When the sun Shines through the leaves of the apple-tree, When the sun Makes shadows of the leaves of the apple-tree, Then I pass On the grass From one leaf to another, From one leaf to its brother Tip-toe, tip-toe! Here I go!

THE FOUR FRIENDS

Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow, Leonard was a lion with a six-foot tail, George was a goat, and his beard was yellow, And James was a very small snail.

Leonard had a stall, and a great big strong one, Ernest had a manger, and its walls were thick, George found a pen, but I think it was the wrong one, And James sat down on a brick.

Ernest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger, Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall, James gave the huffle of a snail in danger And nobody heard him at all.

Ernest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus Leonard started roaring and trying to kick, James went a journey with the goat’s new compass And he reached the end of his brick.

Ernest was an elephant and very well-intentioned, Leonard was a lion with a brave new tail, George was a goat, as I think I have mentioned, But James was only a snail.

LINES AND SQUARES

Whenever I walk in a London street, I’m ever so careful to watch my feet; And I keep in the squares, And the masses of bears, Who wait at the corners all ready to eat The sillies who tread on the lines of the street, Go back to their lairs, And I say to them, “Bears, Just look how I’m walking in all of the squares!”

And the little bears growl to each other, “He’s mine, As soon as he’s silly and steps on a line.” And some of the bigger bears try to pretend That they came round the corner to look for a friend; And they try to pretend that nobody cares Whether you walk on the lines or squares. But only the sillies believe their talk; It’s ever so portant how you walk. And it’s ever so jolly to call out, “Bears, Just watch me walking in all the squares!”

BROWNIE

In a corner of the bedroom is a great big curtain, Someone lives behind it, but I don’t know who; I think it is a Brownie, but I’m not quite certain. (Nanny isn’t certain, too.)

I looked behind the curtain, but he went so quickly— Brownies never wait to say, “How do you do?” They wriggle off at once because they’re all so tickly. (Nanny says they’re tickly too.)

INDEPENDENCE

I never did, I never did, I never did like “Now take care, dear!” I never did, I never did, I never did want “Hold-my-hand”; I never did, I never did, I never did think much of “Not up there, dear!” It’s no good saying it. They don’t understand.

NURSERY CHAIRS

_One of the chairs is South America, One of the chairs is a ship at sea, One is a cage for a great big lion, And one is a chair for Me._

The First Chair.

When I go up the Amazon, I stop at night and fire a gun To call my faithful band. And Indians in twos and threes, Come silently between the trees, And wait for me to land. And if I do not want to play With any Indians to-day, I simply wave my hand. And then they turn and go away— They always understand.

The Second Chair.

I’m a great big lion in my cage, And I often frighten Nanny with a roar. Then I hold her very tight, and Tell her not to be so frightened— And she doesn’t be so frightened any more.

The Third Chair.

When I am in my ship, I see The other ships go sailing by. A sailor leans and calls to me As his ship goes sailing by. Across the sea he leans to me, Above the winds I hear him cry: “Is this the way to Round-the-World?” He calls as he goes by.

The Fourth Chair.

Whenever I sit in a high chair For breakfast or dinner or tea, I try to pretend that it’s my chair, And that I am a baby of three.

_Shall I go off to South America? Shall I put out in my ship to sea? Or get in my cage and be lions and tigers? Or—shall I be only Me?_

MARKET SQUARE

I had a penny, A bright new penny, I took my penny To the market square. I wanted a rabbit, A little brown rabbit, And I looked for a rabbit ’Most everywhere.

For I went to the stall where they sold sweet lavender (“Only a penny for a bunch of lavender!”). “Have you got a rabbit, ’cos I don’t want lavender?” But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

I had a penny, And I had another penny, I took my pennies To the market square. I did want a rabbit, A little baby rabbit, And I looked for rabbits ’Most everywhere.

And I went to the stall where they sold fresh mackerel (“Now then! Tuppence for a fresh-caught mackerel!”) “Have you got a rabbit, ’cos I don’t like mackerel?” But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

I found a sixpence, A little white sixpence. I took it in my hand To the market square. I was buying my rabbit (I do like rabbits), And I looked for my rabbit ’Most everywhere.

So I went to the stall where they sold fine saucepans (“Walk up, walk up, sixpence for a saucepan!”). “Could I have a rabbit, ’cos we’ve got two saucepans?” But they hadn’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there.

I had nuffin’, No, I hadn’t got nuffin’, So I didn’t go down To the market square; But I walked on the common, The old-gold common . . . _And I saw little rabbits ’Most everywhere!_

So I’m sorry for the people who sell fine saucepans, I’m sorry for the people who sell fresh mackerel, I’m sorry for the people who sell sweet lavender, ’Cos they haven’t got a rabbit, not anywhere there!

DAFFODOWNDILLY

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet, She wore her greenest gown; She turned to the south wind And curtsied up and down. She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbour: “Winter is dead.”

WATER-LILIES

Where the water-lilies go To and fro, Rocking in the ripples of the water, Lazy on a leaf lies the Lake King’s daughter, And the faint winds shake her. Who will come and take her? I will! I will! Keep still! Keep still! Sleeping on a leaf lies the Lake King’s daughter . . . Then the wind comes skipping To the lilies on the water; And the kind winds wake her. Now who will take her? With a laugh she is slipping Through the lilies on the water. Wait! Wait! Too late, too late! Only the water-lilies go To and fro, Dipping, dipping, To the ripples of the water.

DISOBEDIENCE

James James Morrison Morrison Weatherby George Dupree Took great Care of his Mother, Though he was only three. James James Said to his Mother, “Mother,” he said, said he; “You must never go down to the end of the town, if you don’t go down with me.”

James James Morrison’s Mother Put on a golden gown, James James Morrison’s Mother Drove to the end of the town. James James Morrison’s Mother Said to herself, said she: “I can get right down to the end of the town and be back in time for tea.”

King John Put up a notice, “LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED! JAMES JAMES MORRISON’S MOTHER SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID. LAST SEEN WANDERING VAGUELY: QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD, SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END OF THE TOWN—FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!”

James James Morrison Morrison (Commonly known as Jim) Told his Other relations Not to go blaming him. James James Said to his Mother, “Mother,” he said, said he; “You must never go down to the end of the town without consulting me.”

James James Morrison’s mother Hasn’t been heard of since. King John Said he was sorry, So did the Queen and Prince. King John (Somebody told me) Said to a man he knew: “If people go down to the end of the town, well, what can anyone do?”

(Now then, very softly)

J.J. M. M. W. G. Du P. Took great C/o his M***** Though he was only 3. J.J. Said to his M***** “M*****,” he said, said he: “You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-if-you-don’t-go-down- with ME!”

SPRING MORNING

Where am I going? I don’t quite know. Down to the stream where the king-cups grow— Up on the hill where the pine trees blow— Anywhere, anywhere. I don’t know.

Where am I going? The clouds sail by, Little ones, baby ones, over the sky. Where am I going? The shadows pass, Little ones, baby ones, over the grass.

If you were a cloud, and sailed up there, You’d sail on water as blue as air, And you’d see me here in the fields and say: “Doesn’t the sky look green to-day?”

Where am I going? The high rooks call: “It’s awful fun to be born at all.” Where am I going? The ring-doves coo: “We do have beautiful things to do.”

If you were a bird, and lived on high, You’d lean on the wind when the wind came by, You’d say to the wind when it took you away: “That’s where I wanted to go to-day!”

Where am I going? I don’t quite know. What does it matter where people go? Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow— Anywhere, anywhere. I don’t know.

THE ISLAND

If I had a ship, I’d sail my ship, I’d sail my ship Through Eastern seas; Down to a beach where the slow waves thunder— The green curls over and the white falls under— Boom! Boom! Boom! On the sun-bright sand. Then I’d leave my ship and I’d land, And climb the steep white sand, And climb to the trees, The six dark trees, The coco-nut trees on the cliff’s green crown— Hands and knees To the coco-nut trees, Face to the cliff as the stones patter down, Up, up, up, staggering, stumbling, Round the corner where the rock is crumbling, Round this shoulder, Over this boulder, Up to the top where the six trees stand. . . .