ng upon a tray a slice of white bread and butter white bread was a rare treat in those days as nearly all the people ate black bread baked from rye or barley flour now said the alderman placing the tray beside him you shall have this slice of white bread and butter when you have sung us a song and complied with one condition and what is that condition asked Tommy I will tell you when we have heard the song replied the fat alderman who had decided to have some amusement at the boy's expense Tommy hesitated but when he glanced at the white bread and butter his mouth watered in spite of himself and he resolved to compose a song since he did not know how to sing any other so he took off his cap and standing before the company he sang as follows a bumblebee lit on the hollyhock flower that was wet with the rain of a morning shower while the honey he sipped his left foot slipped and he couldn't fly again for half an hour good cried the alderman and the company had kindly applauded Tommy I can't say much for the air nor yet for the words but it was not so bad as it might have been give us another verse so Tommy pondered a moment and then sang again a spider threw his web so high it caught on a moon in a cloudy sky the moon world round and down to the ground fell the web and captured a big blue fly why that is fine roared the fat alderman you improve as you go on so give us another verse I don't know anymore said Tommy and I am very hungry one more verse persisted the man and then you shall have the bread and butter upon the condition so Tommy sang the following verse a big frog lived in a slimy bog and caught a cold in an awful fog the cold got worse the frog grew hoarse the croaking he scared up a hollywog you are quite a poet declared the alderman you shall have the white bread upon one condition what is that said Tommy anxiously that you cut the slice into four parts but I have no knife remonstrated the boy but that is the condition incestored the alderman if you want the bread you must cut it surely you do not expect me to cut the bread without any knife said Tommy how let me ask you sir could you have married without any wife left the jolly alderman and he was so pleased with Tommy's apt reply that he gave him the bread at once and a knife to cut it with thank you sir said Tommy now that I have the knife it is easy enough to cut the bread and I shall now be as happy as you are with your beautiful wife the alderman's wife blushed at this and whispered to her husband the alderman nodded in reply and watched Tommy carefully as he ate his supper when the boy had finished his bread which he did very quickly you may be sure the man said how would you like to live with me and be my servant little Tommy Tucker had often longed for just such a place where he could have three meals so he answered I should like it very much sir so the alderman took Tommy for his servant and dressed him in a smart livery and soon the boy showed by his bright ways and obedience that he was worthy any kindness bestowed upon him he often carried the alderman's wig when his master attended the town meetings and the mayor of the city who was a good man was much taken with his intelligent face so one day he said to the alderman I have long wanted to adopt a son for I have no children of my own but I have not yet been able to find a boy to suit me that lad of yours looks bright and intelligent and he seems a well behaved boy into the bargain he is all that you say returned the alderman and would be a credit to you should you adopt him but before I adopt a son continued the mayor I intend to satisfy myself to make good use of my money when I am gone no fool will serve my purpose therefore I shall test the boy's wit before I decide that is fair enough answered the alderman but in what way will you test his wit bring him to my house tomorrow and you shall see said the mayor so the next day the alderman followed by Tommy and a little terrier dog that was a great petivist master the mayor also had a little terrier dog which was very fond of him and followed him wherever he went when Tommy and the alderman reached the mayor's house the mayor met them at the door and said Tommy I am going up the street and the alderman is going in the opposite direction I want you to keep our dogs from following us but you must not do it by holding them very well sir replied Tommy he started one way and the alderman the other he took out his handkerchief and tied the tails of the two dogs together of course each dog started to follow its master but they were about the same size and strength and each pulled in a different direction the result was that they remained in one place and could not move either one way or the other that was well done said the mayor coming back again but tell me certainly sir replied Tommy and going to the mayor's stable he put the harness on the nag and then let him head first into the shafts instead of backing him into them as is the usual way after fastening the shafts to the horse he mounted upon the animals back and away they started pushing the cart before the horse that was easy said Tommy if your honor will get into the cart he will not ride although he was pleased at Tommy's readiness in solving a difficulty after a moment's thought he made Tommy follow him into the house where he gave him a cup full of water saying let me see you drink up this cup of water Tommy hesitated a moment for he knew the mayor was trying to catch him then going to a corner of the room he set down the cup and stood upon his head he now carefully raised the cup to his lips and slowly drank the water until the cup was empty after this he regained his feet and bowing politely to the mayor he said the water is drunk up your honor but why did you stand on your head to do it inquired the alderman who had watched the act in astonishment because otherwise I would have drunk the water down and not up replied Tommy he was shrewd enough to do him honor so he immediately took him to live in the great house as his adopted son and he was educated by the best masters the city afforded and Tommy Tucker became in after years not only a great but a good man and before he died was himself mayor of the city and was known by the name of Sir Thomas Tucker end of the story of little Tommy Tucker and a mother goose in prose by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere Pussycat Mew Pussycat Pussycat where do you go to London to visit the palace you know Pussycat Mew will you come back again oh yes I'll scamper with Mike and with Maine Pussycat Mew set off on her way stepping quite softly smooth was the road so she traveled at ease worn by the sunshine and fanned by the breeze over the hills to the valleys below through the deep woods where the soft mosses grow skirting the fields with buttercups dotted swiftly our ventures some Pussycat trotted sharp watch she kept when a village she neared for boys and their mischief our Pussycat feared often she crept through the grass lying asleep once she walked through a sweet clover field something beside her a fridely squealed and swift from her path there darted away a tiny field mouse with a coat of soft grey nowhere thought Pussy is chance for a dinner the one that runs fastest must surely be winner so quickly she started the mouse to give chase and over the clover they ran a great race it seemed that Pussy would win the mouse spied a hole and quickly popped in and so he escaped for the hole was so small that Pussycat couldn't squeeze in it at all so softly she crouched and with eyes big and round quite steadily watched that small hole in the ground this mouse really thinks he's escaped me she said but I'll catch him sure if he sticks out his head but while she was watching the hole behind made her jump with a fright she gave a great cry and then started to run as swift as a bullet that shot from a gun meow oh meow our poor puss did say bow wow cried the dog who was not far away or meadows and ditches they scampered a pace or fences and hedges they kept up the race as she did go and left the big dog to growl down below but now by good fortune a man came that way and called to the dog who was forced to obey but Puss did not come down the tree till she knew that the man and the dog were far out of view pursuing her way at nightfall she came to London a town you know well by name and wandering round said Pussycat Mew can you tell in which of these houses the Queen may now dwell I'm a stranger in town and I'm anxious to see what sort of person a real Queen may be my friend said the other you really must know it isn't permitted that strangers should go inside of the palace unless they're invited or escorted so just come with me and the glimpse of the Queen you shall certainly see Puss thanked her new friend and together they stole to the back of the palace and crept through a hole and the fence and quietly came to the stair which the stranger Pussycat promised was there now here I must leave you the strange Pussy said so don't be afraidy cat long to the Queen so Pussycat Mew did as she had been told and walked through the palace with manner so bold she soon reached the room where the Queen sat in state surrounded by lords and by ladies so great and there in the corner our Pussy sat down and gazed at the scepter and blinked at the crown and eyed the Queen's dress all purple and gold and she started for there was a little grey mouse right under the chair where her majesty sat and Pussy knew well she screamed with alarm the mouse met her view so up toward the chair our Pussycat stole but the mouse saw her coming and ran for its hole but Pussy ran after and during the race a wonderful terrible panic took place the ladies all jumped and the Queen gave a scream and fainted away a very undignified act I must say and someone cried burglars and someone cried treason and someone cried murder but none do the reason and someone cried fire they are burning the house and someone cried silence tis only a mouse but Pussycat Mew was so awfully scared by the shouting and screaming the palace then scampered away so bristling her fur and with heart beating fast she came to the road leading homeward at last what business she thought as a poor country cat to visit a city of mad men like that straight homeward I'll go where I am well fed where mistress is kind and soft is my bed let other cats travel if they wish to roam but as for myself now stay at home and now over hills and valleys she ran and journeyed as fast as a Pussycat can till just as the dawn of the day to begin she safely at home so quietly in and there was the fire with the pot boiling on it and there was the maid in the blue checkered bonnet and there was the corner where Pussy off to bask and there was the mistress went to London to visit the queen Pussycat Pussycat what did you there I frightened a little mouse under her chair end of Pussycat Mew Chapter 16 of Mother Goose and Prose by L. Frank Baum this Libra box recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere how the beggars came to town hark hark the dogs do bark the beggars are coming to town the beggars and some in velvet gown very fair and sweet was little Prince Lillamonde and few could resist his soft pleaning voice and gentle blue eyes and as he stood in the presence of the king his father and bent his knee gracefully before his majesty the act was so courteous and dignified it would have honored the oldest noble man of the court putting every detail of his appearance from the dark velvet suit with its spanky ruffles in color to the diamond buckles on the little shoes and back again to the flowing curls the clustered thick about the bright childish face well might any father be proud of so manly and beautiful a child and the king's heart swelled within him as he gazed upon his air Borland he said to the tutor when he retired I wished to speak privately with his royal highness the tutor bowed low and disappeared within the anti-room and the king continued kindly come here Lillamonde and sit beside me he thinks you seem overgraved this morning it is my birthday your majesty replied the prince as he slowly obeyed his father and sat beside him upon the rich broadened cushions of the throne I am twelve years of age smiling into the little face that was raised to his and is it the weight of years that makes you sad no your majesty I long for the years to pass that I may become a man and take my part in the world's affairs it is the sad condition of my country which troubles me indeed exclaimed the king casting a king glance at his son are you becoming interested in politics then or is there some grievous breach of your attention I know little of politics and less of the court sire replied Lillamonde it is the distress of the people that worries me the people of a surety prince you are a better poster than I am since of the people and their affairs I know nothing at all I have appointed officers to look after their interests and therefore I have no cause to come into contact with them myself but what is amiss prince looking at his father very seriously the country is filled with beggars who appeal for charity since they are unable otherwise to procure food starving repeated the king surely you are misinformed my lord chamberlain told me but this morning the people were loyal and contented and my lord of the treasury reports that all taxes and ties have been paid and my coffers are running over chamberlain is wrong sire return the prince my tutor borland and I have talked with many of these beggars the past few days and we find the ties and taxes which have enriched you have taken the bread from their wives and children so exclaimed the king we must examine into this matter he touched a bell beside him and when a retainer appeared directed his chamberlain and his treasurer the prince rested his head upon his hand and waited patiently but the king was very impatient indeed till the high officers of the court stood before him then said the king addressing his chamberlain sir I am informed my people are murmuring at my injustice is it true the officer cast an inquiring glance at the prince who met his eyes gravely before he replied my people always murmur your majesty they are many and not all can be content even when ruled by so wise and just a king in every land and in every age there are those who rebel against the laws and the protests of the few are ever heard above the contentment of the many I am told continue the king severely that my country is overrun with beggars who suffer for lack of bread our taxations is this true there are always beggars your majesty in every country replied the chamberlain and it is their custom to blame others for their own misfortunes the king thought deeply for a moment then he turned to the lord of the treasury do we tax the poor he demanded all are taxed sire returned the treasurer who was pale from anxiety for never before had the king said we take much from the poor very little but a little from the poor man may distress him while the rich's subject would never feel the loss why do we tax the poor at all because your majesty should we declare the poor free from taxation all your subjects would at once claim to be poor and the royal treasury would remain empty and as none are so rich but there are those richer how should we injustice determine which are the rich and which are the poor again the king was silent while he pondered upon the words of the royal treasurer then with the wave of his hand he dismissed them and turned to the prince saying you have heard the wise words of my counselor's prince what have you to say and reply if you will pardon me your majesty I think you are wrong to leave the affairs of the people to others to direct the rulers who naturally fear your anger more than they do that of your subjects if they fear my anger they will be careful to do no injustice to my people surely you cannot expect me to attend to levying the taxes myself continued the king with growing annoyance what are my offices for but to serve me they should serve you it is true replied the prince thoughtfully but they should serve the people as well you are too young as yet to properly understand such matters and it is a way youth has to imagine it is wiser than age and experience combined still I will investigate the subject further and see that justice is done the poor in the meantime said the prince many will starve to death can you not assist these poor beggars at once in what way demanded the king nonsense again cried the king this time with real anger you have heard what the chamberlain said we always have beggars and none as yet have starved to death besides I must use the money for the grand ball and turny next month as I have promised the ladies of the court a carnival of unusual magnificence the prince did not reply to this but remained in silent thought wondering what he might do to ease the suffering he feared existed on every hand amongst the poor of the kingdom he had hoped to persuade the king to assist these beggars but since the interview with the officers of the court he had lost heart and despaired of influencing his royal father in any way suddenly the king spoke let us dismiss this subject for it only serves to distress us both and no good can come of it you have nearly made me forget it is your birthday now listen my son I am much pleased with you and thank God that he has given me such a successor for my crown for I perceive your mind is as beautiful as your person and that you will in time be fitted to rule the land with wisdom and justice therefore I promise in honor of your birthday to grant any desire you may express provided it lies within my power nor will I make any further condition since I rely upon your judgment to select some gift I may be glad to bestow as the king spoke Liliman suddenly became impressed with an idea through which he might sucker the poor and therefore he answered call in the ladies and gentlemen of the court my father and before them all will I claim your promise good exclaimed the king who looked for some amusement and at once he ordered the court to assemble the ladies and gentlemen as they filed into the audience chamber were astonished to see the prince seated upon the throne beside his sire but being too well bred to betray their surprise they only wondered what amusement his majesty had in store for them when all were assembled the prince rose to his feet and addressed them his majesty the king the royal condescension is well known to you all hath but now promised me seeing that it is my birthday to grant any one request that I may prefer is it not true your majesty it is true answered the king smiling upon his son and pleased to see him addressing the court so gravely and with so manly an air whatsoever the prince may ask that I will freely grant then Osir said the prince kneeling before the throne I ask that for the period of one day I may reign as king in your stead having at my command all kingly power and the obedience of all who owe allegiance to the crown for a time there was perfect silence in the court the king growing red with dismay and embarrassment and the courtiers waiting curiously his reply he will remain kneeling before the throne and as the king looked upon him he realized it would be impossible to break his royal word and the affair promised him amusement after all so he quickly decided in what manner to reply rise oh prince he said cheerfully your request is granted upon what day will it please you to reign lilliman rose to his feet upon the seventh day from this he answered so be it return the king then turning to the royal herald he added make proclamation throughout the kingdom that on the seventh day from this prince lilliman will reign as king from sunrise to sunset and whoever dares to disobey his commands will be guilty of treason and shall be punished with death the court was then dismissed all wondering at this marvelous degree and the prince returned to his own after his tutor borland anxiously awaited him now this borland was a man of good heart and much intelligence but wholly unused to the ways of the world he had lately noted with much grief the number of beggars who solicited arms as he walked out with the prince and he had given freely until his purse was empty then he talked long and earnestly with the prince concerning this shocking condition in the kingdom his generosity had attracted all the beggars of the city toward him and encouraged them to become more bold than usual thus was the young and tender hearted prince brought to the knowledge of all these beggars and therefore it was that their condition filled him with sadness and induced him to speak so boldly to the king his father when he returned to borland with the tidings that the king had granted him permission to rule for a day the kingdom but once they began to plan ways for relieving all the poor of the country in that one day for one thing they dispatched private messengers to every part of the kingdom bidding them tell each beggar they met to come to the prince on that one day he should be king and he would relieve their wants giving a broad goal piece to every poor man or woman who asked for the prince had determined to devote to this purpose the gold that filled the royal coffers and as for the great bald attorney the king had planned why that could go begging much better than the starving people on the night before the day the prince was to reign there was a great confusion of noise within the city for beggars from all parts of the kingdom began to arrive each one filled with joy at the prospect of receiving a piece of gold there was a continual tramp barking of dogs as all dogs in those days were trained to bark at every beggar they saw and now it was difficult to restrain them and the beggars came to town singly and by twos and threes until hundreds were there to await the morrow some few were very pitiful to behold being feeble and infirm from age and disease dressed in rags and tags and presenting an appearance of great distress there were many more who were seemingly hearty and vigorous and these were the lazy ones who not being willing to work begged for a livelihood and some there were dressed in silken hose and velvet gowns who for getting all shame and eager for gold had been led by the prince's offer to represent themselves as beggars that they might add to their wealth without trouble or cost to themselves the next morning he had found the prince sitting upon the throne of his father dressed in a robe of ermine and purple a crown upon his flowing locks and the king's scepter clasped tightly in his little hand he was somewhat frightened at the clamour of the crowd without the palace but Borland who stood behind him whispered, the more you can sucker the greater will be your glory and you will live in the horse of your people as the kind prince to leave their sufferings be of good cheer your majesty for all is well then did the prince command the treasurer to bring before him the royal coffers and to stand ready to present to each beggar a piece of gold the treasurer was very unwilling to do this but he was under penalty of death that he refused and so the coffers were brought forth your majesty said the treasurer each of those who clamour without this to receive a piece of gold there will not be enough within these coffers to go around some will receive and others will be denied since no further store of gold is to be had at this news the prince was both puzzled and alarmed what are we to do he asked of the tutor but Borland was unable to suggest a remedy then said the aged chamberlain coming forward and bowing low before the little king I think I can assist you in your difficulty you did be promised a piece of gold to those who are really suffering and in need but so great is the greed of mankind that many without are in no necessity whatever but only seek to enrich themselves at your expense therefore I propose you examine carefully each case that presents itself and unless the beggar is in need of alms turn him away empty handed as being a fraud and a charlatan your council is wise oh chamberlain replied the prince after a moment's thought and by turning away the imposters we shall have gold enough for the needy therefore bid the guards to admit the beggars one by one when the first beggar came before him the prince asked are you in need I am starving your majesty replied the man in that whining tone he was poorly dressed but seemed strong and well and the prince examined him carefully for a moment then he answered the fellow saying since you are starving go and sell the gold ring I see you are wearing upon your finger I can assist only those who are unable to help themselves at this the man turned away muttering angrily and the courtiers murmured their approval of the prince's wisdom the next beggar was dressed in velvet and the prince sent him away with a sharp rebuke but the third was a woman old and feeble and she blessed the prince as she hobbled joyfully away with a broad gold piece clasped tightly within her withered hand the next told so pitiful a story that he also received a gold piece but as he turned away the prince saw that beneath his robe his shoes were fastened with silver buckles he commanded the guards to take away the gold and to punish the man for attempting to deceive his king and so many came to him that were found to be unworthy that he finally bade the guards proclaimed to all who waited that any who should be found undeserving would be beaten with stripes the edict so frightened the imposters that they quickly fled and only those few who were actually in want dared to present themselves before the king and lo the task that it seemed too great for one day was performed in a few hours and when all the needy had been provided for but one of the royal coffers had been opened and that was scarcely empty would think you Borland asked the prince anxiously have we done a right I have learned your majesty answered the tutor that there is a great difference for while all who need aid were in truth beggars not all the beggars needed aid and hereafter I shall only give alms to those I know to be honestly in want it is wisely said my friend returned the prince and I feel I was wrong to doubt the wisdom of my father's counsellors go Borland and ask the king if he will graciously attend me here the king arrived and bowed smilingly before the prince whom he had set to reign in his own place and at once the boy arose and presented his sire with a scepter and crown saying forgive me oh my king that I presumed to doubt the wisdom of your rule for though the sun is not yet set I feel that I am all unworthy to sit in your place and so I willingly resign my power to your more skillful hands and the coffers which I in my ignorance had determined to empty for the benefit of those unworthy are still nearly full and more than enough remains for the expenses of the carnival therefore forgive me my father and let me learn wisdom in the future from the justice of your rule thus ended the reign of Prince Lilamonde as king and not till many years later did he again ascend the throne upon the death of his father and really there was not much suffering in the kingdom at any time as it was a prosperous country for if you look for beggars in any land you will find many but if you look only for the deserving poor there are less and these all the more worthy of succour I wish all those in power were as kind hearted as little Prince Lilamonde and as ready to help the needy for then there would be more light hearts in the world since it is better to give than to receive end of how the beggars came to town Chapter 17 of Mother Goose in prose by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere Tom the Piper's son Tom Tom the Piper's son stole a pig in a way he run the pig was eat and Tom was beat and Tom ran crying down the street there was not a worse vagabond in Shrewsbury than old Borny the Piper he never did any work except to play the pipes and he played so badly that few pennies ever found their way into his pouch it was whispered around that old Borny was not very honest but he was so sly and cautious that no one had ever caught him in the act of stealing although a good many things had been missed after they had fallen into the old man's way Borny had one son named Tom and they lived all alone in a little hut away at the end of the village street for Tom's mother had died when he was a baby you may not suppose that Tom was a very good boy since he had such a queer father but neither was he very bad and the worst fault he had was in obeying his father's wishes when Borny wanted him to steal a chicken for their supper or a pot of potatoes for their breakfast Tom did not like to steal but he had no one to teach him to be honest although under his father's guidance he fell into bad ways one morning Tom Tom the Piper's son was hungry when the day begun he wanted a bun and asked for one but soon found out that there were none what shall we do he asked his father go hungry replied Borny unless you want to take my pipes and play in the village perhaps they will give you a penny for playing but former Bowser might give me a penny to stop playing if I went to his house he did last week you know you'd better try it said his father it's mighty uncomfortable to be hungry so Tom took his father's pipes and walked over the hill to former Bowser's house for you must know that Tom Tom the Piper's son learned to play when he was young but the only tune that he could play he played this one tune as badly as his father himself played so that the people were annoyed when they heard him and often begged him to stop when he came to former Bowser's house Tom started up the pipes and began to play with all his might the former was in his wood shed sawing wood so he did not hear the pipes and the former's wife was deaf and could not hear them but a little pig that had strayed heard the noise and ran away in great fear to the pig's die then as Tom saw the playing did no good he thought he would sing also and therefore he began bawling at the top of his voice over the hills not a great ways off the woodchuck died with whooping cough the former had stopped sawing to rest just then and when he heard the singing he rushed out of the shed and chased Tom away with a big stick of wood the boy went back to his father and said sorrowfully for he was more hungry than before the former gave me nothing but a scolding but there was a very nice pig running around the yard how big was it asked Borny oh just about big enough to make a nice dinner for you and me the piper slowly shook his head his long sense eye on pig have fed and though I feel it's wrong to steal rose pig is very nice he said Tom knew very well what he meant by that so he laid down the pipes and went back to the farmer's house when he came near he heard the former again sawing wood in the wood shed and so he was softly up to the pig's die and reached over and grabbed the little pig by the ears the pig squealed of course but the farmer was making so much noise himself that he did not hear it and in a minute he came back home and was running back home with it the piper was very glad to see the pig and said to Tom you're a good son and the pig is very nice and fat we shall have a dinner fit for a king it was not long before the piper had the pig killed and cut into pieces and boiling in the pot only the tail was left out for Tom wanted to make a whistle out of it and as there was plenty to eat beside the tail it was a great day and so great was their hunger that the little pig was all eaten up at one meal then Barney lay down to sleep and Tom sat on a bench outside the door and began to make a whistle out of the pig's tail with his pocket knife now farmer Bowser when he had finished sawing the wood found it was time to feed the pig so he took a pail of meal and he searched all around the place for a good hour without finding it piggy piggy piggy he called but no piggy came and then he knew his pig had been stolen he was very angry indeed for the pig was a great pet and he had wanted to keep it till it grew very big so he put on his coat and buckled a strap around his waist and went down to the village and stole in his pig up and down the street he went and in and out the lanes but no traces of the pig could he find anywhere and that was no great wonder for the pig was eaten by that time and its bones picked clean finally the farmer came to the end of the street where the piper lived in his little hut and there he saw Tom sitting on a bench and blowing on a whistle made from a pig's tail said naughty Tom beginning to be frightened let me see it demanded the farmer and when he had looked at it carefully he cried out this tail belonged to my little pig for I know very well the curl at the end of it tell me you rascal where is the pig then Tom fell into a tremble for he knew his wickedness was discovered the pig is eat your honor the pig grew black with anger and unbuckling the strap that was about his waist he waved it around his head and whack came the strap over Tom's back oh oh cried the boy and started to run down the street whack whack fell the strap over his shoulder for the farmer followed at his heels halfway down the street nor did he spare the strap until he had give Tom that he never stopped running until he came to the end of the village and he bawled lustily the whole way and cried out at every step as if the farmer was still at his back it was dark before he came back to his home and his father was still asleep so Tom crept into the hut and went to bed but he had received a good lesson and never after that could the old piper induce him to steal when Tom showed by his actions his intention of being honest he soon got a job of work to do and before long he was able to earn a living more easily and a great deal more honestly than when he stole the pig to get a dinner and suffered a severe beating as a punishment Tom, Tom, the piper son now with stealing pigs was done he'd work all day instead of play and dined on tart and current bun with Tom the piper's son Chapter 18 of Mother Goose and Pros by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere Humpty Dumpty Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall all the king's horses and all the king's men cannot put Humpty together again at the very top of the Hamo in the barn she had made her nest and each day for twelve days she had laid in it a pretty white egg the speckled hen had made her nest in this out of the way place so that no one would come to disturb her as it was her intention to sit upon the eggs until they were hatched into chickens every day as she laid her eggs she would cackle to herself saying this will in time be a beautiful chick with soft fluffy down all over its body she would look at the world in amazement it would be one of my children and I shall love it dearly she named each egg as she laid it by the name she should call it when a chick the first one being cluckity cluck and the next cada cut and so on and when she came to the twelfth egg she called it Humpty Dumpty the twelfth egg was remarkably big and white and of a very pretty shape so she laid it quite near the edge and then the speckled hen after looking proudly at her work went off to the barnyard clucking joyfully in search of something to eat when she had gone cluckity cluck who was in the middle of the nest and the oldest egg of all called out angrily it's getting crowded in this nest move up there some of you fellows and then he gave cada cut who was above him a kick and move unless the others do they're crowding me down said cada cut and he kicked the egg next above him and so they continued kicking one another and rolling around in the nest until one kicked Humpty Dumpty and as he lay on the edge of the nest he was kicked out and rolled down the haymow until he came to a stop near the very bottom Humpty did not like this very well but he was a bright egg so young and after he had recovered from his shaking up he began to look about to see where he was the barn door was open and he caught a glimpse of trees and hedges and green grass with a silvery brook running through it and he saw the waving grain and the tasseled maze and the sunshine flooding it all the scene was very enticing to the young egg and Humpty at once resolved his great world before going back to the nest he began to make his way carefully through the hay and was getting along fairly well when he heard a voice say where are you going Humpty looked around and found he was beside a pretty little nest in which was one brown egg did you speak he asked yes replied the brown egg I asked where you were going in our nest oh no answered the brown egg my name is Kushi Kalu and the black bantam laid me about an hour ago oh said Humpty proudly I belong to the speckled hen myself do you indeed replied Kushi Kalu I saw her go by a little while ago and she's much bigger than the black bantam yes and I'm much bigger than you if you like to go with me I'll take good care of you isn't it dangerous for eggs to go all by themselves asked Kushi timidly perhaps so answered Humpty but it's dangerous in the nest too my brothers might have smashed me with their kicking however if we are careful we can't come to much harm so come along little one and I'll look after you Kushi Kalu gave him her hand and crept over the hay until they came to the barn door they made for the door at once holding each other by the hand and soon came to the threshold which appeared very high to them we must jump said Humpty I'm afraid cried Kushi Kalu and I declare there's my mother's voice clucking she's coming this way then hurry said Humpty we will jump but take care not to bump against me or you may break my shell now one two three they held each other's hand and jumped lighting safely in the roadway then fearing their mothers would see them Humpty ran as fast as he could go until he and Kushi were concealed beneath a rose bush in the garden I'm afraid we're bad eggs gasped Kushi who was somewhat out of breath oh not at all replied Humpty we were late only this morning so we are quite fresh but now since we are in the world we must start out in search of adventure here is a roadway beside us which will lead us somewhere or other so come along Kushi Kalu and do not be afraid the brown egg meekly gave him her hand and together they trotted along the roadway until they came to a high stone wall which had sharp spikes under its top it seemed to extend for a great distance and the eggs stopped and looked at it curiously I like to see what is behind that wall said Humpty but I don't think we shall be able to climb over it no indeed answered the brown egg but just before us I see a little hole in the wall near the ground perhaps we can crawl through that they ran to the hole and found it was just large enough for them so they squeezed through very carefully in order not to break themselves and soon came to the other side they were now in a most beautiful garden with trees and bright huge flowers and abundance and pretty fountains that shot their merry sprays far into the air in the center of the garden was a great palace with bright golden turrets and domes and many windows that glistened in the sunshine with a sparkle of diamonds richly dressed courtiers and charming ladies strolled through the walks and before the palace door were a dozen prancing horses gilly comparisoned awaiting their riders it was a scene brilliant enough to fascinate anyone and the two eggs stood spell bound while their eyes feasted upon the unusual sight see whispered kushikalu birds swimming in the water yonder let us go and look at them for we also may be birds some day true answered Humpty but we are just as likely to be omelettes or angels food still we will have a look at the birds so they started to cross the drive on their way to the pond never noticing that the king and his courtiers had issued from the palace and were now coming down the drive riding upon their prancing steeds just as the eggs were in the middle of the drive the horses dashed by and Humpty greatly alarmed ran as fast as he could for the grass then he stopped and looked around and behold there was poor kushikalu crushed into a shapeless mass by the hoof of one of the horses and her golden heart was spreading itself slowly over the white gravel of the driveway Humpty sat down upon the grass and wept grievously for the death of his companion was a great blow to him and while he sobbed a voice said to him what is the matter little egg Humpty looked up and saw a beautiful girl bending over him one of the horses stepped upon kushikalu he said and now she is dead and I have no friends in all the world the girl laughed short lived creatures at best and kushikalu has at least died an honorable death and saved herself from being fried in a pan or boiled in her own shell so cheer up little egg and I will be your friend at least so long as you remain fresh a stale egg I never could abide I was late only this morning said Humpty drying his tears so you need have no fear but do not call me little egg for I am quite large as eggs go and I have a name of my own what is your name asked the princess it is Humpty Dumpty he answered proudly and now if you will really be my friend pray show me about the grounds and through the palace and take care I am not crushed so the princess took Humpty in her arms and walked with him all through the grounds that swam in their waters the beds of lilies and roses and the pools where the swans floated then she took him into the palace and showed him all the gorgeous rooms including the king's own bed chamber and the room where stood the great ivory throne Humpty sighed with pleasure after this he said I am content to accept any fate that may befall me for surely no egg before me ever saw so many beautiful sights that is true answered the princess but now I have one more sight to show you which will be grander than all of the others for the king will be riding home shortly with all his horses and men at his back and I will take you to the gates and let you see them pass by thank you said Humpty so she carried him to the gates and while they awaited the coming of the king put me upon the wall princess for then I will be able to see much better than in your arms that is a good idea she answered but you must be careful not to fall then she sat the egg gently upon the top of the stone wall where there was a little hollow and Humpty was delighted for from his elevated perch he could see much better than the princess herself here they come he cried and sure enough he was riding along the road with many courtiers and soldiers and vassals following in his wake all mounted upon the finest horses the kingdom could afford as they came to the gate and entered at a brisk trot Humpty forgetting his dangerous position leaned eagerly over to look at them the next instant the princess heard a sharp crash at her side and looking downward perceived poor Humpty Dumpty who lay crushed and mangled among the sharp stones where he had fallen the princess sighed for she had taken quite a fancy to the egg but she knew it was impossible to gather it up again or mend the manner in any way and therefore she returned thoughtfully to the palace now it happened that upon this evening several young men of the kingdom who were all of high rank had determined to ask the king for the hand of the princess so they assembled in the throne room and demanded that the king choose which of them was most worthy to marry his daughter the king was in a quandary for all the suitors were wealthy and powerful and he feared that all but the one chosen would become his enemies therefore he thought long upon the matter and at last said where all are worthy it is difficult to decide which most deserves the hand of the princess therefore I proposed the one who shall ask me a riddle I cannot guess can marry my daughter at this the young men looked thoughtful and began to devise riddles that his majesty should be unable to guess but the king was a shrewd monarch and each one of the riddles presented to him he guessed with ease now there was one amongst the suitors whom the princess herself favored as was but natural it was a slender fair-haired youth with dreamy blue eyes and a rosy complexion and although he loved the princess dearly he despaired of finding a riddle that the king could not guess but while he stood leaning against the wall the princess approached him and whispered in his ear a riddle she had just thought of instantly his face brightened and when the king called now master gracington it is your turn he advanced boldly to the throne speak your riddle sir said the king gaily for he thought this youth would also fail and that he might therefore keep the princess by his side for a time longer but master gracington with downcast eyes knelt before the throne and spoke in this wise this is my riddle oh king Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall all the king's horses and all the king's men came here again read me that sire and you will the king thought earnestly for a long time and he slapped his head and rubbed his ears and walked the floors in great strides but guess the riddle he could not you are a humbug sir he cried out at last there was no answer to such a riddle you are wrong sire answered the young man Humpty Dumpty was an egg king but he gave the princess to the young man to be his bride and they lived happily together and thus did Humpty Dumpty even in his death repay the kindness of the fair girl who had shown him such cites as an egg seldom sees end of Humpty Dumpty chapter 19 of mother goose in prose by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain by Phil Chenevere the woman who lived in a shoe there was an old woman who lived in a shoe she had so many children she didn't know what to do she gave them some broth without any bread and whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed a long time ago there lived a woman who had four daughters and these in time had said to herself I have done my duty to the world and now shall rest quietly for the balance of my life when one has raised a family of four children and has married them all happily she is surely entitled to pass her remaining days in peace and comfort she lived in a peculiar little house that looked something like this picture it was not like most of the houses you see but the old woman and so it did not matter to her how odd it was it stood upon the top of a little hill and there was a garden at the back and a pretty green lawn in front with white gravel paths and many beds of bright colored flowers the old woman was very happy and contented there until one day she received a letter saying that her daughter Hannah was dead and had sent her family of five children to their grandmother to be taken care of this misfortune ruined all the old woman's dreams of quiet but the next day the children arrived three boys and two girls and she made the best of it and gave them the beds her own daughters had once occupied and her own caught as well and she made a bed for herself on the parter sofa the youngsters were like all other children and got into mischief once in a while but the old woman took care of her children and managed to keep them in order very well while they quickly learned to obey her and generally did as they were bid but scarcely had she succeeded in getting them settled in their new home when Margaret another of her daughters died and sent four more children to her mother to be taken care of the old woman scarcely knew where to keep this new flock that had come to her fold for the house was already full but she thought the matter over and finally decided she must build an addition to her house so she hired a carpenter and built what is called a lean to at the right of her cottage making it just big enough to accommodate the four new members of her family when it was completed her house looked very much as it does in this picture she put four little cots in her new part of the house and then she sighed contentedly now all the babies are taken care of and will be comfortable until they grow up of course it was much more difficult to manage nine small children than five and they often let each other into mischief so that the flower beds began to be trampled upon and the green grass to be worn under the constant tread of little feet and the furniture to show a good many scratches and bruises but the old woman continued to look after them as well as she was able Sarah her third daughter also died and three more children were sent to their grandmother to be brought up the old woman was nearly distracted when she heard of this new addition to her family but she did not give way to despair she sent for the carpenter again and had him build another addition to the house as the picture shows then she put three new cots in the new part for the babies to sleep in and when they arrived they were just as cozy and comfortable as peas in a pod the grandmother was a lively old woman for one of her years but she found her time now fully occupied in cooking meals for her 12 small grandchildren and mending their clothes and washing their faces and undressing them at night and dressing them in the morning there were just a dozen of babies now and when you consider what a large family the old woman had and how fully her time was occupied and caring for them all and now to make the matter worse her fourth daughter who had been named Abigail suddenly took sick and died she also had four small children that must be cared for in some way the old woman having taken the other 12 could not well refuse to adopt these little orphans also I may as well have 16 as a dozen she said with a sigh they will drive me crazy some day anyhow so a few more will not matter at all once more she sent for the carpenter and bade him build a third addition to the house and when it was completed she added four more cots to the dozen that were already in use the house presented a very queer appearance now but she did not mind that so long as the babies were comfortable I shall not have to build again she said and that is one satisfaction I have now no more daughters to die and leave me their children and therefore I must make up my mind to do the best I can with the 16 that have already been inflicted upon me in my old age it was not long before all the grass about the house was trotting down and the white gravel of the walks was thrown at the birds rambled into shapeless masses by 32 little feet that ran about from more until night but the old woman did not complain that this her time was too much taken up with the babies for her to miss the grass and the flowers it cost so much money to clothe them that she decided to dress them all alike so that they looked like the children of a regular orphan asylum and it cost so much to feed them that she was obliged to give them the plainest food there was bread and milk for breakfast and milk and bread for dinner and bread and broth for supper but it was a good and wholesome diet and the children thrived and grew fat upon it one day a stranger came along the road and when he saw the old woman's house he began to laugh what are you laughing at sir asked the grandmother who was sitting upon her doorsteps engaged in mending 16 pairs of stockings that your house the stranger replied like a big shoe a shoe she said in surprise why yes the chimneys are shoestraps and the steps are the heel and all those additions make the foot of the shoe never mind said the woman it may be a shoe but it is full of babies and that makes it different for most other shoes but the stranger went on to the village and told all he met from all parts of the country to look at the queer house and they usually went away laughing the old woman did not mind this at all she was too busy to be angry some of the children were always getting bumped heads or bruised shins or falling down and hurting themselves and these had to be comforted and some were naughty and had to be whipped and some were dirty and had to be washed and some were good it was grandma do this and grandma do that from morning to night so that the poor grandmother was nearly distracted the only piece she ever got was when they were all safely tucked in their little cots and were sound asleep for then at least she was free from worry and had a chance to gather her scattered wits there are so many children she said one day to the baker man that I often really don't know what to do if they were mine ma'am he replied I'd send them to the poor house or else they'd send me to the mad house some of the children heard him say this and they resolved to play him a trick in return for his ill-natured speech the baker man came every day to the shoe house and brought two great baskets of bread in his arms for the children to eat with their milk and their bath when the old woman had gone to the town to buy shoes the children all painted their faces to look as Indians do when they are on the warpath and they caught the roosters and the turkey cock and pulled feathers from their tails to stick in their hair and then the boys made wooden tomahawks for the girls and bow and arrows for their own use and then all sixteen went out and hid in the bushes slowly up the path with a basket of bread on either arm and just as he reached the bushes there sounded in his ears a most unearthly war-hoop then a flight of arrows came from the bushes and although they were blunt and could do him no harm they rattled all over his body and one hid his nose and another his chin while several stuck fast in the loaves of bread altogether the baker man was terribly frightened and when all the sixteen small Indians rushed from the bushes and flourished their tomahawks he took to his heels and ran down the hill as fast as he could go when the grandmother returned she asked where is the bread for your supper the children looked at one another in surprise for they had forgotten all about the bread and then one of them confessed and told her the whole story of how they had frightened the baker man saying he would send them to the poor house your sixteen very naughty children exclaimed the old woman and for punishment you must eat your broth without any bread and afterwards each one shall have a sound whipping and be sent to bed then all the children began to cry at once and there was such an uproar that their grandmother had to put cotton in her ears that she might not lose her hearing but she kept her promise and made them eat their broth without any bread for indeed there was no bread to give them then she stood them in a row and undressed them and as she put the nightdress on each one she gave it a sound whipping and sent it to bed they cried some of course but they knew very well they deserved the punishment and it was not long before all of them were sound asleep they took care not to play any more tricks on the baker man and as they grew older many years the boys were old enough to work for the neighboring farmers and that made the woman's family a good deal smaller and then the girls grew up and married and found homes of their own so that all the children were in time well provided for but not one of them forgot the kind grandmother who had taken such good care of them and often they tell their children of the days when they lived with the old woman in a shoe and frightened the baker man with wooden tomahawks end of the woman who lived in a shoe Chapter 20 of Mother Goose in prose by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere Little Miss Muffet Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet eating of curds and whey there came a great spider and sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away was a big banker in a big city and he had so much money that the house he lived in was almost as beautiful as a king's palace it was built of granite and marble and richly furnished with every luxury that money can buy there was an army of servants about the house and many of them had no other duties than to wait upon Miss Muffet for the little girl was an only child and therefore a personage of great importance a maid to dress her hair and a maid to bathe her a maid to serve her a table and a maid to tie her shoestrings and several maids beside and then there was a nurse hollow wig to look after all the maids and see they did their tasks properly the child's father spent his days at his office and his evenings at his club her mother was a leader in society and therefore fully engaged from morning till night till morning so that little Miss Muffet seldom saw her parents and scarce knew them when she did see them I have never known by what name she was christened perhaps she did not know herself for everyone had called her Miss Muffet since she could remember the servant spoke of her respectfully as Miss Muffet Mrs. Muffet would say at times by the way nurse how is Miss Muffet getting along she met his little daughter by chance on the walk or in the hallway would stop and look at her gravely and say so this is Miss Muffet well how are you feeling little one and then without heeding her answer he would walk away perhaps you think that Miss Muffet surrounded by every luxury and with a dozen servants to wait on her was happy and contented but such was not the case she wanted to run and romp she liked she wished to play with other children but none were rich enough to be proper associates for her she longed to dig in the dirt in the garden but nurse Hollow egg was shocked at the very thought so Miss Muffet became sullen and irritable and scolded everyone about her and lived a very unhappy life and her food was too rich and gave her dyspepsia so that she grew thin and pale one afternoon her mother who happened to be at home for an hour suddenly thought of her little daughter so she rang the bell and asked for a nurse Hollow egg how is Miss Muffet nurse inquired the lady very badly ma'am was the reply badly what do you mean is she ill she's far from well ma'am answered the nurse and seems to be getting worse every day well replied the lady you must have the doctor to see her let me know what he says that is all nurse she turned to her novel again and the nurse walked away and sent a servant for the doctor that great man when he came shook his head solemnly and said she must have a change take her away into the country as soon as possible and very good advice it was too remarked the nurse to one of the maids for I feel as if I needed to change myself when she reported the matter the nurse Muffet the mother answered very well I will see Mr. Muffet and have him right out of check and so it was that a week later little Miss Muffet went to the country or rather to a small town where there was a summer hotel that had been highly recommended to nurse Hollow egg and with her went the string of maids and a wagon load of boxes and drunks the morning after their arrival the little girl asked to go out and she replied Miss Hollow egg Sarah can take you out for half an hour but remember you are not to run and get heated for that will ruin your complexion and you must not speak to any of the common children you meet for your mother would have checked and you must not get your shoes dusty nor your dress soiled nor disobey Sarah in any way little Miss Muffet went out in a very angry and sulky mood what's the use of being in the country she thought if I must act just as I did in the city I hate nurse Hollow egg and Sarah and all the rest of them and if I dared I'd just run away indeed a few minutes later when Sarah had fallen asleep upon a bench under a big shade tree Miss Muffet decided she would really run away for once in her life and see how it seemed there was a pretty lane nearby running between shady trees far out into the country and stealing softly away from Sarah's side the little girl ran as fast as she could go and never stopped until she was all out of breath while she rested and wondered what she could do next a former came along driving an empty court I'll catch on behind said Miss Muffet just as I've seen the boys do in the city won't it be fun so she ran and caught on the end of the cart and actually climbed into it falling all in a heap upon the straw that lay upon the bottom but it didn't hurt her at all and the next minute the former whipped up his horses and they went trotting along the lane carrying Miss Muffet farther and farther away from hated nurse Hollow egg and the dreadful maids she looked around upon the green fields and the waving grain and drew in deep breaths of the fresh country air and was happy for almost the first time in her little life by and by she lay back upon the straw and fell asleep and the former who did not know she was in his cart drove on for many miles until at last he stopped at a small wooden farmhouse and jumped to the ground a woman came to the door to greet him and he said to her what happened? so I see she answered did you bring my groceries yes he replied as he began to unharness the horses they are in the cart so she came to the cart and looked within and saw Miss Muffet who was still asleep where did you get the little girl asked the farmer's wife in surprise what little girl asked he the one in the cart he came to the cart and looked in he must have climbed into the cart when I left the town he said but awaken her wife and we will hear what she has to say so the farmer's wife shook the girl by the arm and Miss Muffet sat up in the cart and rubbed her eyes and wondered where she was how came you in my cart asked the farmer I caught on behind and climbed in answered the girl what is your name and where do you live in a big city but where I do not know and that was all she could tell them so the woman said at last we must keep her till someone comes to claim her and she can earn her living by helping me make the cheeses that will be nice said Miss Muffet with a laugh for a nurse hollow egg never lets me do anything and I should like to help somebody do something so they let her into the house and admire the golden chain that hung around her neck someone will surely come for her the woman said to her husband for she is richly dressed and must belong to a family of some importance nevertheless when they had eaten dinner for which little Miss Muffet had a wonderful appetite the woman took her into the dairy and told her how she could assist her in curdling the milk and preparing for the cheese press why it's really fun to work I should like to live here always I do hope nurse hollow egg will not find me after a time however she grew weary and wanted to rest but the woman had not yet finished her cheese making so she bade the girl keep at her tasks it's time enough to rest when the work is done she said and if you stay with me you must earn your board no one is allowed to idle in this house so little Miss Muffet though she felt like crying she was very tired kept at her work until at length all was finished and the last cheese was in the press now said the farmer's wife since you have worked so well I shall give you a dish of curds and whey for your supper and you may go out into the orchard and eat it under the shade of the trees little Miss Muffet had never eaten curds and whey before and did not know how they tasted but she was very hungry she first looked around for a place to sit down and finally discovered a little grassy mound which is called a tuffet in the country and seated herself upon it then she tasted the curds and whey and found them very good but while she was eating she chanced to look down at her feet and there was a great black spider coming straight towards her the girl had never seen such an enormous and hideous looking spider before and she was so frightened that she gave a scream and chipped backward off the tuffet spilling the curds and whey all over her dress as she did so this frightened her more than ever and as soon as she could get upon her feet she scampered away to the farmhouse as fast as she could go crying bitterly as she ran the farmer's wife tried to comfort her but she had never seen the awfulest, biggest black spider in all the world this made the woman laugh for she was not afraid of spiders soon after they heard a sound of wheels upon the road and a handsome carriage came dashing up to the gate has anyone seen a little girl who has run away asked Nurse Holloway leaning out of the carriage oh yes answered little Miss Buffett for she was very glad to get back again to those who would care for her and not ask her to work making cheeses when they were driving back to the town the nurse said you must promise me Miss Buffett never to run away again you have frightened me nearly into hysterics and had you been lost your mother would have been quite disappointed the little girl was silent for a time then she answered I will promise not to run away if you will let me play as other children do but if you do not allow me to run and romp and dig in the ground I shall keep running away no matter how many hard spiders come to frighten me and Nurse Holloway who had really been much alarmed at so nearly losing her precious charge thought it wise to agree to Miss Buffett's terms she kept her word too and when little Miss Buffett went back to her home in the city her cheeks were as red as roses and her eyes sparkled with health and she grew in time to be a beautiful young lady and as healthy and robust as she was beautiful seeing which the doctor put an extra large fee in his bill for advising that the little girl be taken to the country and Mr. Buffett paid it without a word of protest even after Miss Buffett grew up and was married she ran away nor the curds and ways she ate for her supper nor the great spider that frightened her away from the tuffet end of Little Miss Buffett chapter 21 of Mother Goose in prose by L. Frank Baum this labor box recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere three wise men of Gotham three wise men of Gotham went to sea in a bowl that had been longer my tail had been longer there lived in the great city of Gotham over against the north gate a man who possessed a very wise aspect but very little else he was tall and lean and had a fine large head bald and smooth upon the top with a circle of white hair behind the ears his beard was pure white and reached to his waist his eyes were small dark and so piercing he could read your every thought his eyebrows were very heavy and as white as his beard he dressed in a long black mantle with a girdle corded about the middle and he walked slowly and majestically and talked no more than he was obliged to when this man passed down the street with his stately tread the people all removed their hats and bowed to him with great reverence saying within themselves he is very wise this great man he is a second Socrates and soon this was the only name he was called by and everyone in Gotham knew him as Socrates to be sure this man was not really wise had they realized the truth not one he met but knew more than Socrates but his venerable appearance certainly betokened great wisdom and no one appeared to remember that things are seldom what they seem Socrates which strut about with bowed head and arms clasped behind him and think my how wise these people take me to be everyone admires my beautiful beard when I look into their faces they drop their eyes I am in truth a wonderful man and if I say nothing they will believe I am full of wisdom ah here comes the school master I shall frown heavily and refuse to notice him for then he also will be deceived and think I am pondering upon matters of great import really the one wise thing about Socrates was his ability to keep quiet for saying no word it was impossible he should betray his ignorance singularly enough over by the south gate of Gotham there dwelt another wise man of much the same appearance to Socrates his white beard was a trifle longer and he had lost his left eye which was covered by a black patch but in all other ways his person betokened as much wisdom as that of the other he did not walk about being lazy and preferring his ease but he lived in a little cottage with one room where the people came to consult him in regard to all their troubles they had named him Sophocles and when anything went wrong they would say let us go and consult Sophocles for he is very wise and will tell us what to do his neighbor in the courts became worried over the outcome of the matter and came to consult the wise man tell me oh Sophocles he said as he dropped the piece of money upon a plate shall I win my lawsuit or not Sophocles appeared to ponder for a moment and then he looked at his questioner with his one eye and replied if it is not decided against you you will certainly win your suit and the man was content and well invested at another time the mother of a pair of baby twins came to him in great trouble oh wise Sophocles she said I am in despair for my little twin girls are just alike and I lost the ribbon that I placed on one that I might be able to tell them apart therefore I cannot determine which is Amelia and which is Ophelia and as the priest has christened them by their proper names the wise man no one can tell answered the woman neither the priest nor their father nor myself for they are just alike and yet they are too young to remember their own names therefore your great wisdom is our only resource bring them to me commanded Sophocles and when they were brought he looked at them attentively and said this is Ophelia a blue ribbon on Amelia and so long as they wear them you will not be troubled to tell them apart everyone marveled greatly that Sophocles should know the children better than their own mother but he said to himself since no one can prove that I am wrong I am sure to be right and thus he maintained his reputation for wisdom in a little side street near the center of Gotham lived an old woman named Deborah Smith her home was a wretched little hut for she was poor and supported herself and her husband my begging in the streets her husband was a lazy short fat old man who lay upon a ragged blanket in the hut all day and refused to work one beggar in the family is enough he used to grumble when his wife upgraded him and I am really too tired to work so let me alone my Deborah as I am about to take another nap would arouse him to action and she finally allowed him to do as he pleased but one day she met Socrates walking in the street and after watching him for a time made up her mind he was nothing more than a fool other people certainly thought him wise but she was a shrewd old woman and could see well enough that he merely looked wise the next day she went to the south of the city to beg and there she heard a Sophocles wise sayings she thought here is another fool for anyone could tell as much as this man does still she went to see Sophocles and dropping a penny upon his plate she asked tell me a wise man how shall I drive my husband to work by starving him answered Sophocles if you refuse to feed him he must find a way to feed himself that is true she thought as she went away a fool could have told me that this wise man is a fraud even my husband is as wise as he then she stopped short and slapped her hand against her forehead why she cried I will make a wise man of Perry my husband and then he could earn money without working so she went to her husband and said get up Perry Smith and wash yourself for I am going to make a wise man of you I won't and she said you will she declared for it is the easiest way to earn money I have ever discovered then she took a stick and beat him so fiercely that at last he got up and agreed to do as she said she washed his long beard until it was as white as snow and she shaved his head to make him look bald and venerable then she brought him a flowing black robe with a girdle at the middle of a clease you must have a new name she said for no one will ever believe that Perry Smith is a wise man so I shall hereafter call you Perry Cleese the wisest man of Gotham she then led him into the streets and to all they met she declared this is Perry Cleese the wisest man in the world what does he know they asked everything and much else in the hand of Perry Cleese he inquired pray tell me of your wisdom what is wrong with my mare how should I know asked Perry Cleese I thought you knew everything returned the Carter in surprise I do declared Perry Cleese but you have not told me what her symptoms are she refuses to eat anything said the Carter then she is not hungry then she is fed together and said surely this is a wise man for he is told the Carter what is wrong with his mare after a few days the fame of Perry Cleese's sayings came to the ears of both Socrates and Sophocles and they resolved to see him for each feared he would prove more wise than they were knowing themselves to be errant humbugs so one morning the three wise men met together themselves down upon stools facing each other while a great crowd of people gathered around to hear the words of wisdom that dropped from their lips but for a time all three were silent and regarded one another anxiously for each feared he might betray himself finally Sophocles winked his one eye at the others and said in a grave voice the earth is flat for if it were round as some fools say all the people would slide off the surface then the people who had listened eagerly clapped their hands together in murmured Sophocles is wiseest of all what he says is truth this provoked Socrates greatly for he felt his reputation was in danger so he said with a frown the world is shallow like a dish were it flat the water would all run over the edges and we should have no oceans then the people applauded more loudly than before and cried Socrates is right he is the wisest of all Pericles at this shifted uneasily upon his stool for he knew he must dispute the matter boldly or his fame would depart from him therefore he said with grave deliberation you are wrong my friends the world is hollow like the shell of a coconut and we are all inside the shell the sky above us is the roof and if you go out upon the ocean you will come to a place no matter in which direction you go where the sky and the water meet I know this is true for I have been to sea the people cheered loudly at this and said long live Pericles the wisest of the wise men I shall hold I am right protested Sophocles until Pericles Socrates proved that I am wrong that is fair enough said the people and I also shall hold myself to be right until they prove me wrong declared Socrates firmly I know I am right said Pericles for you cannot prove me wrong we shall take a boat and sail over the sea remarked Socrates and when we come to the edge we will know the truth will you go yes answered Sophocles also then they went to the shore of the sea and the people followed them there was no boat to be found anywhere for the fishers were all away upon the water but there was a big wooden bowl lying upon the shore which the fishermen used to carry their fish to market in this will do said Pericles who because he weighed the most was the greatest fool of the three so the wise men came out into the water the tide caught the bowl and floated it out to sea and before long the wise men were beyond sight of land they were all greatly frightened for the bowl was old and cracked and the water leaked slowly through until their feet were covered they clung to the edge with their hands and looked at one another with white faces said Pericles I was a fool to come to see in this bowl remarked Socrates if you're a fool as you confess then you cannot be a wise man no answered Pericles but I'll soon be a dead man I also was a fool said Socrates who was weeping from his one eye and trembling all over for if I had stayed upon land I would not have been drowned since you both acknowledged it sighed Socrates I will confess that I also am a fool and have always been one I must know everything yes yes Socrates groaned the people have murdered us my only regret said Pericles is that my wife is not with me if only she were here he did not finish what he was saying for just then the bowl broke in two and the people are still waiting for the three wise men to come back to them end of three wise men of Gotham Chapter 22 books and prose by L. Frank Baum this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere little bun rabbit oh little bun rabbit so soft and so shy say what do you see with your big round eye on Christmas we rabbits says Bunny so shy keep watch to see Santa go galloping by Little Dorothy had passed all the few years her life in the country and being the only child upon the form she was allowed to roam about the meadows and woods as she pleased on the bright summer mornings Dorothy's mother would tie a sun bonnet under the girl's chin and then she romped away to the fields to amuse herself in her own way she came to know every flower that grew and to call them by name and she always stepped very carefully to avoid treading on them for Dorothy was a kind hearted child and did not like to crush the pretty flowers that bloomed in her path and she was also very fond of all the animals and learned to know them well even to understand their language which very few people can do and the animals loved Dorothy in turn for the word passed around amongst them that she could be trusted to do them no harm for the horse who soft nose Dorothy often gently stroked told the cow of her kindness and the cow told the dog and the dog told the cat and the cat told her black kitten told the rabbit when one day they met in the turnip patch therefore when the rabbit which is the most timid of all animals and the most difficult to get acquainted with looked out of a small bush at the edge of the wood one day and saw Dorothy standing a little way off he did not scamper away as is his custom but sat very still and met the gaze of her sweet eyes boldly although perhaps his heart beat a little faster than usual Dorothy herself was afraid she might frighten him away so she kept very quiet for a time leaning silently against a tree and smiling encouragement had her timorous companion until the rabbit became reassured and blinked his big eyes at her thoughtfully for he was as much interested in the little girl as she and him since it was the first time he had dared to meet a person face to face finally Dorothy ventured to speak so she asked very softly and slowly oh little bun rabbit so soft and so shy say what do you see with your big round eye many things answered the rabbit who was pleased to hear the girl speak in his own language in summertime I see the clover leaves that I love to feed upon and the cabbages at the end of the former's garden I see the cool bushes where I can hide from my enemies and the dogs and the men long before they can see me or know that I am near and therefore I am able to keep out of their way is that the reason why your eyes are so big asked Dorothy I suppose so returned the rabbit you see we have only our eyes and our ears and our legs to defend ourselves with we cannot fight but we can always run away and that is a much better way to save our lives than by fighting I live in the ground far down in a cool, pleasant hole I have dug in the midst of the forest at the bottom of the hole is the nicest little room you can imagine and there I have made a soft bed to rest in at night when I meet an enemy I run to my hole and jump in and there I stay until all danger is over you have told me what you see in summer continued Dorothy who was greatly interested in the winter in winter we rabbits said bunny so shy keep watch to see Santa go galloping by and do you ever see him asked the girl eagerly oh yes every winter I am not afraid of him nor of his reindeer and it is such fun to see him come dashing along cracking his whip and calling out cheerily to his reindeer who are able to run even swifter than we rabbits and then I look after him with his big load of toys which he is carrying to the children until he has galloped away out of sight I like to see the toys for they are so bright and pretty and every year there is something new amongst them once I visited Santa and saw him make the toys oh tell me about it pleaded Dorothy it was one morning after Christmas set the rabbit who had become his fear of Dorothy and I was sitting by the roadside when Santa Claus came riding back in his empty sleigh he does not come home quite as fast as he goes and when he saw me he stopped for a word you look very pretty this morning bun rabbit he said in his jolly way I think the babies would love to have you to play with I don't doubt it your honor I answered but they soon kill me with handling even if they did not scare me to death with their playthings that is true replied Santa Claus and yet you are so soft and pretty it is a pity the babies can't have you still as they would abuse a live rabbit I think I shall make them some tar rabbits which they cannot hurt so if you will jump into my sleigh with me and ride home to my castle for a few days I'll see if I can't make some tar rabbits just like you of course I consented for we all like to please old Santa and a minute later I had jumped into the sleigh beside him and we were dashing away at full speed toward his castle I enjoyed the ride very much but I enjoyed the castle far more for it was one of the loveliest places you could imagine it stood on the top of a high mountain and is built of gold and silver bricks and the windows are pure diamond crystals the rooms are big and high and there is a soft carpet upon every floor and many strange things scattered around to amuse one Santa Claus lives there all alone except for old mother Hubbard who cooks the meals for him and her cupboard is never bare now I can promise you at the top of the castle there is one big room and that is Santa's workshop where he makes the toys with plenty of saws and hammers and jack knives and on the other side is the paint bench with paints of every color and brushes of every size and shape and in other places are great shelves where the toys are put to dry and keep new and bright until Christmas comes and it is time to load them all into his sleigh after mother Hubbard had given me a good dinner and I had eaten some of the most delicious clover I have ever tasted Santa took me up into his work room and sat me upon the table if I can only make rabbits half as nice as you are he said the little ones will be delighted then he lit a big pipe and began to smoke and soon he took a roll of soft fur from a shelf in a corner and commenced to cut it out in the shape of a rabbit he smoked and whistled all the time he was working and he talked to me in such a jolly way that I sat perfectly still and allowed him to measure my ears and my legs so that he could cut the fur into proper form why I've got your nose too long bunny he said once and so he snipped a little off the fur he was cutting so that the tar rabbits nose should be like mine and again he said good gracious the ears are too short entirely so he had to get a needle and thread and sew on more fur to the ears so that they might be the right size but after a time it was all finished then he stuffed the fur full of sawdust and sewed it up neatly after which he put in some glass eyes that made the tar rabbit look wonderfully lifelike when it was all done he put it on the table beside me and at first I didn't know whether I was the live rabbit or the tar rabbit we were so much alike it's a very good job said Santa nodding his head at us pleasantly and I shall have to make a lot of these rabbits all children are sure to be greatly pleased with him so he immediately began to make another and this time he cut the fur just the right size so that it was even better than the first rabbit I must put a squeak in it said Santa so he took a box of squeaks from a shelf and put one into the rabbit before he sewed it up when it was all finished he pressed the tar rabbit with his thumb and it squeaked so naturally that I jumped off the table at first the new rabbit was alive oh Santa laughed merrily at this and I soon recovered from my fright and was pleased to think the babies were to have such pretty play things after this said Santa Claus I can make rabbits without having you for a pattern but if you like you may stay a few days longer in my castle and amuse yourself I thanked him and decided to stay so for several days I watched him making all kinds of toys and I wondered to see how quickly he made them and how many new things he invented I almost wish I was a child I said to him one day for then I too could have play things ah you can run about all day in summer and in winter and enjoy yourself in your own way said Santa but the poor little children are obliged to stay in the house in the winter and on rainy days in the summer and then they must have toys to amuse them and keep them contented I knew this was true so I only said admiringly you must be the quickest and the best workman in all the world Santa I suppose I am he answered but then you see I have been making toys for hundreds of years and I make so many it is no wonder I am skillful and now if you are ready to go home I'll hitch up the reindeer and take you back again oh no said I I prefer to run by myself to the country if that is the case replied Santa I must give you a magic collar to wear so that you will come to know harm so after mother Hubbard had given me a good meal of turnips and sliced cabbage Santa Claus put the magic collar around my neck and I started for home I took my time on the journey for I knew nothing could harm me and I saw a good many strange sites before I got back to this place again I asked Dorothy who had listened with breathless interest to the rabbit's story after I got home replied the rabbit the collar disappeared from around my neck and I knew Santa had called it back to himself again he did not give it to me you see he merely let me take it on my journey to protect me the next Christmas when I watched by the roadside to see Santa I was pleased to notice a great many of the tar rabbits sticking out of the loaded sleigh I knew for every year since I have seen them amongst the toys Santa never forgets me and every time he passes he calls out in his jolly voice a merry Christmas to you bun rabbit the baby still love you dearly the rabbit paused and Dorothy was just about to ask another question when bunny raised his head and seemed to hear something coming what is it inquired the girl it's the farmer's big shepherd dog answered the rabbit and I must be going before he sees me or I shall have to run for my life so goodbye Dorothy I hope we meet again and then I will gladly tell you more of my adventures the next instant he had sprung into the wood and all that Dorothy could see of him was a gray streak darting in and out amongst the trees end of little bun rabbit end of mother goose in prose