O NCE upon a time I was walking across London Bridge, and I found a penny. So I bought a little kid. But the kid would not go. And I saw by the moonlight it was long past midnight. It was time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.

Then I met a staff, and to the staff I said:—

"Staff, staff, drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

But the staff would not drive kid.

Then I met a hatchet, and to the hatchet I said:—

"Hatchet, chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

But the hatchet would not chop staff.

Then I met a torch, and to the torch I said:—

"Torch, burn hatchet, hatchet will not chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

But the torch would not burn the hatchet.

Then I met the wind, and to the wind I said:—

"Wind, put out torch, torch will not burn hatchet, hatchet will not chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

But the wind would not put out the fire.

Then I met a tree, and to the tree I said:—

"Tree, stop wind, wind will not put out torch, torch will not burn staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

But the tree would not.

Then I met a wee mouse, and to the mouse I said:—

"Mouse, gnaw tree, tree will not stop wind, wind will not put out torch, torch will not burn staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago."

Then the wee, wee mouse began to gnaw the tree, the tree began to stop the wind, the wind began to put out the torch, the torch began to burn the staff, the staff began to drive the kid, and the kid began to go.

See by the moonlight it is almost midnight. But kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.

Table of Contents | Index | Home | Previous: The Frog Prince | Next: The Story of Ibbity