Nursery Rhymes are of course mainly for smaller children… and we know that lots of you are rather more grown up. But even if you are older, we think you can listen to these rhymes again and learn lots about rhythm and verse. These are very old rhymes and they have lasted for a reason – they are actually very good verses !

Natasha gives some actions that you can do while you are saying the rhymes and some of them have dances. Listen again to these familiar rhymes and be reminded just how charming they are.

For some educational activities that you can do with Nursery Rhymes, see Learning With Nursery Rhymes.

Read by Natasha. Duration 9 min.

Hello

This is Natasha, and I’m dropping by with some more English Nursery rhymes. They come with actions and dances,that you can do while you say them. They are fun to do and will help you learn about rhythm and verse.

Rub a dub dub.

This first one is perfect for bath times.

Rub a dub dub

Three men in a tub

And who do you think they were ?

The Butcher , the Baker,

The Candlestickmaker

Turn them out knaves all of three

You can pretend to be drying yourself with a towel by doing a shaking action up and down with two arms and your hands clasped in front of you..

Rub a dub dub

Three men in a tub

And who do you think they were ?

The Butcher , the Baker,

The candlestickmaker

Turn them out knaves all of three

The action will help you find the rhythm in the verse.

Hickory Dickory Dock

This verse is particularly good for watching the Clock

Hickory Dickory Dock

The mouse ran up the clock

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down

Hickory Dickory dock

Why not try making a clock shape with two arms as you say it? Hold the right arm up to the sky and the other arm out to the side – like the hands of a clock. And you can bring one arm up in a tick-tock motion, 1,2,3,

Hickory Dickory Dock

The mouse ran up the clock

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down

Hickory Dickory dock

This Little Piggy Went to Market.

That is an extra fun verse and good for warming up your feet for the longer rhymes we have to come. Lots of mothers enjoy saying this verse to their young children but any one can do it too!

This little piggy went to Market

And this little piggy went home

And this little piggy had roast beef

And this little piggy had none..

And this little piggy went “wee wee, wee” all the way home

Pinch your own toes as you say the rhyme, imagining that each toe is a little pig

This little piggy went to Market

And this little piggy went home

And this little piggy had roast beef

And this little piggy had none..

And this little piggy went “wee wee, wee” all the way home

Little Jack Horner.

This is a Christmasy verse, but you can say it any time of year.

Little Jack Horner

Sat in a corner eating his Christmas pie

He put in his thumb

And pulled out a plumb

And said “what a good boy am I?”

Picture a big juicy plumb pie in front of you. And as you are saying the rhyme imagine that you are putting in your thumb and pulling out a plumb.

Little Jack Horner

Sat in a corner eating his Christmas pie

He put in his thumb

And pulled out a plumb

And said “what a good boy am I?”

Well actually, I don’t think everyone would agree with Jack that he had such good table manners.

And now here are some rhymes often sung in schools and they come with dances that you can do with them. Some of them are very old verses indeed, but they are timeless and children still play them to this day.

Here we go round the mulberry bush

This is a rhyme about a special tree called a mulberry bush.

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush

On a cold and frosty morning

As you sing it, you all hold hands and gallop three times to the left and three times to the right.

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush

On a cold and frosty morning

Ring a ring a roses

And here’s another verse with a simple circle dance. It’s from the 17th Century. I’m sure everyone knows it ! First you link hands, and you skip round and round in a circle, and when it says ‘a tissue’ you hold your nose and you all fall down.

Ring a ring a roses

A pocket full of poses

A tissue a tissue

We all fall down

Did you know that some people say the verse is about the plague that happened in the 17th Century. The poses – which were flowers like roses – were supposed to protect you from the plague which they thought was caught in the air.

Ring a ring a roses

A pocket full of poses

A tissue a tissue

We all fall down

Oranges and lemons,

This is a longer rhyme well known in English schools and has a game like a dance that is performed with it. Two children link their hands in the air to make an arch. The others dance under the arch – but at the end, their hands come down to make a “chopper” and catch who ever is going through just then, as you will hear.

Oranges and lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement’s.

You owe me five farthings,

Say the bells of St. Martin’s.

When will you pay me?

Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,

Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?

Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,

Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,

And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

And all those bells, are bells of London churches.

And here is a very old rhyme from from The Mother Goose tales first written in 1765. Its called Two Little Dickie Birds

Two little Dickie birds

Sitting on a wall

Fly away peter, fly away Paul

Come back Peter, come back Paul!

For the actions, use your index finger on either hand to act out the birds sitting on the wall when they fly away bring each bird behind your back and then bring them back again for the last line.

Two little Dickie birds

Sitting on a wall

Fly away peter, fly away Paul

Come back Peter, come back Paul!

Well I hope you enjoyed those nursery rhymes. They can help you learn a lot about rhythm

and verse. Some of the verses are very old, and children have sung and played to them for 100s of yeas. So they give us a feel for history too. Bertie says they are really fun, for little children and even when you are grown up!

Ill be back with more stories from Storynory.com soon

For now,

From me Natasha

Bye Bye

Small children love nursery rhymes. But actually, even if you are a little older – perhaps even grown up – you will find the charm and the fun of these traditional verses hard to resist. Perhaps you heard them long ago? We bet you will remember them like you heard them only yesterday.

Nursery rhymes are really important for early speech development. They also seem to reflect the eternal aspects of childhood. Each rhyme might be several hundred years old – but the playground tunes and games never change. Bertie thinks that this is a very special reading of several of the best known rhymes. We hope that you will agree.

For some educational activities that you can do with Nursery Rhymes, see Learning With Nursery Rhymes.

Read by Natasha. Duration 7.10

Hello

This is Natasha,

And I am dropping by with some English nursery rhymes. I expect you might have heard some of them before, but they are always really nice to hear. Most of them are really short. The first is about a little insect that will bring you luck. Next time a ladybird lands on your hand, chant this rhyme as fast as you can and make a wish:

Ladybird, ladybird,

fly away home.

Your house is on fire;

Your children all roam.

Except little Nan

Who sits in her pan

Weaving her laces as fast as she can.

And remember, it’s meant to be really bad luck to kill a ladybird…so make sure that you never do that.

The next rhyme is also about a small creature, but this one is a creepy crawly…

Little Miss Muffet,

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey;

Along came a spider,

And sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Ugh ! Poor little Miss Muffet. Spiders can be really creepy. I’m glad to say that the next rhyme is a little more happy:

Mary Mary Mary

Quite Contrary how does your garden grow?

With Silver Bells and Cockle shells

And pretty maids all in a row

Yes, I love that one. It’s really pretty. And this is a verse that I really like because, well, it’s kind of crazy.

Hey diddle diddle the Cat

And the fiddle

The Cow jumped over the moon

The little dog laughed to see such sport

And the dish ran away with the spoon

Oh, I’d just love to see a cow jump over the moon, and sometimes at night I look up into the sky and hope to see it happen….but I’m still looking, and I’m still hoping.

And this rhyme is about a slightly naughty boy:

Georgie Porgie pudding and pie,

Kissed the girls and made them cry

When the boys came out to play,

Georgie Porgie ran away

And there was another naughty boy called Tom

Tom Tom, the Piper’s Son,

Stole a pig and away he ran

The pig was eat

And the boy was beat

And Tom went roaring down the street.

Now here is a little piece of a good advice:

A wise old owl lived in an oak

The more he saw the less he spoke

The less he spoke the more he heard.

Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird? ?

Yes, silence is golden. And those were a few short rhymes. I’d like to leave you with a longer one. There’s a game that goes with it.. Two people stand facing each other and hold up their arms to make the shape of an arch. Everyone else passes through the arch in turn. When the rhyme ends, the arch comes down and catches who ever is underneath just at that moment.

Well here’s the rhyme. I’m going to give you the slightly older version. And by the way, in old English gay means happy.

London Bridge

Is broken down,

Dance over my Lady Lee.

London Bridge

Is broken down

With a gay Lady.

How shall we build

It up again,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Build it up with

Gravel, and Stone,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Gravel, and Stone,

Will wash away,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Build it up with

Iron, and Steel,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Iron, and Steel,

Will bend, and Bow,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Build it up with

Silver, and Gold,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Silver, and Gold

Will be stolen away,

Dance over my Lady Lee, &c.

Then we’ll set

A man to watch,

Dance over my Lady Lee.

Then we’ll set

A man to watch,

With a gay Lady.

And that was London Bridge is Broken down. If you have enjoyed these nursery rhymes, remember you can leave a comment on Storynory.com and if enough people like them, perhaps we will do some more.

For now, from me, Natasha

Bye Bye.

This amusing tale by the Brothers Grimm tells the tale of a boy whose parents called him “Dummy”. But he can’t have been all that much of a dummy, because he found a golden goose and made all the grandest people of the local town look like fools. Dummy’s secret strength was that he had a kind heart – but few others rated that highly.

But if you are expecting this goose to lay a golden egg, please don’t be disappointed. It’s value, according to the Brothers Grimm, is in its golden feathers.

The Golden Goose has a few features in common with the English tale, Lazy Jack, and we think that if you like one, you’ll enjoy the other !

Read by Natasha. Duration 14.56.

Once upon a time, there lived a wood cutter and his wife who had three sons. The eldest two were strong and tall, and their mother and father were always telling them how handsome and clever they were. But the youngest son was, to tell you the truth, just a bit simple in the head. He wasn’t very tall, and he wasn’t very strong, and his family thought he was good for nothing. They hardly ever called him by his real name, but instead they gave him a cruel nickname. They called him Dummy, because they said he was stupid.

One day the eldest son wanted to go to the forest to cut wood. The mother praised him for being such a useful boy and before he set out, she gave him some of her best fruit cake for his lunch, and a bottle of wine to wash it down. While the boy was walking through the forest, he met a little grey old man who said to him:

“Do give me a little piece of your cake and a swig of your wine. I’m so terribly hungry and thirsty.”
And the eldest son replied;

“Be off with you, you filthy old beggar. “

And the little grey old man went away, but not without taking his revenge. He put a curse on the boy, so that when he started to cut a tree down, his axe slipped and went into his leg. The boy limped home to his mother who washed his wound and bandaged him.

The next day, the second eldest son went out to the forest to cut wood. Before he set out, his mother praised him for being such a useful boy, but especially asked him to be careful with the axe, so as not to have a nasty accident like his brother. The boy promised not to be careless, and his mother gave him some of her best sponge cake for his lunch, and a bottle of wine to wash it down.

It happened that as the boy was walking through the woods, he came across the same little gray old man. The man said to him, “Do please share your sponge cake and your wine with me, for I am so terribly weak with hunger and thirst.” And the boy said;

“Be off with you, you lazy old scoundrel. If you want to eat, you’d better work.”

And the little grey old man went away, but not without taking his revenge. Not long after, when the boy was cutting down a tree, his axe flew out of his hand and hit him on the head. He crawled home to his mother who bandaged up his wound and asked him why he had not kept his promise to be more careful.

For the rest of the week, the two eldest sons were both lying in bed recovering from their wounds. The father said to the third and youngest son:

“Get on your feet, you lazy Dummy, why are you sitting around doing nothing, when both brothers are hurt and unable to work? Get out to the forest and cut some wood – if you’re not too stupid to do that.”

The mother laughed at him and said, “It’s more than likely that Dummy will cut his own head off – but it won’t be much of loss to anyone.” And before he left she gave him some cake that she had burnt almost to a crust in the oven, and a bottle of sour beer to wash it down.

As the youngest boy was going through the woods, he met the same little gray old man who had crossed the path of his brothers. The man said to him:

“Do please share some of your cake and beer with me. I am so terribly hungry and thirsty, and I fear that if I don’t have something to eat and drink soon, I will surely die”
The young boy replied:

“Old man, I will gladly share with you what I have. But the cake is burned and the beer is sour.”

“Never mind that,” said the man. “I am grateful for what you can give me.”

And the boy and the little gray old man sat down and shared the cake and the beer. After they had finished their lunch, the man said:

“Since you have a good heart, and have shared what you have with me, I will give you a reward. You see that old tree over there. Cut it down with your axe and you will find something of value inside its hollow trunk.”

And so when the little gray old man had left, the young boy, whose parents called him “Dummy”, took his axe and cut down the hollow tree just as he had been told. Inside he found a goose – but this was no ordinary bird – for its feathers were made of gold.

The boy realised that he was in luck, and thought to himself: “Why should I go home now and suffer the insults of my parents and brothers? They will take this valuable bird from me, and I shall have nothing.”

And so the boy decided to run away from home. He put the golden goose under his arm and set out for the town. Then he went to the inn, intending to stay there. He stood at the bar and asked the innkeeper if he would accept a golden feather as payment for his board and lodgings. When the innkeeper, saw the golden goose, he readily agreed. But after the boy had gone to bed he said to his three daughters:

“That young boy whose parents call him Dummy is staying up in our guest room. But he can’t be as simple in the head as they say – for he’s got a valuable bird with him – a goose with feathers made of gold.”

The eldest daughter thought to herself, “ Well fancy that. Feathers made of gold. I’ll pluck one or maybe more of those for myself.”

After the clock struck midnight, she sneaked into the boy’s room, and saw that he was asleep with his arm around the golden goose. She crept up and tried to pluck a feather. But the feather wouldn’t budge, and when she tried to take her hand away, she found that she was stuck to it. She couldn’t move, and she couldn’t cry out for fear of waking the boy. She had to stay where she was, on her knees by the bed, with her hand on the feather.

After the clock struck one in the morning, the second sister came in the room, planning to take one feather or more for herself. In the dark she didn’t see her sister, but as soon as she touched her back, she found that her hand was stuck fast to her, and she had to stay where she was, not moving and not making a sound.

After the clock struck two in the morning, the third sister came in. The other two shouted: “Stay back !” but it was too late, – she reached out hoping to steal a feather and found that her hand was stuck to the middle sister.

The boy and the goose slept soundly through all of this. In the morning the boy got up, paid his bill with a golden feather, and left with inn with the goose under his arm. The sisters had no choice but to follow on behind him. A pretty procession they made.

Along the way they met the Bishop:

“What a sight!” he exclaimed. “It’s hardly right for three young women to follow a boy around like that !”

And as the girls went past he tapped the youngest on the shoulder. In doing so he found that he was stuck to her and had to follow.

Further up the road they met a Police Sergeant. The Bishop called out to him “Sergeant: Help me get free from this young woman’s shoulder. I’m stuck to her and people are bound to start all kinds of gossip about it!”

The Police Sergeant tried to pull the Bishop free, but in doing so he found that both his hands stuck to his waist, and he had to follow along with the procession.

At the top of the road they met the Mayor.

‘What’s this town coming to?” cried the Mayor. “The Bishop and the police sergeant following three young girls who are following a young boy, all holding on to each other in a most unseemly fashion. Have they gone mad?”

And as he spoke, he tried to pull the Police Sergeant and the Bishop away – but in doing so he found that he was stuck to both of them, and had to follow on.

The boy led the little line of townspeople along up the road, and at the top of the hill they passed the King’s Palace. Now the King’s daughter was very beautiful, but she had the saddest face in the whole wide world. She had never laughed and not once even smiled. The king was so troubled by the young Princess’s unhappiness, that he had made a special law. Whosoever could make her laugh and smile would win her hand in marriage.

But the truth was that nothing very funny ever happened inside the Royal Palace. All the King’s servants and advisers were far too high and mighty to understand what would make a young girl laugh – or indeed to allow anything amusing to happen at all.

As the boy known as Dummy went past the palace, he still held the golden goose under his arm, and he was followed by the innkeeper’s three daughters, the Bishop, the Police Sergeant, and the Mayor. The Princess looked out at saw the important people in their uniforms being tugged along behind three girls and a boy with a goose, and she thought that it was the first thing she had seen in her life that was truly funny. She burst out laughing and ran, still giggling, to her father to tell him all about what she had seen. When the King looked out of his window and saw the procession, he couldn’t help laughing himself. He sent for his guards and told them to bring the boy and his followers directly to him. When the boy entered the King’s chamber, with the followers behind him, the Mayor, the Bishop and the Policeman all called out angrily that he should pay for his crime with his head. The King, still laughing, said that on the contrary – he would be rewarded with the hand in marriage of his daughter the Princess.

For an entire week after that , the innkeeper’s three daughters, the Bishop, the policeman, and the Mayor were all stuck to the gold goose and to one another. And while they were stuck , all the townspeople and the whole court laughed and laughed at them.

And the boy whose family called him Dummy married the Princess and inherited the kingdom. He lived with his beautiful wife and they had six happy smiling children, and the palace was often filled with laughter.

Lazy Jack goes out to work, but he’s not used to earning a living, and he gets into all sorts of muddles.

This old English story, collected by James Halliwell Orchard Phillips, is a good fireside yarn. If you know the story of the Golden Goose, you might see some similarities. It has a nice repeating structure, and by the end of it, you will probably agree with Jack’s mother, that he’s not the cleverest of lads.

Read by Natasha. Duration: 6.23.

Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he lived with his mother in a dreary cottage. They were very poor, and the old woman earned a few pennies by spinning, but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather, and sit by the corner of the fire in the winter time. His mother could not make him do anything for her, and until at last she warned him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge, she would turn him out of the house to get his living as best he could.

This threat finally stirred Jack, and he went out and found a job for the day working for on a farm. The farmer paid him one penny, but he was not used to having money, and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream. “You stupid boy,” said his mother, “you should have put it in your pocket.” “Next time I will,” replied Jack.

The next day Jack went out again, and found a job with a cowkeeper, who gave him a jar of milk for his day’s work. Jack took the jar and put it into the large pocket of his jacket, spilling it all, long before he got home. “Dear me!” said the old woman; “you should have carried it on ‘ head.” “Next time I will,” replied Jack.

The following day Jack found a job with a farmer, who agreed to give him a cream cheese for his work. In the evening, Jack took the cheese, and went home with it on his head. By the time he got home the cheese was completely spoiled, part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair. “You good-for-nothing boy,” said his mother, “you should have carried it very carefully in your hands.” “Next time, I will,” replied Jack.

The day after this Jack again went out, and found a job with a baker, who would give him nothing for his work but a large tomcat. Jack took the cat, and began carrying it very carefully in his hands, but in a short time Tommy scratched him so much that he was forced to let it go. When he got home, his mother said to him, “You silly fellow, you should have tied it with a string, and dragged it along after you.” “Next time I will” said Jack.

The next day Jack hired himself to a butcher, who rewarded his labours by the handsome present of a shoulder of lamb. Jack took the meat, tied it to a string, and trailed it along after him in the dirt, so that by the time he had got home the meat was completely spoilt. His mother this time completely lost her patience with him, for the next day was Sunday, and she had to make do with cabbage for her dinner. “You nincompoop,” said she to her son, “you should have carried it on your shoulder” “Next time I will,” replied Jack.

On the Monday, Jack went out once more, and found a job with a cattle keeper, who gave him a donkey for his trouble. Although Jack was very strong, he found some difficulty in hoisting the donkey on his shoulders, but at last he managed it, and began walking slowly home with his prize. Now it happened that in a house along his way there lived a rich man with his only daughter, a beautiful girl, but unfortunately deaf and dumb; she had never really laughed in her life, and the doctors said she would never recover till somebody made her laugh.

Many tried without success, and at last the father, in despair, said he would offer her in marriage to the first man who could make her laugh. This young lady happened to be looking out of the window when Jack was passing with the donkey on his shoulders, the legs sticking up in the air, and the sight was so comical and strange, that she burst out into a great fit of laughter, and immediately recovered her speech and hearing. Her father was overjoyed, and kept his promised by marrying her to Jack, who was thus made a rich gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jack’s mother lived with them in great happiness until she died.

And that’s the story of Lazy Jack By James Halliwell Orchard Phillips. I do hope you enjoyed it. Bertie says that perhaps Jack wasn’t quite so lazy after all – but he certainly wasn’t the brightest of boys.

Almost everyone knows the story of The Three Little Pigs – but it’s one of those stories that you can hear again and again. Our audio is based it on the version of Joseph Jacobs – in which the wolf huffs and puffs and the pigs exclaim by the hairs of their chiny chin chins.

Read by Natasha. Duration 9.21

There was once a family of pigs. The mother pig was very poor, and so she sent her three little pigs out to seek their fortunes. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him:

“Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house.”

Which the man did, and the little pig built a house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said:

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

To which the pig answered:

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin.”

The wolf then answered to that:

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze, and said:

“Please, man, give me that furze to build a house.”

Which the man did, and the pig built his house. Then along came the wolf, and said:

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin.”

“Then I’ll puff, and I’ll huff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and he ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said:

“Please, man, give me those bricks to build a house with.”

So the man gave him the bricks, and he built his house with them. So the wolf came, as he did to the other little pigs, and said:

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin.”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could not get the house down. When he found that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said:

“Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips.”

“Where?” said the little pig.

“Oh, in Mr. Smith’s Home-field, and if you will be ready tomorrow morning I will call for you, and we will go together, and get some for dinner.”

“Very well,” said the little pig, “I will be ready. What time do you mean to go?”

“Oh, at six o’clock.”

Well, the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came (which he did about six) and who said:

“Little Pig, are you ready?”

The little pig said: “Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner.”

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be up to the little pig somehow or other, so he said:

“Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree.”

“Where?” said the pig.

“Down at Merry-garden,” replied the wolf, “and if you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five o’clock tomorrow and get some apples.”

Well, the little pig bustled up the next morning at four o’clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but he had further to go, and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming, which, as you may suppose, frightened him very much. When the wolf came up he said:

“Little pig, what! are you here before me? Are they nice apples?”

“Yes, very,” said the little pig. “I will throw you down one.”

And he threw it so far, that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home. The next day the wolf came again, and said to the little pig:

“Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this afternoon, will you go?”

“Oh yes,” said the pig, “I will go; what time shall you be ready?”

“At three,” said the wolf. So the little pig went off before the time as usual, and got to the fair, and bought a butter-churn, which he was going home with, when he saw the wolf coming. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into the churn to hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much, that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little pig’s house, and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came down the hill past him. Then the little pig said:

“Hah, I frightened you, then. I had been to the fair and bought a butter-churn, and when I saw you, I got into it, and rolled down the hill.”

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he would eat up the little pig, and that he would get down the chimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water, and made up a blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.

Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme
And monkeys chewed tobacco,
And hens took snuff to make them tough,
And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!

—-
Some children take better to music lessons than others, so pressing the subject isn’t always the right course of action.

This is a short and very sweet story about a Christmas gift. In fact it’s one of the very few traditional fairy tales with a Christmas theme.

A poor shoemaker receives some unexpected help just when he needs it most. When it is close to Christmas he and his wife decided to give a gift in return.

It’s by the Brother’s Grimm.

Read by Natasha. Duration 6.18

A shoemaker, by no fault of his own, became so poor that at last he had nothing left but enough leather for one pair of shoes.

So in the evening, he cut the leather into the shape of the shoes, and he left his work on the table to finish in the morning. He lay down quietly in his bed, and before he fell asleep he asked God to help him.

In the morning, just as he was about to sit down to work, he saw the two shoes standing quite finished on his table.

He was astounded, and did not know what to make of it.

He took the shoes in his hands to look at them them more closely and he saw that they were so neatly made that there was not one bad stitch in them. It just as if they were intended as a masterpiece.

Soon after, a customer came in to the shop, and as the shoes pleased him so well, he paid more than the usual price. Now the shoe maker had enough money to buy leather for two pairs of shoes.

That night, he cut out the leather. Next morning he was about to set to work with fresh hope for the future when he saw that the shoes were already made.

There was no shortage of customers who wanted the shoes. The shoemaker soon had enough to buy leather for four pairs of shoes.

The following morning he found the four pairs made; and so it went on. Any leather that he cut out in in the evening was finished by the morning,

Soon he was no longer poor, and he even became quite rich.

Now one evening not long before Christmas, the man finished cutting out the leather as usual. But this time he said to his wife, “Let’s stay up to-night to see who it is that lends us this helping hand?”

The woman liked the idea, and lighted a candle, and then they hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind some clothes which were hanging up there, and watched.

When it was midnight, two little elves came into the room, both without any clothes on, and sat down by the shoemaker’s table. They took all the work which was cut out before them and began to stitch, and sew, and hammer so skillfully and so quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker could not turn away his eyes for astonishment.

They did not stop until all was done, and stood finished on the table, and then they
ran quickly away.

Next morning the woman said, “The little men have made us rich, and we really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so, and have nothing on, and must be cold. I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I will make them little shirts, and coats, and vests, and trousers, and knit both of them a pair of stockings, and you can help too – make them two little pairs
of shoes.”

The man said, “I shall be very glad to do it;” and one night, when everything was ready, they laid their presents all together on the table instead of the cut-out work. Then hid themselves to see what the little men would do.

At midnight they came bounding in, and wanted to get to work at once, but as they did not find any leather cut out, but only the pretty little articles of clothing, they were at first puzzled, and then delighted. They dressed themselves very quickly, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing,

“Now we are boys so fine to see,
Why should we longer cobblers be?”

Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At last they danced out of doors. From that time one they came no more, but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all his business prospered.

This amusing story by the Brothers Grimm is about four farm animals who are convinced they can earn a good living as musicians. Indeed they do, but it isn’t really the sweetness of their barking, braying, mewing, and cockle-doodle-doing, that earns them their supper – it’s more the terror of the sound they make !

Read by Natasha. Duration 9.50.

A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the mill loyally for many a long year; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to wonder if it was worth his while keeping this old donkey much longer.

The donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. “There,” he thought, “I can surely be town-musician.”

When he had walked some distance, he found a dog lying on the road, gasping like one who had run till he was tired. “What are you gasping so for, you big fellow?” asked the donkey.

“Ah,” replied the dog, “as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me, so I ran away, but now how am I to earn my bread?”

“I tell you what,” said the donkey, “I am going to Bremen, and shall be a town-musician there; go with me and work also as a musician. I will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum.”

The dog agreed, and on they went. Before long they came to a cat, sitting on the path, with a face like three rainy days! “Now then, old fluff and claws, what gone all wrong with you?” asked the donkey.

“Who can be merry when his neck is in danger?” answered the cat. “Because I am now getting old, and my teeth are worn to stumps, and I prefer to sit by the fire and spin, rather than hunt about after mice, my mistress wanted to drown me, so I ran away. But now good advice is scarce. Where am I to go?”

“Go with us to Bremen. You understand night-music, you can be a town-musician.”

The cat thought well of it, and went with them. After this the three runaways came to a farm-yard, where the cockerel was sitting upon the gate, cock-a-doodle-doing with all his might. “Your cock-a-doodle-do goes through and through my skull” said the donkey. “What is the matter?”

` Guests are coming for Sunday and the housewife has no pity,’ said the cockerel, ‘ And has told the cook that she intends to eat me in the soup to-morrow, and this evening I am to have my head cut off. Now I am cock-a-doodle-doing at full pitch while I can.”

“Ah you red-headed bird” said the donkey, “you had better come away with us. We are going to Bremen; you can find something better than death everywhere: you have a good voice, and if we make music together it must have some quality!”

The cockerel agreed to this plan, and all four went on together. They could not, however, reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening they came to a forest where they meant to pass the night. The donkey and the dog laid themselves down under a large tree, the cat and the cockerel settled themselves in the branches; but the cockerel flew right to the top, where he was most safe. Before he went to sleep, he called out to his companions that there must be a house not far off, for he saw a light. The donkey said, “If so, we had better get up and go on, for the shelter here is bad.” The dog thought that a few bones with some meat on would do him good too!

So they moved further on, and soon saw the light shine brighter and grow larger, until they came to a well-lit robber’s house. The donkey, as the biggest, went to the window and looked in. “What do you see, my grey-horse?” asked the cockerel. “What do I see?” answered the donkey; “a table covered with good things to eat and drink, and robbers sitting at it enjoying themselves.” “That would be the sort of thing for us,” said the cockerel. “Yes, yes; ah, how I wish we were there!” said the donkey.

Then the animals put their heads together and schemed how to best win an invitation to come inside and join the robbers at the table.

“Come, come my friends,,” said the donkey, “We are musicians, so let us sing for our supper.”

And so they began to perform their music together: the donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cockerel cock-a-doodle-doed; then they burst through the window into the room, so that the glass clattered! At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, thinking no otherwise than that a ghost had come in, and fled in a great fright out into the forest. The four companions now sat down at the table, well content with what was left, and ate as if they were going to fast for a month.

As soon as the four musicians had done, they put out the light, and each found a sleeping-place according to his nature and to what suited him. The donkey laid himself down upon some straw in the yard, the dog behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cockrel perched himself upon a beam of the roof; and being tired from their long walk, they soon went to sleep.

When it was past midnight, and the robbers saw from afar that the light was no longer burning in their house, and all appeared quiet, the captain said, “We ought not to have let ourselves be frightened out of our wits;” and ordered one of them to go and examine the house.

The messenger finding all still, went into the kitchen to light a candle, and, taking the glistening fiery eyes of the cat for burning coals, he held the candle to them to light it. But the cat did not understand what he meant to do, and flew in his face, spitting and scratching. He was dreadfully frightened, and ran to the back-door, but the dog, who lay there sprang up and bit his leg; and as he ran across the yard by the straw-heap, the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot. The cockerel, too, who had been awakened by the noise, and had become lively, cried down from the beam, “cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Then the robber ran back as fast as he could to his captain, and said, “Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard there lies a black monster, who beat me with a wooden club; and above, upon the roof, sits the judge, who called out, `Bring the rogue here to me!’ so I got away as well as I could.”

After this the robbers did not trust themselves in the house again; but it suited the four musicians of Bremen so well that they did not care to leave it any more.

This famous tale is short but very SNAPPY !

We bring you the Charles Perrault version – and he doesn’t mince his words. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ! You may have heard this story before with a happy twist at the end. In this one that doesn’t happen. There’s NO HAPPY ENDING !!!. The Brothers Grimm were more kind to Little Red Riding Hood. (Compare versions if you are interested).

The moral of the tale should ring through today “DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS !!” This is Red Riding Hood’s fatal mistake when she meets the wolf on the way to Grandma’s.

Read by Natasha. Duration 7 minutes 10.
Original Pictures for Storynory bySophie Green.

Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, “Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake, and this little pot of butter.”

Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village.

As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, “I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother.”

“Does she live far off?” said the wolf

“Oh I say,” answered Little Red Riding Hood; “it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in the village.”

“Well,” said the wolf, “and I’ll go and see her too. I’ll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who will be there first.”

The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way, entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and gathering bouquets of little flowers. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman’s house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap.

“Who’s there?”

“Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood,” replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice; “who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter sent you by mother.”

The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, “Pull the string, and the latch will go up.”

The wolf pulled the string n, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother’s bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap.

“Who’s there?”

Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, “It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you.”

The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, “Pull the string, and the latch will go up.”

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the string, and the door opened.

The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, “Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come sit on the bed with me.”

Little Red Riding Hood sat on the bed. She was greatly amazed to see how her grandmother looked in her nightclothes, and said to her, “Grandmother, what big arms you have!”

“All the better to hug you with, my dear.”

“Grandmother, what big legs you have!”

“All the better to run with, my child.”

“Grandmother, what big ears you have!”

“All the better to hear with, my child.”

“Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”

“All the better to see with, my child.”

“Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!”

“All the better to eat you up with.”

And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.

—-

Children who enjoy getting an education in music may have life-long interests in the subject they should pursue.

Dear Kidz,

These are wonderful Little Red Riding Hood illustrations

fairytale for our recording on Storynory. A Special thanks to Sophie Green who designed the picture’s. I hope they help bring the Story to life as you’re listening.

The pictures will be used as the backdrop for Little Red Riding, Digital Storytelling to come

So look out and Keep Listening!

Bye for now

N*

Read PRC ( post recording review) Fairytale Times

A slave runs away from his master and hides in the woods – then finds himself face to face with a limping lion….

The tale of Androcles and the Lion is said to have been written by Aesop – the great Greek storyteller who always summed up his stories from the animal kingdom with a moral. In the case of Androcles, the lesson is that “Gratitude is the sign of a noble soul!”

Read by Natasha. Duration 6 minutes 5 seconds

It happened in ancient times that a slave named Androcles escaped from his master and fled into the forest, and he wandered there for a long time until he was weary and well nigh spent with hunger and despair.

Just then he heard a lion near him moaning and groaning and at times roaring terribly. Tired as he was Androcles rose up and rushed away from the lion; but as he made his way through the bushes he stumbled over the root of a tree and fell down twisting his ankle, and when he tried to get up there he saw the lion coming towards him, limping on three feet and holding his forepaw in front of him.

Poor Androcles was in despair; he had not strength to rise and run away, and there was the lion coming upon him. But when the great beast came up to him instead of attacking him it kept on moaning and groaning and looking at Androcles, who saw that the lion was holding out his right paw, which was covered with blood and much swollen. Looking more closely at it Androcles saw a great big thorn pressed into the paw, which was the cause of all the lion’s trouble. Plucking up courage he seized hold of the thorn and drew it out of the lion’s paw, who roared with pain when the thorn came out, but soon after found such relief from it that he rubbed up against Androcles and showed, in every way that he knew, that he was truly thankful for being relieved from such pain.

Instead of eating him up he brought him a young deer that he had slain, and Androcles managed to make a meal from it. For some time the lion continued to bring the game he had killed to Androcles, who became quite fond of the huge beast.

But one day a number of soldiers came marching through the forest and found Androcles, and as he could not explain what he was doing they took him prisoner and brought him back to the town from which he had fled. Here his master soon found him and brought him before the authorities, and he was condemned to death because he had fled from his master.

Now it used to be the custom to throw murderers and other criminals to the lions in a huge circus, so that while the criminals were punished the public could enjoy the spectacle of a combat between them and the wild beasts.

So Androcles was condemned to be thrown to the lions, and on the appointed day he was led forth into the Arena and left there alone with only a spear to protect him from the lion. The Emperor of Rome was in the royal box that day and gave the signal for the lion to come out and attack Androcles. But when it came out of its cage and got near Androcles, what do you think it did? Instead of jumping upon him it rubbed up against him and stroked him with its paw and made no attempt to do him any harm.

It was of course the lion which Androcles had met in the forest. The Emperor, surprised at seeing such a strange behavior in so cruel a beast, summoned Androcles to him and asked him how it happened that this particular lion had lost all its cruelty of character. So Androcles told the Emperor all that had happened to him and how the lion was showing its gratitude for his having relieved it of the thorn. Thereupon the Emperor pardoned Androcles and ordered his master to set him free, while the lion was taken back into the forest and let loose to enjoy freedom once more.

This story from Norway is short but exciting – and ideal for small children (although it’s bit scary!). Three billy goats, each with the same name (Gruff), are on the way up the hillside to eat grass and get fat. On the way they have to cross a bridge where a hungry troll lies in wait in the ravine.

Read by Natasha. Duration Five Minutes.

ONCE upon a time there were three billy goats, who were to go up to the hillside to eat grass and make themselves fat. The name of each one of them was “Gruff”.

On the way up was a bridge over a cascading stream they had to cross; and under the bridge lived a great ugly troll, with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.

So first of all came the youngest Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

“Trip, trap! trip, trap!” went the bridge as he trotted across.

“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“Oh, it is only I, the tiniest Billy Goat Gruff, and I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy goat, with such a small voice.

“Now, I’m coming to gobble you up,” said the troll.

“Oh, no! pray don’t take me. I’m too little, that I am,” said the billy goat. “Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”

“Well, be off with you,” said the troll.

A little while after came the second Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

“TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!” went the bridge.

“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“Oh, it’s the second Billy Goat Gruff, and I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy goat, who hadn’t such a small voice.

“Now I’m coming to gobble you up,” said the troll.

“Oh, no! Don’t take me. Wait a little till the big Billy Goat Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”

“Very well! Be off with you,” said the troll.

But just then up came the big Billy Goat Gruff.

“TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!” went the bridge, for the billy goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.

“Who’s that tramping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“It’s I! The big Billy Goat Gruff,” said the billy goat, who had an ugly hoarse voice of his own.

“Now I ‘m coming to gobble you up,” roared the troll.

Well, come along! I’ve got two spears,
And I’ll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I’ve got besides two curling-stones,
And I’ll crush you to bits, body and bones.

That was what the big billy goat said. And then he flew at the troll, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the ravine and after that he went up to the hillside. There the billy goats got so fat they were scarcely able to walk home again. And if the fat hasn’t fallen off them, why, they’re still fat; and so,

Snip Snap Snout
This Tale is out!

Wow Tim says that was exciting – and now he wants to hear it all over again before he goes to bed. Well Tim, maybe we’ll just have to wait for another night to hear that one. In the meantime, if you want to hear more stories – you can find loads and loads of them over at Storynory.com – For now, from me, Natasha, Bye Bye!

——-

The Billy Goats Gruff

Hello, This is Natasha, and I’m dropping by to tell you a story from Norway about three Billy Goats, and great big fierce Troll who wanted to gobble them up. Prince Bertie’s friend Tim the Tadpole especially requested this story, because it’s small but very interesting, just like he is – so it will only take me a minute or two to tell it two you.

ONCE upon a time there were three billy goats, who were to go up to the hillside to make to much grass and make themselves fat. The name of each one of them was “Gruff”.

On the way up was a bridge over a cascading stream they had to cross; and under the bridge lived a great ugly troll, with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.

So first of all came the youngest Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

“Trip, trap! trip, trap!” went the bridge as he trotted across.

“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“Oh, it is only I, the tiniest Billy Goat Gruff, and I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy goat, with such a small voice.

“Now, I’m coming to gobble you up,” said the troll.

“Oh, no! pray don’t take me. I’m too little, that I am,” said the billy goat. “Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”

“Well, be off with you,” said the troll.

A little while after came the second Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.

“TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!” went the bridge.

“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“Oh, it’s the second Billy Goat Gruff, and I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy goat, who hadn’t such a small voice.

“Now I’m coming to gobble you up,” said the troll.

“Oh, no! Don’t take me. Wait a little till the big Billy Goat Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”

“Very well! Be off with you,” said the troll.

But just then up came the big Billy Goat Gruff.

“TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!” went the bridge, for the billy goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.

“Who’s that tramping over my bridge?” roared the troll.

“It’s I! The big Billy Goat Gruff,” said the billy goat, who had an ugly hoarse voice of his own.

“Now I ‘m coming to gobble you up,” roared the troll.

Well, come along! I’ve got two spears,
And I’ll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I’ve got besides two curling-stones,
And I’ll crush you to bits, body and bones.

That was what the big billy goat said. And then he flew at the troll, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the ravine and after that he went up to the hillside. There the billy goats got so fat they were scarcely able to walk home again. And if the fat hasn’t fallen off them, why, they’re still fat; and so,

Snip Snap Snout
This Tale is out!