HEN I was a bachelor,
I lived by myself,

And all the bread and cheese
I got,

I put upon the shelf.

The rats and the mice they made such a strife,

I was forced to go to London to buy me a wife:

The roads were so bad, and the lanes

were so narrow,

I was forced to bring my wife home in a wheel-barrow.

The wheel-barrow broke, and my wife had a fall,

Down came wheel-barrow, wife, and all.

EE little Mary, who sits all alone, Reading her book, though her brothers have gone

To gather the nuts on the bright hazel spray,

And sport in the meadows the long summer day.

But Mary will stay without frown, and not pout,

Though Harry and William and all have gone out;

For Mary knows well that her mother so dear,

Will ask for her spelling when evening draws near.

And soon she will learn it, for she does not look

About for one instant, but minds well her book.

And when she has finished, how gladly she'll play

About with her doll for the rest of the

day.

OW, Pussy-cat, just run away,
I may no longer with you play,
For two whole hours I have to
spin

So go away and get you in.

For when you gambol at my feet,
And beg for something nice to eat;
And look so soft and are so kind,
I cannot well my spinning mind.
Suppose you leave me here to spin,
And softly creep the house within,
To catch a mouse. Come, won't you
try?

You lazy pussy-cat! Oh, fie!

If I a pussy were like you,

I'd try my best some work to do;
For harm and grief will come some day
To children who do nought but play.
And, perhaps, pussy, you may find,
If unto work you're not inclined,
There's punishment for idle cat,
As well as I get; think of that!
Now, if you will not work, pray go
Away a little distance, so
That I may get my task begun,
We'll play together when it's done.