Nursery Rhymes by George MacDonald

 THE TRUE STORY OF THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE

               Hey, diddle, diddle!
               The cat and the fiddle!
            He played such a merry tune,
               That the cow went mad
               With the pleasure she had,
            And jumped right over the moon.
               But then, don't you see?
               Before that could be,            
            The moon had come down and listened.
               The little dog hearkened,
               So loud that he barkened,
            "There's nothing like it, there isn't."

               Hey, diddle, diddle!
               Went the cat and the fiddle,
            Hey diddle, diddle, dee, dee!
               The dog laughed at the sport
               Till his cough cut him short,
            It was hey diddle, diddle, oh me!
               And back came the cow
               With a merry, merry low,
            For she'd humbled the Man in the Moon.
               The dish got excited,
               The spoon was delighted,
            And the dish waltzed away with the spoon.

               But the Man in the Moon,
               Coming back too soon
            From the famous town of Norwich,
               Caught up the dish,
               Said, "It's just what I wish
            To hold my cold plum-porridge!"            
               Gave the cow a rat-tat,
               Flung water on the cat,
            And sent him away like a rocket.
               Said, "Oh Moon there you are!"
               Got into her car,
            And went off with the spoon in his pocket

               Hey ho!  diddle, diddle!
               The wet cat and wet fiddle,
            They made such a caterwauling,
               That the cow in a fright
               Stood bolt upright
            Bellowing now, and bawling;
               And the dog on his tail,
               Stretched his neck with a wail.
            But "Ho! ho!" said the Man in the Moon—
               "No more in the South
               Shall I burn my mouth,
            For I've found a dish and a spoon."

LITTLE BO PEEP

         Little Bo Peep, she lost her sheep,

            And didn't know where to find them;

         They were over the height and out of sight,

            Trailing their tails behind them.

         Little Bo Peep woke out of her sleep,

            Jump'd up and set out to find them:

         “The silly things, they've got no wings,

            And they've left their trails behind them:

   “They've taken their tails, but they've left their trails,

   And so I shall follow and find them;”

    For wherever a tail had dragged a trail,

   The long grass grew behind them.

   And day's eyes and butter-cups, cow's lips and crow's feet

   Were glittering in the sun.

   She threw down her book, and caught up her crook,

   And after her sheep did run.

   She ran, and she ran, and ever as she ran,

   The grass grew higher and higher;

   Till over the hill the sun began

   To set in a flame of fire.

   She ran on still—up the grassy hill,

   And the grass grew higher and higher;

   When she reached its crown, the sun was down,

   And had left a trail of fire.

   The sheep and their tails were gone, all gone—

   And no more trail behind them!

   Yes, yes! they were there—long-tailed and fair,

   But, alas! she could not find them.

   Purple and gold, and rosy and blue,

   With their tails all white behind them,

   Her sheep they did run in the trail of the sun;

   She saw them, but could not find them.

   After the sun, like clouds they did run,

   But she knew they were her sheep:

   She sat down to cry, and look up at the sky,

   But she cried herself asleep.

   And as she slept the dew fell fast,

   And the wind blew from the sky;

   And strange things took place that shun the day's face,

   Because they are sweet and shy.

   Nibble, nibble, crop! she heard as she woke:

   A hundred little lambs

   Did pluck and eat the grass so sweet

   That grew in the trails of their dams.

   Little Bo Peep caught up her crook,

   And wiped the tears that did blind her.

   And nibble, nibble crop! without a stop!

   The lambs came eating behind her.

   Home, home she came, both tired and lame,

   With three times as many sheep.

   In a month or more, they'll be as big as before,

   And then she'll laugh in her sleep.

   But what would you say, if one fine day,

   When they've got their bushiest tails,

   Their grown-up game should be just the same,

   And she have to follow their trails?

   Never weep, Bo Peep, though you lose your sheep,

   And do not know where to find them;

   'Tis after the sun the mothers have run,

   And there are their lambs behind them.