Quick Service

BABY’S EYES.

When the baby’s eyes are blue,
Think we of a summer day,
Violets, and dancing rills*.
When the baby’s eyes are gray,
Doves and dawn are brought to mind.
Brown—of gentle fawns we dream,
And ripe nuts in shady woods.
Black—of midnight skies that gleam
With bright stars. But blue or gray,
Black or brown, like flower or star,
Sweeter eyes can never be
To mamma than baby’s are

SPOON-FACES.

When they’re bright and shining
Like the summer moons,
Two queer faces look at you
From the silver spoons.
One is very long, and one
Broad as it can be,
And both of them are grewsome things,
As ever you did see.

Then careful be, young people,
And do not whine or frown,
Lest some day you discover
Your chin’s a-growing down.
Nor must you giggle all the time
As though you were but loons;
We want no children’s faces
Like those in silver spoons.

The Elf Waltz
(English Translation)

Little Lisa sits in the kitchen,
Preparing for a difficult clean-up.
Sighing, early and late,
Never will she clean.

From the back of the room where she sits,
Tired, she dozes off.

But when the clock strikes twelve,
The elves come knocking.

The Gnomes’ Christmas Night

Midnight reigns,
It’s quiet in the houses,
Quiet in the houses.
Everyone sleeps,
The candles are put out,
Candles put out.

Tipp, tapp, tipp, tapp, tippetippetipp tapp! Tipp, tipp, tapp.

Look, there comes
The gnomes out from the corners,
From the corners,
List’ning, watching,
Sneaking on their toes,
On their toes.

Tipp, tapp, tipp, tapp, tippetippetipp tapp! Tipp, tipp, tapp

The Star

The Poem by Jane Taylor

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,-
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Lavender’s Blue
(English)

Lavender’s blue,
Diddle diddle,
Lavender’s green,
When I am king,
Diddle diddle,
You shall be queen.

Call up your men,
Diddle diddle,
Set them to work,
Some to the plow,
Diddle diddle,
Some to the cart.

Some to make hay,
Diddle diddle,
Some to cut corn,
While you and I,
Diddle diddle,
Keep ourselves warm.

Lavender’s green,
Diddle diddle,
Lavender’s blue,
If you love me,
Diddle diddle,
I will love you.

One, two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten,
A big fat Hen.

Eleven, twelve,
Mind your self (or, roast ‘er well).
Thirteen, fourteen, maids are sporting.
Fifteen, sixteen, maids are kissing.
Seventeen, eighteen, maids are waiting.
Nineteen, twenty, maids are plenty.
Twenty-one, twenty-two,
If you love me as I love you
My knife can cut our love in two.
Twenty-three, twenty-four,
Mary at the kitchen door
Eating apples by the score.
One, two, three, four.

“One I love,
Two I love,
Three I love I say;
Four I love with all my heart
Five I cast away.
Six he loves,
Seven she loves,
Eight they both love;
Nine he comes,
Ten he tarries,
Eleven he courts and
Twelve he marries.”

RIDDLES

Why are sleepy people like wheels? Answer: Because they are tired.

Why does a duck go into the water?–Answer: For divers reasons.

Spell “blind pig” in two letters? P G; a pig without an I.

Which bird can lift the heaviest weights?–The crane.

Why is a wise man like a pin?–He has a head and comes to a point.

Why may carpenters reasonably believe there is no such thing as
stone?–Because they never saw it.

What is that which is put on the table and cut, but never eaten?–A
pack of cards.

Why does a sculptor die horribly?–Because he makes faces and busts.

What lives upon its own substance and dies when it has devoured
itself?–A candle.

What thing is it that is lower with a head than without one?–A
pillow.

If all the seas were dried up, what would everybody say?–We haven’t a
notion (an ocean).

Why is a fishmonger never generous?–Because his business makes him
sell fish (selfish).

What is that from which you may take away the whole and yet there will
be some remaining?–The word wholesome.

Why is a vine like a soldier?–Because it is listed and has ten drills
(ten-drils) and shoots.

Why is an opera-singer like a confectioner?–Because she deals in ice-
creams (high screams).

What belongs to you, but is used more by your friends than by
you?–Your name.

Why is a spider a good correspondent?–Because he drops a line at
every post.

When is the clock on the stairs dangerous?–When it runs down.

Why is the letter “k” like a pig’s tail?–Because it comes at the end
of pork.

What is the keynote to good manners?–B natural.

When has a man four hands?–When he doubles his fists.

What trees has fire no effect upon?–Ashtrees; because when they are
burned, they are ashes still.

What is the difference between a teacher and an engine-driver?–
One minds the train and the other trains the mind.

A man had twenty sick (six) sheep, and one died; how many were left?–
19.

What is that which everybody has seen but will never see again?–
Yesterday.

Which is the best day for making a pancake?–Friday.

Which is the smallest bridge in the world?–The bridge of your nose.

What four letters would frighten a thief?–O I C U.

What is that which goes from London to York without moving?–The road.

When may a chair be said to dislike you?–When it can’t bear you.

Why is B like a hot fire?–Because it makes oil Boil.

Why was the first day of Adam’s life the longest?–Because it had no
Eve.

Why is a washerwoman like a navigator?–Because she spreads her
sheets, crosses the line, and goes from pole to pole.

Why is an author the queerest animal in the world?–Because his tale
comes out of his head.

Why is it that a tailor won’t attend to business?–Because he is
always cutting out.

When are we all artists?–When we draw a long face.

When is a tradesman always above his business?–When he lives over his
shop.

What ships hardly ever sail out of sight?–Hardships.

When is an artist a dangerous person?–When his designs are bad.

What motive led to the invention of railroads?–The locomotive.

Why are deaf people like Dutch cheeses?–Because you can’t make them
here.

Who was the first whistler?–The wind.
What tune did he whistle?–Over the hills and far away. (This line is from Tom Tom the Piper’s Son.)

Why need a traveler never starve in the desert?–Because of the sand
which is (sandwiches) there.

Why is a little man like a good book?–Because he is often looked
over.

Why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire?–Because the sooner it
is put out the better.

Spell “enemy” in three letters?–F O E.

Which is the only way that a leopard can change his spots?–By going
from one spot to another.

Why did Eve never fear the measles?–Because she’d Adam.

When is a tall man a little short?–When he hasn’t got quite enough
cash.

What houses are the easiest to break into?–The houses of bald people;
because their locks are few.

Why is a watch the most difficult thing to steal?–Because it must be
taken off its guard.

What plant stands for No. 4?–IV.

How can a gardener become thrifty?–By making the most of his thyme,
and by always putting some celery (salary) in the bank.

Why is it probable that beer was made in the Ark?–Because the
kangaroo went in with hops, and the bear was always bruin.

“What was the biggest thing you saw at the World’s Fair?” asked a wife
of her husband.–”My hotel bill!” said he.

Why is C like a schoolmistress?–Because it forms lasses into classes.

What is that which never asks any questions and yet requires many
answers?–The street-door (the front door).

Which is the longest word in the English language?–Smiles; because
there is a mile between the first and last letters.

Which is the oldest tree in England?–The Elder Tree.

What is that which happens twice in a moment and not once in a
thousand years?–The letter M.

This Little Piggy

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy ate roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went…
“Wee wee wee wee wee”
All the way home…

Open, Shut Them

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them
Open, shut them.
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, creep them,
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.

Open wide your little mouth,
But do not let them in.

Round and round the garden…
(Run your index finger around child’s palm.)
Like a teddy bear.

One step, two step…
(Walk your fingers up the child’s arm.)

Tickle you under there!
(Tickle under armpit!)

Two Little Hands Go Clap, Clap, Clap

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap,
Two little feet go tap, tap, tap,
Two little legs kick high, high, high,
Two little lips go kiss, kiss, kiss,
Two little arms go hug, hug, hug,
Two little arms wave bye, bye, bye.

Sweet dreams form a shade,
O'er my lovely infants head.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams,
By happy silent moony beams

Sweet sleep with soft down.
Weave thy brows an infant crown.
Sweet sleep Angel mild,
Hover o'er my happy child.

Sweet smiles in the night,
Hover over my delight.
Sweet smiles Mothers smiles,
All the livelong night beguiles.

Sweet moans, dovelike sighs,
Chase not slumber from thy eyes,
Sweet moans, sweeter smiles,
All the dovelike moans beguiles.

Sleep sleep happy child,
All creation slept and smil'd.
Sleep sleep, happy sleep.
While o'er thee thy mother weep

Sweet babe in thy face,
Holy image I can trace.
Sweet babe once like thee.
Thy maker lay and wept for me

Wept for me for thee for all,
When he was an infant small.
Thou his image ever see.
Heavenly face that smiles on thee,

Smiles on thee on me on all,
Who became an infant small,
Infant smiles are His own smiles,
Heaven & earth to peace beguiles.

William Blake