The Peter Patter Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 12

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IF I WERE RICHER

If I were richer I'd buy a pitcher With scenery on it.

'Jolica ware-- Storks here and there, And a funny affair With ladies on it.

In half a minute I'd mix up in it A wonderful drink-- Peppermint, ice, Lemons and spice-- Taste pretty nice, What do you think?

THE ARMY OF THE QUEEN

O the Army of the Queen, The Army of the Queen, Some are dressed in turkey-red And some are dressed in green; A colonel and a captain, A corporal in between, Their guns are filled with powder And their swords are bright and keen; So toot your little trumpet For the Army of the Queen.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TOOT YOUR LITTLE TRUMPET FOR THE ARMY OF THE QUEEN]

ROMULUS

Romulus, Romulus, Father of Rome, Ran off with a wolf And he wouldn't come home.

When he grew up He founded a city With an eagle, a bear, And a tortoise-sh.e.l.l kitty.

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THE HERO

My dad was a soldier and fought in the wars, My grandfather fought on the sea, And the tales of their daring and valor of course Put the sand and the ginger in me.

I'm not scared of tigers or any wild beast, I could fight with a lion all right, I wouldn't be 'fraid of a bear in the least-- Excepting, perhaps, in the night.

But sister, she's skeery as skeery can be, She's even afraid of the bark of a tree.

PENSIVE PERCY

Percy when a little boy Was quiet as a mouse, He never set the barn afire Nor battered down the house.

He used to sit for hours and hours Just gazing at the moon, And feeding little fishes Sarsaparilla from a spoon.

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MOON, O MOON IN THE EMPTY SKY

Moon, O Moon in the empty sky, Why do you swing so low?

Pretty moon with the silver ring And the long bright beams where the fairies cling, Where do you always go?

I go to the land of the Siamese, Ceylon and the Great Plateau, Over the seas where Sinbad sailed, Where Moses crossed and Pharaoh failed,-- There's where I always go.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RAG-MAN, RAG-MAN, TAGGY, TAGGY, RAG-MAN]

THE RAG-MAN

"Rag-man, rag-man, Taggy, taggy, rag-man, Tell us what you've got there in your sack."

"Oh--it's full of rimes and riddles, Jingles, jokes, and hi-de-diddles-- This bundle that I carry on my back."

"O tell us, funny rag-man, Grinny, skinny rag-man, Where did you pick up your funny rimes?"

"Some were dancing with corn-flowers, Some were hiding in church-towers, And sprinkled helter-skelter by the chimes."

"Rag-man, rag-man, Nice old taggy rag-man, Sing us just one jingle, tingle song."

"Why, my dears, I've got a plenty, Sing you one? I'll sing you twenty-- I've been hoping you would ask me all along."

WHENEVER I GO OUT TO WALK

Whenever I go out to walk, All the geese begin to gawk; And when I start to wander back, All the ducks begin to quack.