SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE
Reading edition
SING a song of sixpence, A pocketful of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened The birds began to sing. Wasn't that a dainty dish To set before the king?
Well, when little Puss, Junior, heard those blackbirds singing he halted before the castle and knocked on the gate.
"You must have a thousand canaries."
"Canaries nothing," replied the old retainer. "The King's twenty-four blackbirds are singing."
But, goodness, gracious me! all of a sudden something happened. And it was even worse than when the raven cried, "Croak!" and the farmer's mare fell down and broke her knee. For just then, while
The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes, Down came a blackbird And snapped off her nose.
Perhaps he was angry because he hadn't been invited to sing for the King. I'm sure I don't know, but, anyway, he was a mighty mean bird, let me tell you.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried the poor maid, and she sat down on a garden bench and began to weep. Just then the four and twenty blackbirds jumped out of the pie and flew into the garden to look for that naughty bird. But they couldn't find him. Oh, dear, no! He was far away by that time, maybe at the North Pole of Mother Goose Land, which they tell me is a frosted stick of sugar candy.
"Oh, what shall I do?" sobbed the maid, still holding her poor nose in her hands.
"You had better call in the doctor," suggested Puss.
"He lives a good two miles from here," said the old retainer, "and our telephone is out of order."
"I'll go fetch him," said Puss. "Dry your eyes, pretty maid!" And, jumping on his Good Gray Horse, he galloped away. And the four and twenty blackbirds flew after him so that in case the naughty blackbird came back to nip little Puss, Junior's, nose they would be there to protect him.