All these restrictions have necessarily led to two results. First, that this collection is chiefly lyrical—and that, after all, is no bad thing. Lyric verse may not be representative of the whole range of English poetry, but as an introduction to it, as a Wicket-gate, there is no better portal. The second result is, that it is but a small sheaf that these gleanings amount to; but for those children who frankly do not care for poetry it will be more than enough; and for those who love it and delight in it, no ‘selection’ could ever be sufficiently satisfying.

KENNETH GRAHAME.

October 1915.

CONTENTS

PAGE
Preface [v]

For the Very Smallest Ones
RHYMES AND JINGLES
Merry are the Bells [1]
Safe in Bed [2]
Jenny Wren [2]
Curly Locks [3]
Pussy-Cat Mew [3]
Draw a Pail of Water [4]
I Saw a Ship a-sailing [4]
The Nut-Tree [5]
My Maid Mary [5]
The Wind and the Fisherman [6]
Blow, Wind, Blow [6]
All Busy [6]
Winter has Come [7]
Poor Robin [7]
I have a Little Sister [7]
In Marble Walls [8]
FAMILIAR OBJECTS
The MoonEliza Lee Follen[8]
The StarA. & J. Taylor[9]
KittyMrs E. Prentiss[10]
Kitty: How to Treat Her [11]
Kitty: what She thinks of HerselfW. B. Rands[12]
The Sea ShellAmy Lowell[12]
COUNTRY BOYS’ SONGS
The Cuckoo [13]
The Bird-Scarer’s Song [13]
Cradle Song [13]
Good Night!A. & J. Taylor[14]

For Those a Little Older
A BUNCH OF LENT LILIES
DaffodilsW. Shakespeare[15]
To DaffodilsR. Herrick[15]
DaffodilsW. Wordsworth[16]
SEASONS AND WEATHER
The MonthsSara Coleridge[17]
The Wind in a FrolicWilliam Howitt[19]
The Four Sweet MonthsR. Herrick[22]
Glad DayW. G. Robertson[22]
Buttercups and DaisiesMary Howitt[24]
The Merry Month of MarchW. Wordsworth[24]
What the Birds SayS. T. Coleridge[25]
Spring’s ProcessionSydney Dobell[26]
The Call of the WoodsW. Shakespeare[28]
A Prescription for a Spring MorningJohn Davidson[28]
The Country FaithNorman Gale[29]
The Butterfly’s BallW. Roscoe[30]
TASTES AND PREFERENCES
A WishSamuel Rogers[33]
WishingW. Allingham[34]
Bunches of GrapesWalter Ramal[35]
ContentmentEugene Field[36]
TOYS AND PLAY, IN-DOORS AND OUT
The Land of Story-BooksR. L. Stevenson[38]
Sand CastlesW. G. Robertson[39]
Ring o’ Roses”[41]
DREAM-LAND
Wynken, Blynken, and NodEugene Field[42]
The Drummer-Boy and the ShepherdessW. B. Rands[44]
The Land of DreamsWilliam Blake[45]
Sweet and LowLord Tennyson[45]
Cradle SongSir Walter Scott[46]
Mother and IEugene Field[47]
FAIRY-LAND
The FairiesW. Allingham[48]
Shakespeare’s FairiesW. Shakespeare[51]
The Lavender BedsW. B. Rands[54]
Farewell to the FairiesRichard Corbet[55]
Death of OberonG. W. Thornbury[57]
KilmenyJames Hogg[58]
TWO SONGS
A Boy’s SongJames Hogg[62]
A Girl’s SongThomas Moore[63]
FUR AND FEATHER
Three Things to RememberWilliam Blake[65]
The Knight of BethlehemH. N. Maugham[65]
The LambWilliam Blake[65]
The Tiger”[66]
I had a DoveJ. Keats[67]
Robin RedbreastW. Allingham[68]
Black BunnyW. B. Rands[69]
The CowA. & J. Taylor[71]
The SkylarkJames Hogg[72]
CHRISTMAS POEMS
Christmas EveJohn Davidson[73]
A Christmas CarolR. Herrick[75]
A Child’s Present”[76]
The Peace-GiverA. C. Swinburne[77]
VARIOUS
To a SingerP. B. Shelley[ 78]
The Happy PiperWilliam Blake[80]
The Destruction of SennacheribLord Byron[81]
Sheridan’s RideT. Buchanan Read[83]
ColumbusJoaquin Miller[86]
HoratiusLord Macaulay[88]
Index of Authors [113]
Index of First Lines [115]

For the Very Smallest Ones

RHYMES AND JINGLES

We begin with some jingles and old rhymes; for rhymes and jingles must not be despised. They have rhyme, rhythm, melody, and joy; and it is well for beginners to know that these are all elements of poetry, so that they will turn to it with pleasant expectation.