The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Goose's Bicycle Tour, by M. A. Bonnell This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: Mother Goose's Bicycle Tour Author: M. A. Bonnell Release Date: May 5, 2017 [EBook #54664] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER GOOSE'S BICYCLE TOUR *** Produced by deaurider, Brian Wilcox and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) WRITTEN AND ADAPTED by M. A. BONNELL Awake, sweet hope! for she who shares the throne Lends her own merit to make dulness bright, Even as Luna to the insipid drop its light. Xanthine yellow might the aster take for hue, An emerald green the clove carnation crown, Nor could fair England’s rose yet learn to frown. Diadems of humble bloom and royal fleur-de-lis, Rare crowns of love, have crowned her long ago; And ever round her noble brow more intertwined they grow. —M. A. BONNELL July 3rd, 1901. The above lines accompanied the copy which was graciously accepted by Queen Alexandra. Toronto: William Briggs. With honest pride the rhymer sings Her ancestress’ renown,— Oh, proud the day that gave her birth! And proud her natal town! Oh, may the theme the verse redeem, Of meagre wit and rhyming loose, And win a kind indulgence still For Mary Susan Goose! Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand nine hundred, by William Briggs, at the Department of Agriculture. Dedicated By Permission To Miss Liv Nansen DEDICATION. 1. Though pure the drifting snows of northern realms, Dazzling the Aurora of the polar girth, More stainless still thy fair and childish brow, More bright the aureole that surrounds thy birth. 2. Ofttimes a nation bends its tender gaze To watch the blooming of a royal flower; Child of heroic blood, genius thy heritage! The loving interest of a world thy dower! M. A. B. CONTENTS. DEDICATION. THE DEPARTURE. PUSSY CAT. HIGH DIDDLE-DIDDLE. THE QUEENS OF THE CARDS. JACK AND JILL. OLD KING COLE. THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN. BAA-BAA BLACK SHEEP. OLD MOTHER HUBBARD. WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO, MY PRETTY MAID? WHEN I WAS A BACHELOR. HUMPETY DUMPETY. TAFFY WAS A WELSHMAN. THREE WISE MEN OF ST. IVES. THE FROG AND THE CROW. THE DONKEY’S REPLY. FARMER BROWN. THE CAPTAIN. THE SHOEMAKER. THE COOK. THE GROCER. THE FARMER. THE FARMER’S WIFE. THE TAILOR. MRS. THOMPKINS AND MR. HOPKINS. THIS VERY BLACK MAN OF SIAM. THIS LAZY OLD MAN OF MOSELLE. CE COCHON, AN INTERESTING PIG. THIS SHOCKING OLD MAN FROM CAPE RAY. PETER PRADDLE BOUGHT A SADDLE. THE MAN FROM HONG KONG. THE LITTLE BOHEMIAN. THE KING IS RETURNING TO PARIS. LE PETIT MARÉCHAL. LA PETITE ÉTRANGÈRE. LAY THE TABLE. TOMMY HAS A GUN. ENIGMAS. THE MAID WITH EYES OF BLUE. THIS STUDIOUS GIRL OF OGONTZ ENIGMAS. THE MILLER. A KING. LOUIS HAD A SISTER TRÈS-PETITE. DICK’S POEM. THE LITTLE NUT TREE. L’ENFANT TERRIBLE. ISIDORE ET ISABELLE. EVERY DOG ON THE STREET. THE APPLE-PIE PARTY. GLOSSARY. Mother Goose’s Bicycle Tour. the departure THE DEPARTURE. 1. Long years ago dear Mother Goose For little people made, you see, Of merry rhymes and odd conceits A veritable pot pourri. 2. Some riddles hard the brain to puzzle, Tales that really seemed quite true, Rhymes with fun just brimming o’er, For each one something à son goût. a princess 3. Her fame had spread through many lands,— A princess came from France to see The tree that bore the golden pear: At least such was l’on dit. 4. But years rolled by, the dame grew old,— Alas, the universal fate! She found herself almost forgot, And with her goose left tête à tête. at the dinner table 5. Said Mother Goose: “My faithful bird, Our friends neglect us, to be sure; But never mind, we’ll just prepare And take a pleasant little tour. 6. Some evenings spent in brushing up The foreign words we used to know, Ere setting out upon our trip, Would now be very à propos. 7. I’ll order from my milliner A brand new hat and travelling suit; And then procure some maps and guides; We’ll surely need them whilst en route. 8. ’Tis fifty years since you and I Our journey took the moon to see; 6 7 8 Our journey took the moon to see; For fear we never should come back We left our cards with P. P. C. 9. What crowds there were to see us off! What merry shout and loud hurrah! Most certainly we undertook Our enterprise with great éclat. 10. And then the journey back again, And how we made the world to stare When home we brought the wondrous news— The moon was made of fromage vert! 11. But times are changed, and people now Doubt everything they cannot see; And men are old before they’re young, And even children feel ennui. 12. No fairies now their revels hold, Nor dare their merry pranks pursue; The prying eye, the searchlight’s glare, Have made them bid the land adieu. 13. Should you in this material age Your magic powers reveal by chance, You’d never be a moment free From scientific surveillance. 14. Besides, to ride upon your back Would outrage modern fashion’s code; To go upon a two-wheeled thing Is now considered à la mode.” 15. When thus the dame had spoke her mind, Her banker first she went to see; Then purchase made of many things, Besides a flask of eau-de-vie. 16. She meant to cross the Channel soon, And for the future had a care;— All those who travel on the sea Provision make for mal de mer. 17. Two bicycles were ordered then From Monsieur Brun de Chambray; To tell the truth, the dame on hers Looked really most distinguée. 18. The goose all unaccustomed was 9 10 The goose all unaccustomed was To this most curious gait, But spite of this her mistress vow’d She thought her manner was parfaite. 19. “I am an awkward creature,” Quoth the goose, “as people say; But on the water, rest assured, You’ll find me quite au fait. 20. “I know you dread the noisy ship, With all its bustle and to-do; And for the horrid smell of tar You have a natural dégoût. 21. “So let us take an open boat; The voyage is not very long. I’m sure we’ll reach the other side Without the slightest contre-temps.” 22. With courage rare the dame replied, “Your plan, I think, is for our weal; We’ll follow it without delay.” Her charming nature was facile. at sea 11 12 23. The noble, brave, and clever bird, As one may well perceive, For new and strange adventures now Was quite on the qui vive. 24. Adventures came too soon, alas! For on that self-same day A storm arose, and they were wrecked In that short traversée. 25. In this extremity most dire The dame takes off a wooden boot, And says, “I’ll buoy these precious bikes, And get them sometime coûte que coûte.” 26. For string she ravels out her hose, While briny waters saturate her; Her plan will surely win success For is it not a coup de maître! 27. “Now bind together, mistress dear, Before they float away, Those oars of good Canadian pine; They are our pis aller. 28. “Your weight, supported by this frame, I have the power to draw; Nor danger fear while you retain Such admirable sang-froid.” 29. By strength of will, and wing, and web, They reached a passing man-of-war, And now to Mother Goose and bird We must say “au revoir.” 13 14 pussy cat PUSSY CAT. “Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?” “I’ve been to London to see the Queen.” “Pussy cat, pussy cat, what saw you there?” “I saw a little mouse under the chair.” “Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you do?” “J’ai mangé la souris tout à coup.” 15 HIGH DIDDLE-DIDDLE. 1. High diddle-diddle, the cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon. Regardez donc cette vache agile, Qui saute par-dessus la lune. 2. Je vais au marché à l’instant, I’m going to the market now, Pour acheter cette vache surprenante, To buy that remarkable cow. 3. The well-known cat and the wonderful cow, On the picture now you may see, Ainsi que le chien intelligent, Qui avait beaucoup ri. page decoration THE QUEENS OF THE CARDS. Les dames des cartes, Elles firent des tartes All on a summer’s day. Les valets des cartes Les valets des cartes Volèrent ces tartes, And took them clean away. Les rois des cartes Les rois des cartes Cherchèrent les tartes, And beat the knaves full sore. steal no more Les valets des cartes Rapportèrent les tartes, And vow’d they’d steal no more. 16 17 18 19 20 JACK AND JILL. 1. Jack and Jill went up the hill, Ensemble de l’eau y chercher; Jack fell down and broke his crown, La pauvre Jille fut renversée. 2. Up Jack got and home did trot, En colère et très-pressé; Dame Jill had the job to plaster his knob, Quand l’effusion de sang eut cessé. 3. Jill came in and she did grin, En voyant cet emplâtre; Her mother vow’d she’d whip her next, À cause de ce désastre. 21 22 old king cole OLD KING COLE. Old King Cole was a merry old soul, Il aimait la compagnie; He called for his pipe, he called for his bowl, Singing “Vive la compagnie!” He shared with his fiddlers the very best cheer, Singing “Vive la compagnie!” He drank from his bowl the very best beer, Singing “Vive la compagnie!” He never knew sorrow, he never knew fear, Singing “Vive la compagnie!” He lived very happy (cela va sans dire), Singing “Vive la compagnie!” page decoration 23 24 THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN. 1. There was an old woman Who lived in a shoe, Elle avait beaucoup d’enfants, And she didn’t know what to do. 2. She gave them some broth, Without any bread, Elle les battait très-fort, And sent them to bed. BAA-BAA BLACK SHEEP. “Baa-baa black sheep, As-tu de la laine?” “Oui, Monsieur, j’en ai Deux poches pleines. “Une pour mon maître, Une pour ma dame, Rien pour le garçon Qui versa des larmes.” 25 26 OLD MOTHER HUBBARD. 1. Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard Des os d’obtenir pour son chien, But when she got there, the cupboard was bare, Hélas! le pauvre chien n’eut rien. mother hubbard 2 27 2. She went to get bread From the baker next door, But when she returned Le chien était mort. 3. She went for a coffin, With many a tear, But the dog was only joking, Se met donc à rire. 4. She went for some tripe, Feeling all in a maze, But when she returned Il fumait à l’aise. 5. “I will get him some ale,” Mother Hubbard said she, But when she returned Le chien était assis. 6. She went for some wine, Her favorite to fête, Returning she found him Debout sur sa tête. 7. She went to the hatter’s To get him a hat, But when she returned Il nourrissait la chatte. 8. She went to the barber’s To buy him a wig, But when she returned Il dansait une gigue. 9. She went to the fruiterer’s To get him some fruit, Returning she found him Jouant de la flûte. 10. To buy him a coat She went to the tailor, Returning she found him À cheval sur une chèvre. 28 29 30