  I’ll love you for ever and ever,
            Bo-Peep.”
  “Little Boy Blue, my dear,
  Keep near, keep very near.”
  “I shall be always here,
            Little Bo-Peep.”

[Illustration: Boy kissing girl; sheep playing]




[Illustration: Swan reflected in water]


THE MIRROR


  Between the woods the afternoon
  Is fallen in a golden swoon.
  The sun looks down from quiet skies
  To where a quiet water lies,
    And silent trees stoop down to trees.
  And there I saw a white swan make
  Another white swan in the lake;
  And, breast to breast, both motionless,
  They waited for the wind’s caress . . .
    And all the water was at ease.




[Illustration: Boy seated on stairs]


HALFWAY DOWN


  Halfway down the stairs
  Is a stair
  Where I sit.
  There isn’t any
  Other stair
  Quite like
  It.
  I’m not at the bottom,
  I’m not at the top;
  So this is the stair
  Where
  I always
  Stop.

  Halfway up the stairs
  Isn’t up,
  And isn’t down.
  It isn’t in the nursery,
  It isn’t in the town.
  And all sorts of funny thoughts
  Run round my head:
  “It isn’t really
  Anywhere!
  It’s somewhere else
  Instead!”




[Illustration: Cattle in field]


THE INVADERS


  In careless patches through the wood
  The clumps of yellow primrose stood,
  And sheets of white anemones,
  Like driven snow against the trees,
  Had covered up the violet,
  But left the blue-bell bluer yet.

  Along the narrow carpet ride,
  With primroses on either side,
  Between their shadows and the sun,
  The cows came slowly, one by one,
  Breathing the early morning air
  And leaving it still sweeter there.
  And, one by one, intent upon
  Their purposes, they followed on
  In ordered silence . . . and were gone.

  But all the little wood was still,
  As if it waited so, until
  Some blackbird on an outpost yew,
  Watching the slow procession through,
  Lifted his yellow beak at last
  To whistle that the line had passed. . . .
  Then all the wood began to sing
  Its morning anthem to the spring.




[Illustration: Child hiding behind tree]


BEFORE TEA


  Emmeline
  Has not been seen
  For more than a week. She slipped between
  The two tall trees at the end of the green . . .
  We all went after her. “_Emmeline!_”

  “Emmeline,
  I didn’t mean—
  I only said that your hands weren’t clean.”
  We went to the trees at the end of the green . . .
  But Emmeline
  Was not to be seen.

  Emmeline
  Came slipping between
  The two tall trees at the end of the green.
  We all ran up to her. “Emmeline!
  Where have you been?
  Where have you been?
  Why, it’s more than a week!” And Emmeline
  Said, “Sillies, I went and saw the Queen.
  She says my hands are _purfickly_ clean!”

[Illustration: Grubby girl holding out her hands]




TEDDY BEAR


  A bear, however hard he tries,
  Grows tubby without exercise.
  Our Teddy Bear is short and fat
  Which is not to be wondered at;
  He gets what exercise he can
  By falling off the ottoman,
  But generally seems to lack
  The energy to clamber back.

[Illustration: Toys on bed, teddy bear on floor]

  Now tubbiness is just the thing
  Which gets a fellow wondering;
  And Teddy worried lots about
  The fact that he was rather stout.
  He thought: “If only I were thin!
  But how does anyone begin?”
  He thought: “It really isn’t fair
  To grudge me exercise and air.”

  For many weeks he pressed in vain
  His nose against the window-pane,
  And envied those who walked about
  Reducing their unwanted stout.
  None of the people he could see
  “Is quite” (he said) “as fat as me!”
  Then, with a still more moving sigh,
  “I mean” (he said) “as fat as I!”

[Illustration: Teddy bear looking in mirror]

  Now Teddy, as was only right,
  Slept in the ottoman at night,
  And with him crowded in as well
  More animals than I can tell;
  Not only these, but books and things,
  Such as a kind relation brings—
  Old tales of “Once upon a time,”
  And history retold in rhyme.

  One night it happened that he took
  A peep at an old picture-book,
  Wherein he came across by chance
  The picture of a King of France
  (A stoutish man) and, down below,
  These words: “King Louis So and So,
  Nicknamed ‘The Handsome!’” There he sat,
 _And_ (_think of it!_) _the man was fat!_

[Illustration: Teddy bear reading open book]

  Our bear rejoiced like anything
  To read about this famous King,
 _Nicknamed “The Handsome.”_ There he sat,
  And certainly the man was fat.
 _Nicknamed “The Handsome.”_ Not a doubt
  The man was definitely stout.
  Why then, a bear (for all his tub)
  Might yet be named “The Handsome Cub!”

  “Might yet be named.” Or did he mean
  That years ago he “might have been”?
  For now he felt a slight misgiving:
  “Is Louis So and So still living?
  Fashions in beauty have a way
  Of altering from day to day.
  Is ‘Handsome Louis’ with us yet?
  Unfortunately I forget.”

[Illustration: Teddy bear seated in window]

  Next morning (nose to window-pane)
  The doubt occurred to him again.
  One question hammered in his head:
  “Is he alive or is he dead?”
  Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but
  The lattice window, loosely shut,
  Swung open. With one startled “Oh!”
  Our Teddy disappeared below.

  There happened to be passing by
  A plump man with a twinkling eye,
  Who, seeing Teddy in the street,
  Raised him politely to his feet,
  And murmured kindly in his ear
  Soft words of comfort and of cheer:
  “Well, well!” “Allow me!” “Not at all.”
  “Tut-tut! A very nasty fall.”

[Illustration: Teddy bear scratching head]

  Our Teddy answered not a word;
  It’s doubtful if he even heard.
  Our bear could only look and look:
  The stout man in the picture-book!
  That “handsome” King—could this be he,
  This man of adiposity?
  “Impossible,” he thought. “But still,
  No harm in asking. Yes I will!”

  “Are you,” he said, “by any chance
  His Majesty the King of France?”
  The other answered, “I am that,”
  Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
  Then said, “Excuse me,” with an air,
  “But is it Mr. Edward Bear?”
  And Teddy, bending very low,
  Replied politely, “Even so!”

[Illustration: Teddy bowing to man]

  They stood beneath the window there,
  The King and Mr. Edward Bear,
  And, handsome, if a trifle fat,
  Talked carelessly of this and that . . .
  Then said His Majesty, “Well, well,
  I must get on,” and rang the bell.
  “Your bear, I think,” he smiled. “Good-day!”
  And turned, and went upon his way.

  A bear, however hard he tries,
  Grows tubby without exercise.
  Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
  Which is not to be wondered at.
  But do you think it worries him
  To know that he is far from slim?
  No, just the other way about—
  He’s _proud_ of being short and stout.

[Illustration: Teddy bear peering at newspaper]




BAD SIR BRIAN BOTANY

[Illustration: Man in armour, with battleaxe]


  Sir Brian had a battleaxe with great big knobs on;
    He went among the villagers and blipped them on the head.
  On Wednesday and on Saturday, but mostly on the latter day,
  He called at all the cottages, and this is what he said:

            “I am Sir Brian!” (_ting-ling_)
              “I am Sir Brian!” (_rat-tat_)
            “I am Sir Brian, as bold as a lion—
              Take _that!_—and _that!_—and _that!_”

  Sir Brian had a pair of boots with great big spurs on,
    A fighting pair of which he was particularly fond.
  On Tuesday and on Friday, just to make the street look tidy,
    He’d collect the passing villagers and kick them in the pond.

            “I am Sir Brian!” (_sper-lash_)
              “I am Sir Brian!” (_sper-losh!_)
            “I am Sir Brian, as bold as a lion—
              Is anyone else for a wash?”

[Illustration: Man wielding battleaxe]

[Illustration: Man in bed]

  Sir Brian woke one morning, and he couldn’t find his battleaxe;
    He walked into the village in his second pair of boots.
  He had gone a hundred paces, when the street was full of faces,
    And the villagers were round him with ironical salutes.

            “You are Sir Brian? Indeed!
              You are Sir Brian? Dear, dear!
            You are Sir Brian, as bold as a lion?
              Delighted to meet you here!”

[Illustration: Man in duck pond]

  Sir Brian went a journey, and he found a lot of duckweed;
    They pulled him out and dried him, and they blipped him on the head.
  They took him by the breeches, and they hurled him into ditches,
    And they pushed him under waterfalls, and this is what they said:

            “You are Sir Brian—don’t laugh,
              You are Sir Brian—don’t cry;
            You are Sir Brian, as bold as a lion—
              Sir Brian, the lion, good-bye!”

  Sir Brian struggled home again, and chopped up his battleaxe,
    Sir Brian took his fighting boots, and threw them in the fire.
  He is quite a different person now he hasn’t got his spurs on,
    And he goes about the village as B. Botany, Esquire.

            “I am Sir Brian? Oh, _no!_
              I am Sir Brian? Who’s he?
            _I_ haven’t got any title, I’m Botany—
              Plain Mr. Botany (B).”

[Illustration: Man in civilian clothes with walking stick]




[Illustration: Boy surrounded by animals]


IN THE FASHION


  A lion has a tail and a very fine tail,
  And so has an elephant, and so has a whale,
  And so has a crocodile, and so has a quail—
            They’ve all got tails but me.

  If I had sixpence I would buy one;
  I’d say to the shopman, “Let me try one”;
  I’d say to the elephant, “This is _my_ one.”
            They’d all come round to see.

  Then I’d say to the lion, “Why, _you’ve_ got a tail!
  And so has the elephant, and so has the whale!
  And, look! There’s a crocodile! _He’s_ got a tail!
            “_You’ve all got tails like me!_”

[Illustration: Boy with tail leading animals]




[Illustration: Old man wearing magical robe, watched by cat]


THE ALCHEMIST


  There lives an old man at the top of the street
  And the end of his beard reaches down to his feet,
  And he’s just the one person I’m longing to meet,
      I think that he sounds so exciting;
  For he talks all the day to his tortoiseshell cat,
  And he asks about this, and explains about that,
  And at night he puts on a big wide-awake[2] hat
      And sits in the writing-room, writing.

  He has worked all his life (and he’s terribly old)
  At a wonderful spell which says, “Lo, and behold!
  Your nursery fender is gold!”—and it’s gold!
      (Or the tongs, or the rod for the curtain);
  But some how he hasn’t got hold of it quite,
  Or the liquid you pour on it first isn’t right,
  So that’s why he works at it night after night
      Till he knows he can do it for certain.


[2: So as not to go to sleep.]




[Illustration: Child struggling to attach braces]


GROWING UP


  I’ve got shoes with grown up laces,
  I’ve got knickers and a pair of braces,
  I’m all ready to run some races.
      Who’s coming out with me?

  I’ve got a nice new pair of braces,
  I’ve got shoes with new brown laces
  I know wonderful paddly places.
      Who’s coming out with me?

  Every morning my new grace is,
  “Thank you, God, for my nice braces
  I can tie my new brown laces.”
      Who’s coming out with me?

[Illustration: Shoes]




[Illustration: Child dressed as a king leading toy soldiers]


IF I WERE KING


  I often wish I were a King,
  And then I could do anything.

  If only I were King of Spain,
  I’d take my hat off in the rain.

  If only I were King of France,
  I wouldn’t brush my hair for aunts.

  I think, if I were King of Greece,
  I’d push things off the mantelpiece.

  If I were King of Norroway,
  I’d ask an elephant to stay.

  If I were King of Babylon,
  I’d leave my button gloves undone.

  If I were King of Timbuctoo,
  I’d think of lovely things to do.

  If I were King of anything,
  I’d tell the soldiers, “I’m the King!”




[Illustration: Boy kneeling beside his bed]


VESPERS


 _Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,
  Droops on the little hands little gold head.
  Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!
  Christopher Robin is saying his prayers._

 _God bless Mummy._ I know that’s right.
  Wasn’t it fun in the bath to-night?
  The cold’s so cold, and the hot’s so hot.
  Oh! _God bless Daddy_—I quite forgot.

  If I open my fingers a little bit more,
  I can see Nanny’s dressing-gown on the door.
  It’s a beautiful blue, but it hasn’t a hood.
  Oh! _God bless Nanny and make her good._

  Mine has a hood, and I lie in bed,
  And pull the hood right over my head,
  And I shut my eyes, and I curl up small,
  And nobody knows that I’m there at all.

  Oh! _Thank you, God, for a lovely day._
  And what was the other I had to say?
  I said “Bless Daddy,” so what can it be?
  Oh! Now I remember it. _God bless Me._

 _Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,
  Droops on the little hands little gold head.
  Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!
  Christopher Robin is saying his prayers._

[Illustration: Boy asleep]




Transcriber’s Note


Brief descriptions of the illustrations have been added; original
captions are in uppercase.

The table of contents is reproduced as in the original, with
“The Wrong House” out of order.

The last line of the first stanza of “Bad Sir Brian Botany” has been
indented for consistency with subsequent stanzas.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 70271 ***