The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Goose, by Anonymous

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Title: Mother Goose
The Original Volland Edition

Author: Anonymous

Editor: Eulalie Osgood Grover

Illustrator: Frederick Richardson

Release Date: February 15, 2008 [EBook #24623]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration]

[Illustration]

MOTHER GOOSE

MOTHER
GOOSE

THE ORIGINAL
VOLLAND EDITION

[Illustration]

_Arranged and Edited by_
EULALIE OSGOOD GROVER

_Illustrated by_
FREDERICK RICHARDSON

DERRYDALE BOOKS
NEW YORK

_Dedicated by the_
Compiler _and_ Artist
_to_
VIRGINIA _and_ DORIS
and their mother,
_the inspiration of the publisher_

A FOREWORD

Children, as well as their interested parents, will eagerly welcome this
beautiful edition of the one great nursery classic, just as a worthy
edition of Shakespeare is welcomed by discriminating adult readers.

But some may ask what there is in these simple melodies, attributed to
Mother Goose, which gives them so secure and beloved a place in the
home, the school and the public library. Is it the humor, the action,
the rhythm, or the mystery of the theme which appeals so strongly to
critical little minds in each generation of childhood, and even to adult
minds so fortunate as to have retained some of the refreshing naivete of
early years?

It is useless to try to explain the charm of these nonsense melodies.
The children themselves do not know why they love them. No mother can
tell us the magic of the spell which seems to be cast over her restless
baby as she croons to it a Mother Goose lullaby. No primary teacher
quite understands why the mere repetition or singing of a Mother Goose
jingle will transform her listless, inattentive class into one all
eagerness and attention. But mother and teacher agree that the best of
these verses have an even more potent influe