The Real Mother Goose: Favorite Rhymes
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Eight classic nursery rhymes in one collection — from Little Bo-Peep's lost sheep to Humpty Dumpty's great fall and Jack and Jill's tumble down the hill.
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, And bring their tails behind them.
Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For still they all were fleeting.
Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them; She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they'd left all their tails behind 'em!
It happened one day, as Bo-Peep did stray Unto a meadow hard by— There she espied their tails, side by side, All hung on a tree to dry.
She heaved a sigh and wiped her eye, And over the hillocks she raced; And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should, That each tail should be properly placed.
Little Boy Blue, come, blow your horn! The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn. Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep? Under the haystack, fast asleep!
Rain, rain, go away, Come again another day; Little Johnny wants to play.
Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey; There came a big spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Curly-locks, Curly-locks, wilt thou be mine? Thou shalt not wash the dishes, nor yet feed the swine; But sit on a cushion, and sew a fine seam And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; All the King's horses, and all the King's men Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.
Jack and Jill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.
Then up Jack got and off did trot, As fast as he could caper, To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob With vinegar and brown paper.
Baa, baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes, marry, have I, Three bags full;
One for my master, One for my dame, But none for the little boy Who cries in the lane.
