re you longing, you three little boys?
Oh, what would you like to eat?"
"We should like some apples, or gingerbread--
Or a fine big drum to beat."

"Oh, what will you give me, you three little boys,
In exchange for these good, good things?"
"Some bread and cheese, and some radishes,
And our little brown bird that sings."

"Now, that won't do, you three little chums,
I'll have something better than that--
Two of your fingers, and two of your thumbs,
In the crown of your largest hat!"

[Illustration]

O ring the bells! O ring the bells!
We bid you, sirs, good morning;
Give thanks, we pray--our flowers are gay,
And fair for your adorning.

O ring the bells! O ring the bells!
Good sirs, accept our greeting;
Where we have been, the woods are green.
So, hey! for our next meeting.

[Illustration]

Then ring the bells! then ring the bells!
For this fair time of Maying;
Our blooms we bring, and while we sing,
O! hark to what we're saying.

O ring the bells! O ring the bells!
We'll sing a song with any;
And may each year bring _you_ good cheer,
And each of _us_ a penny.

[Illustration]

I saw a ship that sailed the sea,
It left me as the sun went down;
The white birds flew, and followed it
To town--to London town.

Right sad were we to stand alone,
And see it pass so far away;
And yet we knew some ship would come--
Some other ship--some other day.

[Illustration]

Yes, that's the girl that struts about,
She's very proud,--so very proud!
Her _bow-wow's_ quite as proud as she:
They both are very wrong to be
So proud--so very proud.

See, Jane and Willy laugh at her,
They say she's very proud!
Says Jane, "My stars!--they're very silly;"
"Indeed they are," cries little Willy,
"To walk so stiff and proud."

[Illustration]

It was Tommy who said,
"The sweet spring-time is come;
I see the birds flit,
And I hear the bees hum.

"Oho! Mister Lark,
Up aloft in the sky,
Now, which is the happiest--
Is it you, sir, or I?"

[Illustration]

"Shall I sing?" says the Lark,
"Shall I bloom?" says the Flower;
"Shall I come?" says the Sun,
"Or shall I?" says the Shower.

Sing your song, pretty Bird,
Roses, bloom for an hour;
Shine on, dearest Sun,
Go away, naughty Shower!