A rabbit in a pen, a wandering goose, little pigs, a polite dog and a riddle! Old nursery rhymes chosen and pictured by Beatrix Potter, from her 1922 book.
📜 The book in brief
This is a little book of old nursery rhymes, the kind children have said for a very long time. It starts with Cecily Parsley, a rabbit who lives in a pen. Then a goose wanders upstairs and downstairs, and little pigs go to market.
We also meet Pussy-cat by the fire and a polite little dog, little Tom Tinker's dog who barks, children who look after their own little garden, and a riddle about Ninny nanny netticoat.
📖 The rhymes, one by one
Tap “Read it to me” to listen, or read each part with a grown-up. The green boxes show the rhymes exactly as they are printed in the book.
Part 1
Cecily Parsley
The book begins with Cecily Parsley. In the pictures she is a rabbit. She lives in a pen, and she makes ale, a drink for grown-ups, for the gentlemen who come to visit.
From the book: “Cecily Parsley lived in a pen, And brewed good ale for gentlemen;”
Lots of visitors come, day after day. Then something surprising happens!
From the book: “Gentlemen came every day, Till Cecily Parsley ran away.”
The rhyme does not tell us where she went. Where do you think Cecily Parsley ran to?
Part 2
Goosey, goosey, gander
A gander is a boy goose. This rhyme asks him where he is going.
From the book: “Goosey, goosey, gander, Whither will you wander? Upstairs and downstairs, And in my lady's chamber!”
What a silly goose, walking all over the house!
Part 3
This pig went to market
This rhyme is about five little pigs. Each one does something different.
From the book: “This pig went to market; This pig stayed at home;”
From the book: “This pig had a bit of meat; And this pig had none;”
And the last little pig is lost!
From the book: “This little pig cried Wee! wee! wee! I can't find my way home.”
Part 4
Pussy-cat and the little dog
Pussy-cat is sitting by the warm fire. A little dog comes in to find her.
From the book: “Pussy-cat sits by the fire; How should she be fair? In walks the little dog, Says "Pussy! are you there?"”
The little dog is very polite, and so is Pussy-cat.
From the book: “"How do you do, Mistress Pussy? Mistress Pussy, how do you do?" "I thank you kindly, little dog, I fare as well as you!"”
Part 5
Bow, wow, wow!
Here is a dog who barks. Who does he belong to?
From the book: “Bow, wow, wow! Whose dog art thou? "I'm little Tom Tinker's dog, Bow, wow, wow!"”
Part 6
Our little garden
This rhyme is about children who have a little garden of their very own.
From the book: “We have a little garden, A garden of our own, And every day we water there The seeds that we have sown.”
They look after it so carefully that every plant stays healthy.
From the book: “We love our little garden, And tend it with such care, You will not find a faded leaf Or blighted blossom there.”
Part 7
Ninny nanny netticoat
The last rhyme is an old riddle. Listen carefully and try to guess what it is!
From the book: “Ninny nanny netticoat, In a white petticoat, With a red nose,-- The longer she stands, The shorter she grows.”
What is white, has a little red top, and gets shorter and shorter as it stands? Many people say the answer is a candle. Look at the picture!
💛 Big idea
Old rhymes are fun to say, and kind words matter. When the little dog finds Pussy-cat by the fire, he asks, “How do you do?” and she thanks him kindly. The children care for their little garden every day, so not one leaf fades. Say the rhymes out loud, guess the riddle, and remember to be polite and caring, just like them!
🐰 Who is in the rhymes?
Cecily Parsley
A rabbit who lives in a pen. Gentlemen visit her every day, until one day she runs away!
Goosey gander
A goose who wanders all over the house: upstairs, downstairs and into my lady's chamber.
The little pigs
One went to market and one stayed at home. The littlest pig cries, “Wee! wee! wee!”
Pussy-cat
A cat who sits by the fire. She kindly tells the little dog, “I fare as well as you!”
The little dog
A polite little dog who walks in and asks, “How do you do, Mistress Pussy?”
Tom Tinker's dog
A dog who barks “Bow, wow, wow!” He belongs to little Tom Tinker.
🎯 Which rhyme is it?
Rhymes about a pen, a goose, little pigs, a fire, a garden and a riddle! Look at each picture, read the clue, and tap the right answer.
For grown-ups: every clue comes from the rhymes in Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes. Tap 🔈 to hear each one.
1. Where did Cecily Parsley live?
2. Where does Goosey gander wander?
3. What does the littlest pig cry?
4. Where does Pussy-cat sit?
5. What do the children water every day?
6. In the riddle, what does Ninny nanny netticoat wear?
Score: 0 of 6
🔤 New words
Tap 🔈 to hear a word and what it means.
gander
A boy goose.
whither
An old word that means “where to?”
chamber
An old word for a bedroom or a room.
fare
An old word that means how you are doing. “I fare well” means “I am well.”
thou
An old word that means “you.”
blighted
Sick or spoiled. A blighted flower is drooping and unhealthy.
🐰 Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes quiz
How much do you remember? Tap the right answer for each question.
For grown-ups: each question has a 🔈 button so pre-readers can hear it. Works with a keyboard too (Tab to move, Enter to choose).
1. What kind of animal is Cecily Parsley in the pictures?
2. What does the little dog say when he walks in?
3. Whose dog says “Bow, wow, wow”?
4. What will you not find in our little garden?
5. In the riddle, what happens the longer she stands?
6. How does Pussy-cat answer the little dog?
Score: 0 of 6
💬 Let's talk about it
There are no wrong answers. Talk with a grown-up or a friend.
Which rhyme did you like best? Why?
Where do you think Cecily Parsley ran away to?
Can you find the words that rhyme, like “fire” and “there,” or “own” and “sown”? Which ones really rhyme?
How do you say hello politely, like the little dog and Pussy-cat?
What would you grow in your own little garden?
✏️ About Beatrix Potter and her book
When did it come out?
In December 1922. It was published by Frederick Warne & Co.
Most of these rhymes, like “Goosey, goosey, gander” and “This pig went to market,” are traditional English nursery rhymes, much older than the book. Beatrix Potter chose them and drew animals for them.
Who was it for?
The book says it is “for little Peter in New Zealand.” Beatrix Potter painted all its pictures herself. The pictures on this page are new ones, drawn for Jugami.