Emilie Poulsson

“ Barney Gray is still living, petted by his now grown-up owners and enjoyed by all children who visit the farm to which the donkey came about twenty years ago, and a drive with Barney is quite as likely now as in former days to have unexpected features. ”

“ Yet it is not solely upon the pleasure derived from them, that finger-plays depend for their raison d’etre. By their judicious and early use, the development of strength and flexibility in the tiny lax fingers may be assisted, and dormant thought may receive its first awakening call through the motions which interpret as well as illustrate the phase of life or activity presented by the words. ”

“ Several of the rhymed stories in this book are true stories, and children may enjoy them the more for knowing that Barney, a real donkey, did run away and play pranks as the rhymes say; that Midget did ride horseback; that the deer did toss the hay to the hungry pony; and that Queen Victoria did restore the birds' nesting-place in the old round tower at Windsor. Pony Rollo, too, is a real character, clever and lovable, although some liberties have been taken in the portrayal of him and his doings. ”

“ The grocer said he only kept in his store
What miller and farmer had brought in before
To help for the Thanksgiving Dinner.
The jolly old butcher laughed long and laughed loud,
"My Thanksgiving turkeys do make me feel proud,
And one's for your dinner; but then you must know
The turkeys are raised by the farmer, and so
He gives you your Thanksgiving Dinner." ”

“ In all times and among all nations, finger-plays have been a delight of childhood. Countless babies have laughed and crowed over “Pat-a-cake” and other performances of the soft little hands; while children of whatever age never fail to find amusement in playing ”

“ A baby-friend, ten months old, plays “All for Baby” throughout, pounding and clapping gleefully with all his might—while children seven or eight years of age play and sing “The Caterpillar,” “How the 6Corn Grew” and others with very evident enjoyment.
With a little study of the charming and expressive pictures with which the artist, Mr. L.J. Bridgman, has so sympathetically illustrated the rhymes, mothers and kindergartners have easily understood what motions were intended. ”

“ For it's "Oh! for a gallop and good free run!"
These frolicsome ponies would say.
Trampety tramp! Now the master comes!
Sweet hay he is bringing to each.
But there's one hungry pony whose share all goes
Far out of the poor fellow's reach.
Pullety pull! How the pony pulls!
He stretches and tugs, might and main.
But the hay, every wisp, so far away lies
That all Pony's tugging is vain.
Leapety leap! On his four long legs
Comes bounding a tall stately deer;
Not a wild deer is he, but the master's pet,
The ponies' friend, many a year.
[Pg 43]
[Pg 44]
[Pg 45]
Stridety stride! ”

“ Barney's face is meek and placid,
Of success he's sure.
When the daring would-be rider
Mounts the donkey's back,
Barney seems resigned: and starting,
Trots along till—Whack!
Tableau—Barney standing pensive
With a guileless stare.
[Pg 13] In the dust or mud, the rider!
How did he get there?
Many riders, big and little,
Many times have tried;
No one ever mastered Barney,—
Ever had a ride.
And since Barney is so stub—well,
Firm, at any rate,
Till a pony comes, the children
Must for riding wait.
[Pg 14]
II. THE PONY'S ARRIVAL
"Here's the pony! ”

“ During the singing of the first verse, the children look about in every direction for the “little men,” but keep the hands hidden. At the beginning of the second verse, raise both hands to full view with fingers outspread and quiet. At the words, “The first to come,” etc., let the thumbs be shown alone, then the others as named in turn, till all are again outspread as at the beginning of the second verse. ”

“ All the hens as they looked at their eggs with pride.
But "Cluck-cluck! Cluck-cluck!" called the old black hen
Till she heard "Peep, peep!" from her chicks again.
What a noise it was!—from the cock that crew,
From the dog, the cow, and the piggies, too,
From the lambs and sheep, from the geese and ducks,
From the chicks and hens with their peeps and clucks!
But the baby heard all the sounds with glee.
The more loud the noise, why! the more pleased he;
And he clapped and shouted and laughed aloud
As he heard the noise of the farmyard crowd.
[Pg 72]
THE DONKEY'S EARS ”

“ The eighteen finger-plays contained in this book have already, through publication in Babyland, been introduced to their especial public, and have been much used in homes, though perhaps more in kindergartens. It will readily be seen that while some of the plays are for the babies in the nursery, others are more suitable for older children. ”

“ That Barney soon was being dragged
Full roughly up the hill.
"Well, well!" at last thought Barney,
"The coachman is so strong,
I might as well be good just now,"
And so he walked along.
And when he reached the stable
And stood within his stall
You'd scarce believe so meek a beast
Could run away at all!
[Pg 10]
But all the meditations
Of this meek Barney Gray
Are only of some future time
When he may run away.
[Pg 11]
PONY ROLLO RHYMES I. THE PONY NEEDED
Barney was the children's donkey,
Full of tricks was he,
But no beast of sober merits
More beloved could be. ”

“ Are plaited for a bonnet,
The feather-coated ostrich gives
The plumes we place upon it.
From tropic trees the milky sap
Men constantly are getting,
And making into rubber shoes
To save our feet a wetting ”

“ The things for our Thanksgiving Dinner."
[Pg 58]
But Father said: "I earn the money, 'tis true;
But money alone not a great deal can do.
The butcher, the grocer, whose things we must buy,
Should not be forgotten, for they more than I
Will give us our Thanksgiving Dinner."
"Oh! isn't it funny?" said Dorothy, then;
"And now, I suppose, if I asked these two men,
The grocer, the butcher, about it, they'd say
It surely is somebody else and not they
Who gives us our Thanksgiving Dinner."
And soon little Dorothy heard with delight
That her guess about grocer and butcher was right. ”

“ Thank the pony now!"
Down the little dog would jump
With a sharp "Bow-wow!"
Pretty little doggies
Just of Midget's kind,
Lively, clever, full of tricks,
You will often find.
Which of them is Midget
You can surely tell
By this horseback-riding trick
That he does so well.
The End
OF
PONY ROLLO RHYMES
[Pg 42]
THE KINDLY DEER
Trottety trot! ”

“ The Feeble Man doth linger;
And last of all,
So fair and small,
The baby—Little Finger.
Yes! here are the merry, merry Little Men
To join us in our play;
And here are the busy, busy Little Men
To help us work to-day.
12
THE MERRY LITTLE MEN. [Listen] [PDF] [MusicXML]
Emilie Poulsson. Cornelia C. Roeske.
13
14
II.—THE LAMBS.
This is the meadow where all the long day
Ten little frolicsome lambs are at play.
These are the measures the good farmer brings
Salt in, or cornmeal, and other good things.
15
These are the big shears to shear the old sheep ”

“ In the belief that such rhymes as are herein offered gratify and increase in children both the love of animals and the sense of humor, this new volume is sent forth not only to give pleasure, but to contribute what it may to the fostering of these desirable traits. ”

“ To hear a song, click on the [Listen] link. To view a song in sheet-music form, click on the [PDF] link. To view MusicXML code for a song, click on the [MusicXML] link. Lyrics contained in the music image are set forth in text below the image.
The picture parts of this e-book are best viewed at normal or medium text size.
CONTENTS
FINGER PLAYS FOR NURSERY AND KINDERGARTEN By
Emilie Poulsson Music By
Cornelia C. Roeske Illustrations By L.J. Bridgman [D. Lothrop Company, Boston, 1893]
“WHAT THE CHILD IMITATES, HE BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND.”—Froebel. ”