Father Time

Once on a time, the days of the week

Quarreled and made bad weather;

They wanted to know which one was best

And so they disputed together.

Monday said, "I wash the clothes;"

Tuesday said, "I iron them;"

Wednesday said, "I bake the cakes;"

Thursday said, "I try them."

Said Friday, "I'm the day for fish;"

Said Saturday, "The children love me;"

Said Sunday, "I'm the Sabbath day,

I'm sure there's none above me."

Now as they quarreled a tempest arose,

And all of them screamed together;

It blew and rained and hailed and snowed—

There never was such weather.

Old Father Time was passing by,

And heard the hurly burly.

Said he, "I hear something wrong;

It's well I got up early."

Then all the days began to tell

Their virtue with great clatter.

But Father Time cut them short—

"My children, what great matter?