# Sing-Song: Margaret Has a Milking-pail - Source: Sing-Song (sing-song.gutenberg.org), Public domain, Christina Rossetti, pictures by Arthur Hughes, 1872, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Ages 4 to 6 - Subjects: Poems, Nature, Ocean - Topics: meadow, children, garden, pancake, away, wide - Length: 279 words, about 2 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: Margaret has a milking-pail, And she rises early; Thomas has a threshing-flail, And he’s up betimes. Sometimes crossing through the grass Where the dew lies pearly, They say “Good morrow” as they pass By the leafy limes. ## In the meadow—what in the meadow? In the meadow—what in the meadow? Bluebells, buttercups, meadowsweet, And fairy rings for the children’s feet In the meadow. ## In the garden—what in the garden? In the garden—what in the garden? Jacob’s-ladder and Solomon’s-seal, And Love-lies-bleeding beside All-heal In the garden. ## A frisky lamb A frisky lamb And a frisky child Playing their pranks In a cowslip meadow: The sky all blue And the air all mild And the fields all sun And the lanes half shadow. ## Mix a pancake Mix a pancake, Stir a pancake, Pop it in the pan; Fry the pancake, Toss the pancake,— Catch it if you can. ## The wind has such a rainy sound The wind has such a rainy sound Moaning through the town, The sea has such a windy sound,— Will the ships go down? ## The apples in the orchard The apples in the orchard Tumble from their tree.— Oh, will the ships go down, go down, In the windy sea? ## Three little children Three little children On the wide wide earth, Motherless children— Cared for from their birth By tender angels. Three little children On the wide wide sea, Motherless children— Safe as safe can be With guardian angels. ## Fly away, fly away over the sea Fly away, fly away over the sea, Sun-loving swallow, for summer is done; Come again, come again, come back to me, Bringing the summer and bringing the sun. ## Picture credits - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain () - Arthur Hughes, Public domain ()