Margaret Evans Price, "Old Mother Goose," 1917

Margaret Evans Price, "Mother Goose," 1917, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

Old Mother Goose,
When she wanted to wander,
Would ride through the air,
On a very fine gander.

Mother Goose had a house,
It stood in the wood,
Where an owl at the door,
As sentinel stood.

She had a son, Jack,
A plain looking lad,
'Twas not very good,
Nor yet very bad.

She sent him to market.
A live goose he bought,
"See, Mother?" he said,
"I have not been for naught."

Jack's goose and her Gander,
Soon grew very fond.
They'd both eat together,
Or swim in the pond.

Then, one fine morning,
As I have been told,
Jack's goose had laid him
An egg of pure gold.

He ran to his mother,
The news for to tell.
She called him a good boy,
And said it was well.

Jack sold his egg,
To a merchant untrue,
Who cheated him out,
Of half of his due.

Then Jack went courting,
A lady so gay,
As fair as the lily,
As sweet as the May.

The merchant and squire,
Soon came at his back,
And began to belabour,
The sides of poor Jack.

Then 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 an odd fish brought her,
The egg back again.

The merchant then vowed,
The goose he would kill,
Resolving at once,
His pockets to fill.

Jack's mother came in,
And caught the goose soon,
And mounting its back,
Flew up to the moon.

Margaret Evans Price, "Rock-A-Bye, Baby," 1917

Margaret Evans Price, "Rock-A-Bye, Baby," 1917, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

Rock a bye baby on the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Margaret Evans Price, "See, Saw, Marjory Daw," 1917

Margaret Evans Price, "See, Saw, Marjory Daw," 1917, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

See saw, Marjory Daw
Johnny shall have a new master
He shall earn but a penny a day
because he can't work any faster

Margaret Evans Price, "Simple Simon," 1917

Margaret Evans Price, "Simple Simon," 1917, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Let me taste your ware."

Said the pieman unto Simon,
"Show me first your penny."
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Indeed I have not any."

Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
But all the water he had got
Was in his mother's pail.

Simple Simon went to look,
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.

He went for water in a sieve,
But soon it all fell through;
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.

Margaret Evans Price, The Frog Prince, 1921

Margaret Evans Price, The Frog Prince, 1921, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

This illustration was published in Once Upon a Time by Rand McNally and Company, Chicago, in 1921. --- Image by © Blue Lantern Studio/CORBIS

Margaret Evans Price, "The Queen of Hearts," 1917

Margaret Evans Price, "The Queen of Hearts," 1917, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and
vowed he'd steal no more.