 | Rhymes and jingles by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
147
Johnny the Stout
“Ho, for a frolic!”
Said Johnny the stout;
“There's coasting and sledding,—
I'm going out!”
Said Johnny the stout;
“There's coasting and sledding,—
I'm going out!”
Scarcely had Johnny
Plunged in the snow,
When there came a complaint
Up from his toe:—
Plunged in the snow,
When there came a complaint
Up from his toe:—
“We're cold,” said the toe,
“I and the rest;
There are ten of us freezing—
Standing abreast.”
“I and the rest;
There are ten of us freezing—
Standing abreast.”
Then up spoke an ear:
“My! but it's labor—
Playing in winter. Eh,
Opposite neighbor?”
“My! but it's labor—
Playing in winter. Eh,
Opposite neighbor?”
“Pooh!” said his nose,
Angry and red;
“Who wants to tingle?
Go home to bed!”
Angry and red;
“Who wants to tingle?
Go home to bed!”
148
Eight little fingers,
Four to a thumb,
All cried together,
“Johnny, we're numb!”
Four to a thumb,
All cried together,
“Johnny, we're numb!”
But Johnny the stout
Wouldn't listen a minute;
Never a snow-bank
But Johnny was in it.
Wouldn't listen a minute;
Never a snow-bank
But Johnny was in it.
Tumbling and jumping,
Shouting with glee,
Wading the snow-drifts
Up to his knee.
Shouting with glee,
Wading the snow-drifts
Up to his knee.
Soon he forgot them,
Fingers and toes,—
Never once heeded
The ear and the nose.
Fingers and toes,—
Never once heeded
The ear and the nose.
Ah, what a frolic!
All in a glow,
Johnny grew warmer
Out in the snow.
All in a glow,
Johnny grew warmer
Out in the snow.
Often his breathing
Came with a joke:
“Blaze away, Johnny!
I'll do the smoke.”
Came with a joke:
“Blaze away, Johnny!
I'll do the smoke.”
“And I'll do the fire,”
Said Johnny the bold;
“Fun is the fuel,
For driving off cold.”
Said Johnny the bold;
“Fun is the fuel,
For driving off cold.”
| Rhymes and jingles by Mary Mapes Dodge | |