Published originally by Augener in 1911, this collection of 30 favourite children’s rhymes features original tunes harmonized by Alfred Moffat and is beautifully illustrated in the muted tones of Dutch artist Henriette Willebeek Le Mair (1889-1966). Each rhyme is depicted on the left hand side page, either in an oval or double-oval, bordered with flowers or foliage, all in full colour. On the right hand side page, the text of the rhyme is shown with its musical score and subsequent verses, again bordered with flowers and leaves, in an oval shape. I can imagine the many children who may have owned this book being entertained by, and singing along to, the piano music.
The rhymes contained in the original edition of the book are as follows:
1. Pussy cat, pussy cat; 2. Mary had a little lamb; 3. Sing a song of sixpence; 4. Little Jack Horner; 5. Ding dong bell; 6. Three blind mice; 7. Here we go round the mulberry bush; 8. Three little kittens; 9. Pat-a-cake; 10. Mary, Mary, quite contrary; 11. Lucy Locket; 12. I love little pussy; 13. Baa baa black sheep; 14. Humpty Dumpty; 15. O where is my little dog gone?; 16. Georgy Porgy; 17. Little Miss Muffet; 18. Dickory, dickory dock; 19. Girls and boys come out to play; 20. Jack and Jill; 21. Yankee Doodle; 22. Twinkle, twinkle, little star; 23. Little Bo-Peep; 24. Oranges and lemons; 25. Ride a cock horse; 26. What are little boys made of?; 27. There was a little man; 28. Little boy blue; 29. Polly put the kettle on; 30. Hush-a-bye Baby.