Old Mother Goose,
When she wanted to wander,
Would ride through the air
On a very fine gander.
Mother Goose had a house,
‘Twas built in a wood,
An owl at the door
For a porter stood.
She had a son Jack,
A plain-looking lad,
He was not very good,
Nor yet very bad.
She sent him to market,
A live goose he bought:
"Here, Mother," says he,
"It will not go for nought."
Jack’s goose and her gander
Grew very fond;
They’d both eat together
Or swim in one pond.
Jack found one morning
As I have been told
His goose had laid him
An egg of pure gold.
Jack rode to his mother
The news for to tell.
She called him a good boy,
And said it was well.
Jack sold his gold egg
To a rascally knave;
Not half of its value
To poor Jack he gave.
Then Jack went courting
A lady so gay,
As fair as a lily,
As sweet as the may.
The knave and the squire
Came up at his back,
And began to belabour
The sides of poor Jack.
But Old Mother Goose
That instant came in,
And turned her son Jack
Into famed Harlequin.
She then with her wand
Touched the lady so fine,
And turned her at once
Into sweet Columbine
The gold egg in the sea
Was thrown away then,
When Jack he jumped in
And got it again.
And Old Mother Goose
The goose saddled soon,
And mounting his back,
Flew up to the moon.