Iona Opie

Nursery rhymes whimsically illustrated, including Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn and others.

Presents the texts of twenty-four well-known fairy tales as they were first printed in English and summarizes the history of each title, especially from the textual point of view.

To a small child, words are magical. And the most magical of all are the beloved, venerable words of Mother Goose. Now folklorist Iona Opie has gathered more than sixty treasured rhymes in their most perfect, honest form. From "Hey Diddle, Diddle" and "Pat-a-Cake" to "Little Jack Horner" and "Pussycat, Pussycat," these are familiar verses that have been passed from parent to child for generations; these are the rhymes that are every child's birthright....

A collection of rhymes and riddles traditionally passed on orally from child to child.