COLLY-MOLLY-PUFF AND THE MUFFIN MAN
After dinner Bobby and Betty played with baby.
They played “Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.”
Then Bobby said, “Let’s give baby a ride.”
“Let’s do it,” said Betty. “Let’s give him a ride to the baker’s shop on his rocking horse.”
So they put baby on the rocking horse and gave him a nice ride.
Three times baby rode to the baker’s shop before Mother came to put him to bed.
Then Bobby and Betty went to the bookcase and took out their Mother Goose books.
“See, Father,” said Betty. “This is the pieman.”
“I see,” said Father. “That is Colly-Molly-Puff.”
“What did you say, Father?” asked Betty.
“Say it again, please,” said Bobby.
“Colly-Molly-Puff! Colly-Molly-Puff!” repeated Father.
“Colly-Molly-Puff! Colly-Molly-Puff!” repeated Bobby and Betty.
“That’s a funny name,” said Betty.
“Is that the pieman’s real name?” asked Bobby.
“No,” answered Father. “It’s a nickname. Long ago the pieman was called Colly-Molly-Puff.”
“Were all the piemen called Colly-Molly-Puff?” asked Betty.
“Not all,” answered Father. “One was called Tiddy-doll and another was called Gingerbread Harry.”
“What did Tiddy-doll and Gingerbread Harry sell long ago?” asked Betty.
“Cakes and pies,” answered Father. “All these piemen went up and down the streets calling out their wares.”
“Did they sell bread, Father?” asked Bobby. “Did they sell muffins and rolls?”
“No,” answered Father. “They sold cakes and pies. The muffin man went up and down the streets selling muffins and rolls.”
“I know the muffin man,” said Betty. “Here he is. See!”
“He is Colly-Molly-Puff’s brother,” said Father.
“Were they real brothers?” asked Bobby.
“No,” answered Father. “They were called brothers because one sold bread and the other sold pies.”
“I wish they were here now,” said Bobby.
“Let’s play they are,” said Betty. “I’ll be the muffin man.”
“Good!” cried Bobby. “I’ll be Colly-Molly-Puff.”
“O Daddy!” cried Betty. “I’m the muffin man.”
“I’m Colly-Molly-Puff, Daddy.”
“Perhaps Mother will dress you up,” said Father.
“That will be fun!” cried Bobby and Betty.
When Mother came in, she helped them dress as Colly-Molly-Puff and the muffin man. Then Father showed them how to call out their buns and muffins and cakes and pies.
For study and play:
Ride a cock horse to the baker’s shop,
To see what baby can buy.
A nickel white loaf and a nickel brown loaf,
And a ten-cent apple pie.
Buy muffins, nice muffins,
Nice muffins, O!
One a penny buns! Two a penny buns!
One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns.
If you have no daughters,
Pray give them to your sons.
But if you have no little elves,
You must eat them all yourselves.
One a penny poker! Two a penny tongs!
Three a penny fire irons, hot cross buns.
Nice gingerbread, spice gingerbread,
Four and twenty lumps of gingerbread for a sixpence.
Come and buy! Come and buy!
Buy gingerbread!
