THE FARMER TRIES TO SLEEP
The farmer woke up in the morning
And sleepy as sleepy was he,
He turned in his bed and he grouchily said:
“Today I will sleep! Let me be, let me be!
Today I will sleep! Let me be!”
Now Puss in the corner she heard
She heard what the farmer had said,
She ran to the barn and she mewed in alarm;
“The farmer will sleep in his bed, in his bed!
Today he will sleep in his bed!”
Then Horse in the stable looked up,
He whinneyed and shook his old head;
“Shall I stand here all day without any hay?
Whey-ey-ey! Farmer, come feed me!” he said, so he said,
“Whey-ey-ey! Farmer, come feed me!” he said.
But the farmer he tight closed his eyes
For sleepy as sleepy was he,
He turned in his bed and he angrily said:
“Horse, I will sleep! Let me be, let me be!
Horse, I will sleep! Let me be!”
Down under the barn in the dirt
Pig heard what the Pussy cat mewed.
“Can he give me the scraps when he’s taking his naps?
Wee-ee, Farmer, come give me my food, oh, my food!
Wee-ee, Farmer, come give me my food!”
But the farmer he tight closed his ears
For sleepy as sleepy was he,
He turned in his bed and he sulkily said:
“Pig, I will sleep! Let me be, let me be!
Pig, I will sleep! Let me be!”
Now Rooster with Chickens and Hen
Had been crowing since early that morn,
And he crowed when he heard this terrible word:
“Cock-a-doo! Farmer, give us our corn, us our corn!
Cock-a-doo! Farmer, give us our corn.”
But the farmer he pulled up the covers
For sleepy as sleepy was he,
He turned in his bed and crossly he said:
“Cock, I will sleep! Let me be, let me be!
Cock, I will sleep! Let me be!”
Cow heard in the pasture and lowed;
“My cud no longer I chew,
I stand by the gate and I wait and I wait,
Oh, Farmer, come milk me! Moo-oo, moo-oo!
Oh, Farmer, come milk me, moo-oo!”
But the farmer got under the covers,
For sleepy as sleepy was he,
He turned in his bed and fiercely he said,
“Cow, I will sleep! Let me be, let me be!
Cow, I will sleep! Let me be!”
Then Horse he broke from the stable,
And Pig he broke from the pen,
And Cow jumped the fence though she hadn’t much sense,
And Cock called Chickens and Hen, and Hen,
He called to Chickens and Hen.
Then up to the farm house door
All followed the Pussy who knew.
Horse whinneyed, Cock crowed, Pig grunted, Cow lowed;
“Get up, Farmer! Whey, cock-a-doo, wee-wee-wee, mooo!
Whey, cock-a-doo, wee-wee-wee, moooo!”
The farmer down under the covers,
He heard and he groaned and he sighed.
He wearily rose and he put on his clothes;
“They need me, I’m coming, I’m coming,” he cried,
“They need me, I’m coming,” he cried.
“I’ll feed Horse, Chickens and Pig,
I’ll milk old Cow,” said he,
“And when this is done, my work’s just begun,
Today I must work, so I see, so I see!
Today I must work, so I see!”
So he fed Horse, Chickens and Pig
And afterwards milked old Cow.
For Farmer must work, he never can shirk!
Today he is working, right now, right now!
Today he is working right now!
WONDERFUL-COW-THAT-NEVER-WAS!
All the essential points in this story were taken from the story of a four-year-old’s about a horse. He enjoyed the nonsense in telling it. Some of the four-year-old groups have appreciated the humor; some five-year-olds have not. Instead they have seemed confused.