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1.The Gingerbread Man

Illustration by George McGinn ©

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

Remarkably, the story of 'The Gingerbread Boy' in the 1875 May edition of the St Nicholas magazine includes illustrations of all the story's characters with one exception - the gingerbread boy himself is nowhere to be seen. Depictions of the gingerbread boy and background illustrations have been added courtesy of George McGinn ©.

Posted in the Letter-Box, St Nicholas, May 1875 (page 452)

The author of the "Gingerbread Boy", in our pages for Little Folks, writes as follows:

"The 'Gingerbread Boy' is not strictly original. A servant girl from Maine told it to my children. It interested them so much that I thought it worth preserving. I asked where she found it, and she said an old lady told it to her in her childhood. So it may possibly have been in print, though I have never seen it."

Now you shall hear a story that somebody's great-great-grand-mother told a little girl ever so many years ago:

There was once a little old man and a little old woman, who lived in a little old house in the edge of a wood. They would have been a very happy old couple but for one thing. They had no little child, and they wished for one very much. One day when the little old woman was baking gingerbread, she cut a cake in the shape of a little boy, and put it into the oven.

Presently, she went to the oven to see if it was baked. As soon as the oven door was opened, the little gingerbread boy jumped out, and began to run away as fast as he could go.

The little old woman called her husband, and they both ran after him. But they could not catch him. And soon the gingerbread boy came to a barn full of threshers. He called out to them as he went by, saying:

But, though the cow started at once, she couldn't catch him. And soon he came to a pig. He called out to the pig:

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2.Sing A Song of Sixpence

Illustration from

Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

Like many nursery rhymes, the origins of 'Sing A Song of Sixpence' are vague, but the first known printed version appears in 'Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book' (Vol II, London, 1744) by 'Nurse Lovechild'. As shown under reference A, there is only one verse which is not the one most people are familiar with today. The later more commonly known version is shown under reference B.

Reference A

Sing a Song of Sixpence,

A bag full of Rye,

Four and twenty

Naughty boys,

Bak'd in a Pye.

Reference B

Sing a Song of Sixpence,

A pocket full of Rye,

Four and twenty

Black birds,

Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened,

the birds began to sing.

Wasn't that a dainty dish

To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house

Counting out his money.

The queen was in the parlour

Eating bread and honey.

The maid was in the garden

Hanging out the clothes.

Along came a blackbird

And snipped off her nose.

~The End~

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3.Little Red Riding Hood

Unaccredited Illustration from the

'Histories, or Tales of Passed Times with Morrals'

by M. Charles Perrault (Englished by R.S. Gent)

Third Edition 1741

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

The first known printed version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' appeared in a 1697 French publication entitled 'Histories, or Tales of Passed Times'. The second edition was printed in 1729 and was translated into English. The third, also in English, was in 1741. The story below of 'Little Red Riding-Hood' is from the third edition. It is a facsimile of how it was written in the book, and so the language is old fashioned. For example, the author descibres the grandmother's night dress as 'cloathes' which is, of course, now absolete.

Little Red Riding-Hood

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

One day, her mother, having made some custards, said to her, 'Go, my dear, and see how thy grand-mamma does, for I hear she has been very ill; carry her a custard, and this little pot of butter.'

Little Red Riding Hood sets out immediately to go to her grand-mother, who lived in another village. As she was going thro' the wood, she met with Gaffer Wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he durst not, because of some faggot-makers hard by in the forest.

He asked her, wither she was going: The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and hear a Wolf talk, said to him, 'I am going to see my grandmother, and carry her a custard, and a little pot of butter from my mamma.'

'Does she live far off?' said the wolf.

'Oh! ay," 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 soonest.

The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the nearest way; and the little girl went by that farthest about, diverting herself in gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and making nosegays of such little flowers as she met with. The Wolf was not long before he got to 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 custard and a little pot of butter sent you by mamma.'

The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she found herself somewhat ill, cried out, 'Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up.' The Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then presently he fell upon the good woman, and eat her up in a moment; for it was above three days that he had not touched a bit. He then shut the door, and went into the grand-mother'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 grand-mother had got a cold, and was hoarse, answered, 'Tis your grand-child, Little Red Riding-Hood, who has brought you a custard, and a little pot of butter, mamma sends you.' The Wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, 'Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up'. Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.

The Wolf seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the cloathes; 'Put the custard, and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come and lye down by me.' Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself, and went into bed; where, being greatly amazed to see how her grand-mother looked in her night cloaths, said to her, 'Grand-mamma, what great arms you have got!'

'That is better to hug thee, my dear'.

'Grand-mamma, what great Legs you have got!'

'That is to run the better, my child.'

'Grand-mamma, what great ears you have got!'

'That is to hear the better, my child.'

'Grand-mamma, what great eyes you have got!'

'It is to see the better, my child.'

'Grand-mamma, what great teeth you have got!'

'That is to eat thee up.'

And, saying these words, this wicked Wolf fell upon poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and eat her all up.

The Moral

From this short story easy we discern
What conduct all young people ought to learn.
But above all, young, growing misses fair,
Whose orient rosy blooms begin t'appear:
Who, beauties in the fragrant spring of age,
With pretty airs young hearts are apt t'engage.
Ill do they listen to all sorts of tongues,
Since some inchant and lure like Syrens' songs.
No wonder therefore 'tis, if over-power'd,
So many of them has the Wolf devour'd.
The Wolf, I say, for Wolves too sure there are
Of every sort, and every character.
Some of them mild and gentle-humour'd be,
Of noise and gall, and rancour wholly free;
Who tame, familiar, full of complaisance
Ogle and leer, languish, cajole and glance;
With luring tongues, and language wond'rous sweet,
Follow young ladies as they walk the street,
Ev'n to their very houses, nay, bedside,
And, artful, tho' their true designs they hide;
Yet ah! these simpering Wolves! Who does not see
Most dangerous of Wolves indeed they be?

~The End~

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4.Oranges & Lemons

Illustration from

Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book (1744)

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

The sing-along-rhyme,'Oranges and Lemons', started life as a children's street song. The earliest known printed version appears in 1744 in 'Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book' (by 'Nurse Lovechild') where it was orginally entitled 'London Bells'. The cadence is the same as the later version, with which everyone is now familiar, but some of the wording is different. However, it includes the famous line 'Oranges and Lemons' that eventually supersedes the original title.

London Bells

(Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song-Book, 1744)

Two Sticks & an Apple,
Ring ye Bells at Whitechapple,

Old Father Bald Pate,
Ring ye Bells Aldgate,

Maids in white Aprons,
Ring ye Bells a S.t Cathrines,

Oranges and Lemmons,
Ring ye Bells at S.t Clemens,

When will you pay me,
Ring ye Bells at ye Old Bailey,

When I am Rich, Ring ye
 Bells at Fleetditch,

When will that be,

Ring ye Bells at Stepney,

When I am Old,
Ring ye great Bell at Pauls.

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London Bells

(Tommy Thumb's Song-Book, 1788, 1814, 1815)

Illustration from

Tommy Thumb's Song Book (1788, 1814 & 1815)

Two Sticks and an Apple,
Ring the Bells at White-chaple;
Old Father bald pate,
Ring the bells at Aldgate;
Maids in white aprons,
Ring the Bells a St. Catherines;
Oranges and Lemons,
Ring the bells at St. Clements;
When will you pay me,
Ring the Bells at Old Bailey;
When I am Rich,
Ring the Bells at Fleetditch;
When will that be?
Ring the Bells at Stepney;
When I am Old,
Ring the Bells at Pauls.

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Oranges and Lemons

(Later and most well known version)

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 at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells at Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Chip chop chip chop the last man is dead.

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5.Blindman's Buff

Illustration from

A Little Pretty Pocket-book, 1790 edition

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

'A little Pretty Pocket-Book...' by John Newbery was first printed in 1744 in London, England. Compiled of simple rhymes, it is believed to be the first ever children's book. There is no known complete copy of the 1744 original. The first edition printed in colonial America was in 1762 with a later facsimile printed in 1787 by Isaiah Thomas. One of the rhymes is entitled 'Blindman's Buff'. The word 'buff' is a variant of 'bluff' the latter of which is now commonly used to describe the game depicted in the rhyme. In the rhyme, note the use of the long s denoted by the symbol ſ which is now obsolete.

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6.Base-Ball

Illustration from

A Little Pretty Pocket-book, 1790

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

'A little Pretty Pocket-Book...' by John Newbery was first printed in 1744 in London, England. Compiled of simple rhymes, it is believed to be the first ever children's book. There is no known complete copy of the 1744 original. The first edition printed in colonial America was in 1762 with a later facsimile printed in 1787 by Isaiah Thomas. One of the rhymes is entitled 'Base Ball' which is the root of the modern games baseball and rounders. In the rhyme, note the use of the long s denoted by the symbol ſ which is now obsolete.

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7.Robin Hood

Robin Hood print in A Gest of Robyn Hode

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

'A Gest of Robyn Hode' (A Tale of Robin Hood) is a set of Robin Hood tales printed in the 16th Century, although based on work likely dating back further in time, and set in medieval times. The illustration above first appears in the 13th or 14th Century. Below are the first five of eighty-one verses.

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8.A True Tale of Robin Hood

Unacredited print from

A True Tale of Robin Hood, 1686

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

'A True Tale of Robin Hood' was written by Martin Parker, and printed in 1686. Note the use of the long s in the form of ſ which is now obsolete.

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9.A True Tale of Robin Hood

Engraving of Robin Hood from circa 1600

Foreword by Professor George McGinn

'A True Tale of Robin Hood' is a ballard written by Martin Parker in 1632. The ballard appears in a publication dated 1800 and includes the above engraving circa 1600.