Mother Hubbard, Her Picture Book, Containing Mother Hubbard, The Three Bears, & The Absurd A, B, C.   By: Walter Crane (1845-1915)

MOTHER HUBBARD'S PICTURE BOOK

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Walter Crane's Picture Books Vol. II.

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Her neck did she CRANE, As she looked up the LANE To see the Three Bears pass by. They all went in, oddly, At the head of the Bodley An A.B.C. for to buy.

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She went rather nearer To get a good look, And when she came back He had run through her book!

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MOTHER HUBBARD HER PICTURE BOOK

Containing: MOTHER HUBBARD, THE THREE BEARS, & THE ABSURD A.B.C.

With the Original Coloured Pictures, an Illustrated Preface & Odds & End Papers, never before printed.

By WALTER CRANE

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John Lane. The Bodley Head. London & New York.

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PREFACE

MOTHER HUBBARD, as we all know, had a cupboard which she found bare on one occasion.

Well, this is Mother Hubbard's Picture Book, and it's rather bearish, too, for there are no less than THREE BEARS therein.

But you must not suppose that the book is altogether bear, because there are other things in it.

There's Apple pie, for instance to my certain knowledge, and "victuals and drink" of sorts, as well but I must not let the cat out of the bag (or the cupboard) all at once besides Mother Hubbard's clever dog is still feeding it, for his day (in spite of muzzles) is not over yet, and he is up to all his old tricks.

When you are tired of him, and if you can manage to get past the Three Bears, you will find the rest as ABSURDly easy as A.B.C. and probably meet many old friends on the way.

Walter Crane

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Walter Crane's Picture Books Re issue

MOTHER HUBBARD.

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John Lane The Bodley Head London & New York

[Illustration: MOTHER HUBBARD]

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Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard To get her poor Dog a bone; But when she came there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor Dog had none.

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She went to the baker's To buy him some bread, But when she came back, The poor Dog was dead.

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She went to the joiner's To buy him a coffin, But when she came back, The poor Dog was laughing.

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She took a clean dish To get him some tripe, But when she came back, He was smoking a pipe.

She went to the ale house To get him some beer, But when she came back, The Dog sat in a chair.

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She went to the tavern For white wine and red, But when she came back, The Dog stood on his head.

She went to the hatter's, To buy him a hat, But when she came back, He was feeding the cat.

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She went to the barber's To buy him a wig, But when she came back, He was dancing a jig.

She went to the fruiterer's To buy him some fruit, But when she came back, He was playing the flute.

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She went to the tailor's To buy him a coat, But when she came back, He was riding a goat.

She went to the cobbler's To buy him some shoes, But when she came back, He was reading the news.

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She went to the sempstress To buy him some linen, But when she came back, The Dog was a spinning.

She went to the hosier's To buy him some hose, But when she came back, He was drest in his clothes.

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The Dame made a curtsey, The Dog made a bow; The Dame said, "Your servant," The Dog said, "Bow wow!"

This wonderful Dog Was Dame Hubbard's delight, He could sing, he could dance. He could read, he could write.