Kate Greenaway Quotes

“Street Show Puff, puff, puff. How the trumpets blow All you little boys and girls come and see the show. One-two-three, the Cat runs up the tree; But the little Bird he flies away- ‘She hasn’t got me!’ ”

“From Market Oh who’ll give us Posies, And Garlands of Roses, To twine round our heads to gay? For here we come bringing You many good wishes to-day. From Market-from market-from market- We all come up from market.”

“Wishes Oh, if you were a little boy, And I was a little girl- Why you would have some whiskers grow And then my hair would curl. Ah! if I could have whiskers grow, I’d let you have my curls; But what’s the use of wishing it- Boys never can be girls.”

“When you and I Grow Up When you and I Grow up-Polly- I mean that you and me, Shall go sailing in a big ship Right over all the sea. We’ll wait till we are older, For if we went to-day, You know that we might lose ourselves, And never find the way.”

“In An Apple Tree In September, when the apples were red, To Belinda I said, ‘Would you like to go away To Heaven, or stay Here in this orchard full of trees All your life?’ And she said, ‘If you please I’ll stay here-where I know, And the flowers grow.’ ”

“To Baby Oh, what shall my blue eyes go see? Shall it be pretty Quack-Quack to-day? Or the Peacock upon the Yew Tree? Or the dear little white Lambs at play? Say Baby. For Baby is such a young Petsy, And Baby is such a sweet Dear. And Baby is growing quite old now- She’s just getting on for a year.”

“Susan Blue Oh, Susan Blue, How do you do? Please may I go for a walk with you? Where shall we go? Oh, I know-- Down in the meadow where the cowslips grow!”

“At School Five little Girls, sitting on a form, Five little Girls, with lessons to learn, Five little Girls, who, I’m afraid, Won’t know them a bit when they have to be said. For little eyes are given to look Anywhere else than on their book; And little thoughts are given to stray Anywhere-ever so far away.”

“On the Wall Top So high- so high on the wall we run, The nearer the sky- why, the nearer the sun, If you give me one penny, I’ll give you two, For that’s the way good neighbours do.”

“The Tea Party In the pleasant green Garden We sat down to tea; ‘Do you take sugar?’ and ‘Do you take milk?’ She’d got a new gown on- A smart one of silk. We all were so happy As happy could be, On that bright Summer’s day When she asked us to tea.”

“Rock-a-bye baby, thy cradle is green; Father’s a nobleman, Mother’s a queen. And Betty’s a lady, And wears a gold ring; And Johnny’s a drummer, And drums for the king.”

“Bonny lass, pretty lass, wilt thou be mine? Thou shall not wash dishes, Nor yet serve the swine; Thou shalt sit on a cushion, and sew a fine seam, And thou shalt eat strawberries, sugar; and cream!”

“To market, to market, to buy a plum cake, Home again, home again, market is late; To market, to market, to buy a plum bun, Home again, home again, market is done.”

“All around the green gravel, The grass grows so green, And all the pretty maids are fit to be seen; Wash them in milk, Dress them in silk, And the first to go down shall be married.”

“Little Tommy Tittlemouse, Lived in a little house; He caught fishes In other men’s ditches.”

“Little Betty Blue, Lost her holiday shoe. What will poor Betty do? Why, give her another, And then she will walk in two.”

“Draw a pail of water; For my lady’s daughter; My father’s a king, and my mother’s a queen, My two little sisters are dressed in green, Stamping grass and parsley; Marigold leaves and daisies.”

“Lucy Locket, lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it; There was not a penny in it, But a ribbon round it.”

“Girls and boys come out to play, The moon it shines as bright as day; Leave your supper, and leave your sleep, And come to your playmates in the street; Come with a whoop, come with a call, Come with a good will, or come not at all; Up the ladder and down the wall, A halfpenny loaf will serve us all.”

Elsie Marley has grown so fine, She won’t get up to serve the swine; But lies in bed till eight or nine, And surely she does take her time.”