# Mother Goose: The Little Mouse - Source: The Real Mother Goose (mother-goose.gutenberg.org), Public domain, Blanche Fisher Wright, illustrator, 1916, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Ages 4 to 6 - Subjects: Poems, Animals, How Things Work - Topics: lady, little, build, dance, shall, buns - Length: 546 words, about 4 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: I have seen you, little mouse, Running all about the house, Through the hole your little eye In the wainscot peeping sly, Hoping soon some crumbs to steal, To make quite a hearty meal. Look before you venture out, See if pussy is about. If she's gone, you'll quickly run To the larder for some fun; Round about the dishes creep, Taking into each a peep, To choose the daintiest that's there, Spoiling things you do not care. ## Ding, Dong, Bell Ding, dong, bell, Pussy's in the well! Who put her in? Little Tommy Lin. Who pulled her out? Little Johnny Stout. What a naughty boy was that, To try to drown poor pussy-cat. Who never did him any harm, But killed the mice in his father's barn! ## Boy And Girl There was a little boy and a little girl Lived in an alley; Says the little boy to the little girl, "Shall I, oh, shall I?" Says the little girl to the little boy, "What shall we do?" Says the little boy to the little girl, "I will kiss you." ## When When I was a bachelor I lived by myself; And all the bread and cheese I got I laid up on the shelf. The rats and the mice They made such a strife, I was forced to go to London To buy me a wife. The streets were so bad, And the lanes were so narrow, I was forced to bring my wife home In a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow broke, And my wife had a fall; Down came wheelbarrow, Little wife and all. ## Sing, Sing Sing, sing, what shall I sing? Cat's run away with the pudding-string! Do, do, what shall I do? The cat has bitten it quite in two. ## Hot-Cross Buns Hot-cross Buns! Hot-cross Buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot-cross Buns! Hot-cross Buns! Hot-cross Buns! If ye have no daughters, Give them to your sons. ## London Bridge London Bridge is broken down, Dance over my Lady Lee; London Bridge is broken down, With a gay lady. How shall we build it up again? Dance over my Lady Lee; How shall we build it up again? With a gay lady. Build it up with silver and gold, Dance over my Lady Lee; Build it up with silver and gold, With a gay lady. Silver and gold will be stole away, Dance over my Lady Lee; Silver and gold will be stole away, With a gay lady. Build it up with iron and steel, Dance over my Lady Lee; Build it up with iron and steel, With a gay lady. Iron and steel will bend and bow, Dance over my Lady Lee; Iron and steel will bend and bow, With a gay lady. Build it up with wood and clay, Dance over my Lady Lee; Build it up with wood and clay, With a gay lady. Wood and clay will wash away, Dance over my Lady Lee; Wood and clay will wash away, With a gay lady. Build it up with stone so strong, Dance over my Lady Lee; Huzza! 'twill last for ages long, With a gay lady. ## The Balloon "What is the news of the day, Good neighbor, I pray?" "They say the balloon Is gone up to the moon!" ## Picture credits - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain () - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain () - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain () - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain () - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain () - Blanche Fisher Wright, Public domain ()