But ate with their fingers! ah, how soiled!

Dame Puss declares the mittens are spoiled!

“Miew, miew, miew,

Miew, miew, miew!”

Then all run out to the rain-water tub,

Dip in their mittens, and rub, and rub;

Their little knuckles are fairly bare,

And wet, as if drowned, is every hair—

Still, over the tub,

They rub, rub, rub!