As a compendium of good literature for children it is hoped that this book may interest parents and teachers, quite independently of the fact that it was prepared for classes of young men and women studying children's literature, and that it may be put into the hands of children. There remains but the pleasant duty of acknowledging the advice and encouragement received from many persons interested in this subject. To the publishing houses who have granted permission to use copyrighted material and to the Librarian of Congress thanks are due for courtesies extended. To Mr. David Dale Johnson of West Virginia University for collating; to Mr. Hunter Whiting for a great deal of copying and collating; and especially to Professor Franklin T. Baker of Teachers College, Columbia University, Professor James F. Hosic of the Chicago Normal College, and Mr. John Cotton Dana of the Newark, New Jersey, Free Public Library, for advice and criticism on the manuscript,--to all of these the editor hereby expresses his gratitude. W. B. FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA CONTENTS BOOK ONE--POETRY NURSERY JINGLES CHARACTER SKETCHES Little Miss Muffet Diddle, diddle, dumpling Let's go to bed Jack Sprat There was a little girl SCENES AND INCIDENTS Jack and Jill Hickory, dickory, dock There was an old woman Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater Little Jack Horner TALES Old Mother Hubbard Little Bo-peep The Babes in the Woods NONSENSE AND HUMOROUS RHYMES Old Dan Tucker Old Man John We're all in the dumps I had a little horse SATIRES AND TAUNTS Georgy-porgy April fool Johnny's mad Cry, baby, cry Tell-tale-tit TONGUE TWISTERS Peter Piper Swan swam over the sea COUNTING-OUT JINGLES Ickity, pickity One-ery, two-ery Inty, minty Intery, mintery GESTURE AND ACTION SONGS Trit-trot Hippity-hop This little mouse Here we go up, up, up RIDDLES A Cherry A Fodder Field, a Hog, and a Dog Hens A Churn An Egg A Star CATCHES There, was a man who had no eyes I am a gold lock As I was going to St. Ives CHARMS AND SUPERSTITIONS Star of light Marble, marble, roll away Honest and true Come, butter, come Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Mole on the neck WEATHER WISDOM Rain before seven Evening red When the fog goes up the hill When the bees all homeward fly AIDS TO MEMORY One, two, three, four Naught, one In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Thirty days hath September PROVERBS Birds of a feather He that would thrive Little strokes See a pin and pick it up For every evil under the sun PEDDLER'S CRIES Pease porridge hot Hot-cross buns SOME CHILDREN'S POETS WILLIAM BLAKE Piping down the valleys wild The Lamb Laughing Song CHRISTINA ROSSETTI The Wind The City Mouse and the Garden Mouse Lullaby A Flint The Sisters ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON The Wind Windy Nights The Whole Duty of Children My Bed Is a Boat The Land of Counterpane The Land of Storybooks LUCY LARCOM If I Were a Sunbeam The Rivulet The Brown Thrush ANN AND JANE TAYLOR Meddlesome Matty The Violet The Star The Way to be Happy