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.