little sir cat sees the cow jump over the moon

one day as little sir cat was riding along on his pony, dapple gray, he met the cow that jumped over the moon.

"come here to-night

when the moon is bright.

you'll hear a fine tune

when i jump o'er the moon."

"all right," he answered, and then he went on his way, and by-and-by he met little dog muff, who spilt his master's snuff. and, goodness me! how he did bark! but this didn't frighten little sir cat. no, siree. he knew that muff was only barking for joy. so he put out his paw and said:

"helloa, muff. have you spilt any snuff lately?"

"no. i haven't," he answered. "i don't live with my master any more. he wasn't a kind man; so old dog tray got me a good job, and i've been a watch dog ever since." and then little sir cat rode down the street until he came to a pat-a-cake baker shop, outside of which stood a little boy.

pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,

baker's man,

bake me a doughnut

as fast as you can.

and goodness me! that little boy stuffed a whole doughnut into his mouth, he was in such a hurry. "hold on!" cried little sir cat, "don't choke yourself!" and pretty soon the baker man came out of his little shop and gave dapple gray a lump of sugar. "you have a fine horse, sir cat. how much do you want for him?"

"nothing."

"what!" cried the baker man, in astonishment.

"he's not for sale," said little sir cat. and just then the school bell rang and off went the little boy to his lessons.

so little sir cat said "gid-ap!" and rode away with muff at his heels, and by-and-by they came to a thick wood. "don't let us go in," said dapple gray, "for, there may be robbers hidden among the trees." and just then a fierce-looking man ran out and, seizing dapple gray by the bridle, shouted: "give me your purse, or i'll make you my prisoner!"

but dapple gray rose on his hind legs and with his front feet knocked the robber heels over head, and then off he went on a gallop. and after a while, not so very long, little sir cat saw a great white bird sitting on a gold egg. "did you lay that golden egg, mr. big bird?" he asked. but the great white bird didn't answer. maybe she was frightened, or maybe she was waiting for the golden egg to hatch, for just then, all of a sudden, the shell broke open and out hopped twenty-one little white birds armed with swords. and one of them was dressed like a captain, with gold epaulets on his shoulder wings, and one had a drum, like a regular little drummer boy. and then they all began to sing:

we are the soldier birds of the air,

and we need no aeroplane,

for we can fly across the sky

in sunshine and in rain.

and if an enemy comes in view

with our bright sharp swords we'll cut him in two.

"hurrah!" cried little sir cat, and the great white mother bird flapped her wings, for she was mighty proud to think that she had raised a little sky army for mother goose land.

ack, be nimble!

jack be quick!

jack, jump over the candlestick!

jack jumped when something struck his wheel,

for his candlestick was an automobile!