CECILY PARSLEY'S NURSERY RHYMES

FOR LITTLE PETER

IN NEW ZEALAND

BY

BEATRIX POTTER

Author of

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit," etc.

Though flattered by imitators galore Miss Potter's work stands supreme. Her many picture stories should be among the first books owned by children.

Cecily Parsley lived in a pen,

And brewed good ale for gentlemen;

Gentlemen came every day,

Til Cecily Parsley ran away.

Goosey, goosey, gander,

Whither wil you wander?

Upstairs and downstairs,

And in my lady's chamber!

This pig went to market;

This pig stayed at home;

This pig had a bit of meat;

And this pig had none;

This little pig cried

Wee! wee! wee!

I can't find my way home.

Pussy-cat sits by the fire;

How should she be fair?

In walks the little dog,

Says Pussy! are you there?

How do you do, Mistress Pussy?

Mistress Pussy, how do you do?

I thank you kindly, little dog,

I fare as wel as you!

Three blind mice, three blind mice,

See how they run!

They al run after the farmer's wife,

And she cut off their tails with a carving knife, Did you ever see such a thing in your life As three blind mice!

Bow, wow, wow!

Whose dog art thou?

I'm little Tom Tinker's dog,

Bow, wow, wow!

We have a little garden,

A garden of our own,

And every day we water there

The seeds that we have sown.

We love our little garden,

And tend it with such care,

You wil not find a faded leaf

Or blighted blossom there.

Ninny nanny netticoat,

In a white petticoat,

With a red nose,

The longer she stands,

The shorter she grows.