NURSERY SONGS
by Unknown · from The National Nursery Book: With 120 illustrations
Adapted Version
Let's read some fun little stories! Each one is a small adventure.
Miss Muffet sits on a tuffet. She eats a yummy snack. A little spider comes near. It sits down by her. Miss Muffet sees the spider. She makes a small sound. She gets up very fast. She runs away. The spider stays there.
A child asks the Baker. "Please make a cake!" Baker smiles big. The cake is for Tommy. The Baker makes it fast.
Humpty Dumpty sits on a tall wall. He sits up high. Oh no! Humpty Dumpty falls down. He falls with a big CRACK! He breaks into many pieces. The king's helpers come. They try to fix Humpty. They try very hard. They cannot put him back. Humpty Dumpty stays in pieces.
A child loves the small lambs. The lambs are so soft. The child plays with them. The child says, "Stay here, lambs!" Lambs must stay. No lambs go away. The child loves the sweet lambs. The lambs are so sweet.
A little Robin sits on a tree. A Kitty-cat sees the Robin. The Kitty-cat jumps up. The Robin flies down. The Kitty-cat jumps again. The Robin runs away. "Catch me if you can!" sings Robin. Kitty-cat says "Mew!" Robin flies fast. It is a fun game.
Jack loves sweet cake. He loves sugar candy too. Jack goes to the shop. He buys sweet cake. He buys sugar candy. Jack is very happy. He hops, hops, hops home. He eats his yummy treats.
Boy Blue sleeps under the hay. He sleeps very soundly. His horn is quiet. The sheep walk in the meadow. The cow walks in the corn. They walk a little way. Boy Blue still sleeps. He sleeps and sleeps. He does not hear them.
This little pig goes to the shop. He goes to buy some treats. This little pig stays at home. He plays with his toys. This little pig eats a big bread piece. He eats it all up. This little pig waits for dinner. He waits for yummy food. This little pig says, "Wee, wee, wee!" He goes home happy. He is a happy pig. The pigs are busy. The pigs are happy.
What a lot of fun little stories! Did you like the spider, or the boy with the cake? The end.
Original Story
NURSERY SONGS.
LITTLE MISS MUFFET.
Little Miss Muffet
She sat on a tuffet,
Eating of curds and whey.
There came a great spider,
Who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
PAT-A-CAKE, PAT-A-CAKE.
Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, baker's man,
Make me a cake as fast as you can;
Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with T,
And send it home for Tommy and me.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Could not set Humpty Dumpty up again.
HUMPTY DUMPTY.
YOUNG LAMBS TO SELL!
Young lambs to sell!—young lambs to sell!
If I had as much money as I could tell,
I never would cry, Young lambs to sell!
Young lambs to sell!—young lambs to sell!
I never would cry, Young lambs to sell!
LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST SAT UPON A TREE.
Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree,
Up went Pussy-cat, and down went he;
Down came Pussy-cat, and away Robin ran;
Says little Robin Redbreast, “Catch me if you can.”
Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall,
Pussy-cat jumped after him and almost got a fall;
Little Robin chirped and sang, and what did Pussy say?
Pussy-cat said “Mew,” and Robin jumped away.
HANDY SPANDY, JACK-A-DANDY.
Handy Spandy Jack-a-Dandy
Loved plumcake and sugar candy;
He bought some at a grocer's shop,
And out he came, hop, hop, hop.
LITTLE BOY BLUE.
Little Boy Blue, come blow up your horn,
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.
Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep?
He is under the hay-cock fast asleep.
THIS LITTLE PIG WENT TO MARKET.
This little pig went to market;
This little pig stayed at home;
This pig had a piece of bread-and-butter;
This little pig had none;
This little pig said, "Wee, wee, wee!
I can't find my way home.”
Story DNA
Moral
null
Plot Summary
This collection features several classic nursery rhymes. Little Miss Muffet is scared by a spider while eating. A baker is asked to make a cake. Humpty Dumpty falls from a wall and cannot be fixed. A person wishes to stop selling lambs. Little Robin Redbreast playfully escapes a Pussy-cat. Handy Spandy buys sweets. Little Boy Blue is found asleep, neglecting his animals. Finally, five little pigs have different experiences, including one getting lost.
Themes
Emotional Arc
simple observations
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
These are traditional nursery rhymes, often passed down orally, reflecting simple aspects of pre-industrial rural and domestic life.
Plot Beats (8)
- Little Miss Muffet is eating curds and whey when a spider frightens her away.
- A baker is asked to make a cake for Tommy and the narrator.
- Humpty Dumpty falls from a wall and cannot be reassembled by the king's forces.
- A person laments having to sell lambs, wishing for enough money to stop.
- Little Robin Redbreast evades a Pussy-cat in a playful chase.
- Handy Spandy Jack-a-Dandy buys and enjoys plumcake and sugar candy.
- Little Boy Blue is found asleep while his sheep and cow wander.
- Five little pigs experience different fates: market, home, food, no food, and getting lost.
Characters
Miss Muffet
A small, delicate child, likely with a slight build, typical of a young girl in a pastoral setting. Her movements are quick and easily startled.
Attire: A simple, light-colored smock dress made of linen or cotton, possibly with a small apron, reflecting the attire of a child in a rural English setting of the 18th or 19th century. The colors would be muted, like cream, pale blue, or soft green.
Wants: To enjoy her snack in peace.
Flaw: Fear, easily startled.
Experiences a moment of fear and flees.
Easily frightened, innocent, enjoys simple pleasures.
Great Spider
A significantly large spider, much larger than typical, with a dark, possibly hairy body and long, segmented legs. Its size is its most distinguishing feature, making it appear imposing and frightening to a child.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To sit near Miss Muffet, perhaps drawn by the food or simply seeking a spot.
Flaw: N/A (animal, acts on instinct)
Causes fright without malicious intent.
Unintentionally frightening, observant.
Baker's Man
A sturdy, working-class man, likely with strong arms from kneading dough. He would have a flour-dusted appearance.
Attire: A simple white linen shirt, possibly rolled up at the sleeves, with a sturdy brown leather apron over dark trousers. His clothes would be practical and often dusted with flour, typical of an English baker in the 18th or 19th century.
Wants: To fulfill the customer's request and bake a cake.
Flaw: N/A (no specific weakness shown)
Performs his daily work.
Diligent, skilled, accommodating.
Humpty Dumpty
A large, ovoid egg with human-like features. His shell is smooth and white, but prone to cracking. He is depicted as having a fragile, rotund body.
Attire: Often depicted in a simple, perhaps slightly oversized, jacket and bow tie, or a crown, suggesting a certain dignity despite his fragility. For this context, a simple, slightly ill-fitting jacket and trousers, perhaps in muted colors like brown or green, with a small, red bow tie.
Wants: To sit on the wall.
Flaw: Extreme fragility, inability to be repaired once broken.
Experiences a tragic fall and cannot be reassembled.
Fragile, perhaps a bit pompous (implied by sitting on a wall), ultimately vulnerable.
Little Robin Redbreast
A small, plump bird with a distinctive bright red breast. Its feathers are typically brown on its back and wings.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To evade the Pussy-cat and enjoy its freedom.
Flaw: Its small size makes it vulnerable to predators.
Successfully evades a predator through wit and agility.
Playful, quick, taunting, resilient.
Pussy-cat
A domestic cat, likely agile and sleek, with keen hunting instincts. Its fur color is not specified, allowing for a common domestic cat appearance.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To catch Little Robin Redbreast.
Flaw: Can be clumsy or overconfident, leading to near falls.
Fails to catch its prey despite persistent efforts.
Persistent, predatory, determined, but ultimately outsmarted.
Handy Spandy Jack-a-Dandy
A lively and energetic child, likely small and nimble, given his 'hop, hop, hop' exit.
Attire: A simple, well-maintained suit typical of a child in 18th or 19th century England, perhaps a short jacket and knee breeches in a cheerful color like blue or green, with white stockings and buckled shoes. His clothes would be neat but allow for movement.
Wants: To acquire and enjoy plumcake and sugar candy.
Flaw: His love for sweets (though not presented as a flaw in the rhyme).
Experiences the simple joy of buying and anticipating sweets.
Joyful, fond of sweets, energetic.
Little Boy Blue
A small, perhaps slightly chubby, child, indicating a comfortable, if somewhat neglectful, upbringing. His appearance suggests a rural setting.
Attire: A simple, practical outfit for a shepherd boy in 18th or 19th century England: a blue linen smock or tunic, brown breeches, and perhaps a straw hat. His clothes would be a bit rumpled from sleeping.
Wants: To rest and sleep.
Flaw: Laziness, tendency to fall asleep on the job.
Discovered asleep while his charges wander.
Sleepy, forgetful, somewhat irresponsible (in his duties).
Locations
The Tuffet in the Garden
A low, grassy mound or tussock in a cottage garden, likely surrounded by common European garden plants. The air is mild and still.
Mood: Initially peaceful and idyllic, quickly turning to startled fear.
Miss Muffet is eating when a spider frightens her away.
The King's Wall
A tall, sturdy stone wall, likely part of a castle or royal estate, with rough-hewn blocks showing signs of age. The top of the wall is broad and flat.
Mood: Initially stable and mundane, then dramatic and disastrous.
Humpty Dumpty sits on the wall, falls, and cannot be reassembled.
The Meadow with Hay-cock
A lush, green pasture with tall grass, where sheep graze. In one part of the meadow, a large, conical pile of dried hay (a hay-cock) stands, providing shade.
Mood: Peaceful, pastoral, slightly neglected.
Little Boy Blue is found asleep under the hay-cock while his charges wander.