A Few Rules for Beginners

Babies must not eat the coal

And they must not make grimaces,

Nor in party dresses roll

And must never black their faces.

They must learn that pointing’s rude,

They must sit quite still at table,

And must always eat the food

Put before them – if they’re able.

If they fall, they must not cry,

Though it’s known how painful this is;

No – there’s always Mother by

Who will comfort them with kisses.

Katherine Mansfield

Washing One’s Self

Wash your hands, dear children all,

Palms we rub and backs as well,

Round the wrist we leave no mark,

Else a sad tale that would tell;

Rub the knuckles, brush nails, too,

Clean, bright hands nice work can do.

Now ’tis time to wash your face,

Soap your hands, and rub away,

Gently round the ears we go,

Don’t forget your eyes, I say;

Nose, and mouth, and forehead high,

All to make quite clean we try.

Brownie

In a corner of the bedroom is a great big curtain,

Someone lives behind it, but I don’t know who;

I think it is a Brownie, but I’m not quite certain.

(Nanny isn’t certain, too.)

I looked behind the curtain, but he went so quickly —

Brownies never wait to say, «How do you do?»

They wriggle off at once because they’re all so tickly

(Nanny says they’re tickly, too.)

A. A. Milne

Fairy’s Wander-Song

Over hill, over dale,

Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Over park, over pale,

Thorough flood, thorough fire.

I do wander everywhere,

Swifter than the moone’s sphere;

And I serve the fairy queen,

To dew her orbs upon the green.

The cowslips tall her pensioners be;

In their gold coats spots you see,

Those be rubies, fairy favors,

In those freckles live their savors:

I must go seek some dewdrops here,

And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.

William Shakespeare

Daddy Fell into the Pond

Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.

We had nothing to do and nothing to say.

We were nearing the end of a dismal day,

And then there seemed to be nothing beyond,

Then

Daddy fell into the pond!

And everyone’s face grew merry and bright,

And Timothy danced for sheer delight.

«Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!

He’s crawling out of the duckweed!» Click!

Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,

And doubled up, shaking silently,

And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft,

And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.

Oh, there wasn’t a thing that didn’t respond

When

Daddy Fell into the pond!

Alfred Noyes

The King’s Breakfast

The King asked

The Queen, and

The Queen asked

The Dairymaid:

«Could we have some butter for

The Royal slice of bread?»

The Queen asked the Dairymaid,

The Dairymaid

Said, «Certainly,

I’ll go and tell the cow

Now

Before she goes to bed.»

The Dairymaid

She curtsied,

And went and told

The Alderney:

«Don’t forget the butter for

The Royal slice of bread.»

The Alderney

Said sleepily:

«You’d better tell

His Majesty

That many people nowadays

Like marmalade

Instead.»

The Dairymaid

Said, «Fancy!»

And went to

Her Majesty.

She curtsied to the Queen, and

She turned a little red:

«Excuse me,

Your Majesty,

For taking of

The liberty,

But marmalade is tasty, if

It’s very

Thickly

Spread.»

The Queen said

«Oh!:

And went to

His Majesty:

«Talking of the butter for

The royal slice of bread,

Many people

Think that

Marmalade

Is nicer.

Would you like to try a little

Marmalade

Instead?»

The King said,

«Bother!»

And then he said,

«Oh, deary me!»

The King sobbed, «Oh, deary me!»

And went back to bed.

«Nobody,»

He whimpered,

«Could call me

A fussy man;

I only want

A little bit

Of butter for

My bread!»

The Queen said,

«There, there!»

And went to

The Dairymaid.

The Dairymaid

Said, «There, there!»

And went to the shed.

The cow said,

«There, there!

I didn’t really

Mean it;

Here’s milk for his porringer,

And butter for his bread.»

The Queen took

The butter

And brought it to

His Majesty;

The King said,

«Butter, eh?»

And bounced out of bed.

«Nobody,» he said,

As he kissed her

Tenderly,

«Nobody,» he said,

As he slid down the banisters,

«Nobody,

My darling,

Could call me

A fussy man —

BUT

I do like a little bit of butter to my bread!»

A. A. Milne

Ten Little Sodier Boys (АС)

Ten little soldier boys went out to dine;

One choked his little self, and then there were nine.

Nine little soldier boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself, and then there were eight.

Eight little soldier boys traveling in Devon;

One said he’d stay there, and then there were seven.

Seven little soldier boys chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in half, and then there were six.

Six little soldier boys playing with a hive;

A bumble-bee stung one, and then there were five.

Five little soldier boys going in for law;

One got in chancery, and then there were four.

Four little soldier boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one, and then there were three.

Three little soldier boys walking in the zoo;

A big bear hugged one, and then there were two.

Two little soldier boys sitting in the sun;

One got frizzled up, and then there was one.

One little soldier boy living all alone;

He hanged himself, and Then There Were None.

Frank Green

Little Leprechaun

I’m a little leprechaun

Dressed in green,

The tiniest man

That you have seen.

If you ever catch me, so it’s told,

I’ll give you my big pot of gold.

I’m a little leprechaun

Imagine that

With my little green boots

And my big green hat

At the end of the rainbow

So, it’s told

You will find my pot of gold.

I’m a little leprechaun

Dressed in green,

The tiniest man

That you have seen.

If you ever catch me, so it’s told,

I’ll give you my big pot of gold.

Fortune Telling Rhyme

(английское гадание на ромашке)

He loves me, he don’t!

He’ll have me, he won’t!

He would if he could,

But he can’t, so he don’t!

Anna Maria Sat on the Fire

Anna Maria, she sat on the fire.

The fire was too hot,

She sat on the pot.

The pot was too round,

She sat on the ground.

The ground was too flat,

She sat on the cat

The cat ran away with Maria on her back.