David Rands has kindly shared with readers of the Victorian Web his site about the life and works of W. B. Rands, the prolific writer of children's literature and originator of The Boy's Own Paper. Readers may wish to consult this site for more information about this little-known figure who had an immense influence upon Victorian children. [GPL]
If the butterfly courted the bee,
And the owl the porcupine;
If churches were built in the sea,
And three times one was nine;
If the pony rode his master,
If the buttercups ate the cows,
If the cat had the dire disaster
To be worried, sir, by the mouse;
If mamma sold the baby
To a gipsy for half-a-crown;
If a gentleman, sir, was a lady,-
The world would be upside-down!
If any or all of these wonders
Should ever come about,
I should not consider them blunders
For I should be inside-out.
Chorus:
Ba-ba, black wool,
Have you any sheep?
Yes, sir, a pack-full
Creep, mouse, creep!
Four-and-twenty little maids
Hanging out the pie,
Out jumped the honey-pot
Guy Fawkes, Guy!
Cross-latch, cross-latch,
Sit and spin the fire,
When the pie was opened,
The bird was on the briar!
Last modified 21 August 2005