The Book of Frogs and Mice.
No author known.
New York: McLoughlin Bros., 1892.
Reprinted – New York: Merrimack Publishing Corporation, n.d.

THERE was a Frog lived in a bog–
   A Frog of high degree–
A stylish youth, and yet, forsooth,
   A bachelor was he.

He had not wed because, he said,
   He'd ne'er in all his life
Seen in the bog a pollywog
   He cared to make his wife.

But one fine day, when drest up gay,
   He passed a pretty house,
And there beside the window spied
   A most attractive mouse.

He raised his hat, and gazing at
   Miss Mouse, in suit of gray,
He made a bow, likewise a vow
   To marry her straightway.

   When he was drest
   In scarlet vest,
And a coat of velvet sheen,
   With frills of lace
   And sword in place,
His like was nowhere seen.

His smile was bland; his style so grand,
   He said with pride, "I know
Miss Mouse so fair, can find nowhere
   So suitable a beau!

"If she'll agree to live with me,
   And be my faithful wife,
Oh, she shall dine on dishes fine,
   And lead an easy life."

When he went by, Miss Mouse, so shy,
   Would hide her blushing face;
But truth to tell could see quite well
   Through curtains of thin lace.

And from her nook, ah! many a look
   She gave, with heart astir;
And oft did she confess that he
   Was just the beau for her.

At last so blue poor froggy grew,
   He went up to the house
And rang the bell, in haste to tell
   His love for Mistress Mouse.

He passed the door, and on the floor
   He knelt and kissed her hand;
"Wilt marry me?" he asked, while she
   Her burning blushes fanned.

She answered "Yes," as you may guess,
   To Mister Frog's delight;
His arm he placed around her waist,
   And joy was at its height.

   The wedding-day
   Was set straightway;
The town was all agog;
   And gifts, not few,
   Were sent unto
Miss Mouse and Mister Frog.

And never yet was banquet set,
   In country or in town,
With fare more rich than that to which
   The wedding guests sat down

And, after all, there was the ball,
   For which the band was hired!
And frogs and mice were up in a trice,
   And danced till their toes were tired.

A FROG HE WOULD A WOOING GO.

A Frog he would a-wooing go,
Whether his mother would let him or no.

So off he set with his opera hat,
And on the road he met a rat.

"Pray, Mr. Rat, will you go with me,
Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see?"

They soon arrived at Mousey's Hall,
And gave a loud knock, and gave a loud call.

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?"
"Oh, yes, kind sirs, I sit and spin."

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, will you give us some beer?
For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer."

"Pray, Mr. Frog, will you give us a song?
But let it be something that's not very long."

Said Mr. Frog, "I shall have to say No;
A cold has made me as hoarse as a crow."

"Since you have a cold, Mr. Frog," she said,
"I'll sing you a song that I have just made."

But while they were making a merry din,
A cat and her kittens came tumbling in.

The cat she seized the rat by the crown.
The kittens they pulled the little mouse down.

This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright,
So he took up his hat, and he wished them good night.

But as Froggy was crossing over a brook,
A lily-white duck came and gobbled him up.

So there was an end of one, two, three,
The Rat, the Mouse, and the little Frog-ee!

THIS BOOK IS A REPLICA OF THE ANTIQUE ORIGINAL

Merrimack Publishing Corporation
85 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10003
No. A1020 Printed in Hong Kong