S was the sugar-tongs, Nippity-nee, To take up the sugar To put in our tea. _s_ Nippity-nee! T was a tortoise, All yellow and black: He walked slowly away, And he never came back. _t_ Torty never came back! U was an urn All polished and bright, And full of hot water At noon and at night. _u_ Useful old urn! V was a veil With a border upon it, And a ribbon to tie it All round a pink bonnet. _v_ Pretty green veil! W was a whale With a very long tail, Whose movements were frantic Across the Atlantic. _w_ Monstrous old whale! X was King Xerxes, Who, more than all Turks, is Renowned for his fashion Of fury and passion. _x_ Angry old Xerxes. Y was a yew, Which flourished and grew By a quiet abode Near the side of a road. _y_ Dark little yew! Z was a zebra, All striped white and black; And if he were tame, You might ride on his back. _z_ Pretty striped zebra! PAST HISTORY BY EDWARD LEAR _a_ A was once an apple-pie, Pidy, Widy, Tidy, Pidy, Nice insidy, Apple-pie! _b_ B was once a little bear, Beary, Wary, Hairy, Beary, Take cary, Little bear! _c_ C was once a little cake, Caky, Baky, Maky, Caky, Taky caky, Little cake! _d_ D was once a little doll, Dolly, Molly, Polly, Nolly, Nursy dolly, Little doll! _e_ E was once a little eel, Eely, Weely, Peely, Eely, Twirly, tweely, Little eel! _f_ F was once a little fish, Fishy, Wishy, Squishy, Fishy, In a dishy, Little fish! _g_ G was once a little goose, Goosey, Moosy, Boosey, Goosey, Waddly-woosy, Little goose! _h_ H was once a little hen, Henny, Chenny, Tenny, Henny, Eggsy-any, Little hen? _i_ I was once a bottle of ink, Inky, Dinky, Thinky, Inky, Black minky, Bottle of ink! _j_ J was once a jar of jam, Jammy, Mammy, Clammy, Jammy, Sweety, swammy, Jar of jam!