Who Stole the Bird's Nest?, a poem by Lydia Maria Child

Lydia Maria Child, who is best known for her poem, Over the River and Through the Woods, the famous Thanksgiving poem, also wrote many other poems and was an abolitionist, a women's right activist, and Indian rights activist as well as a novelist and journalist.

 

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST?

LYDIA MARIA CHILD

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Not I," said the cow, "Moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do.
I gave you a wisp of hay,
But didn't take your nest away.
Not I," said the cow, "Moo-oo!
[376]Such a thing I'd never do."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!
Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree, to-day?"

"Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!
I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow!
I gave the hairs the nest to make,
But the nest I did not take.
Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!
I'm not so mean, anyhow."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!
Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree, to-day?"

"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo!
Let me speak a word, too!
Who stole that pretty nest
From little yellow-breast?"

"Not I," said the sheep; "oh, no!
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so.
I gave wool the nest to line,
But the nest was none of mine.
Baa! Baa!" said the sheep; "oh, no,
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!
Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree, to-day?"

"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo!
Let me speak a word, too!
Who stole that pretty nest
From little yellow-breast?"

"Caw! Caw!" cried the crow;
"I should like to know
What thief took away
A bird's nest to-day?"

"Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen;
"Don't ask me again,
Why, I haven't a chick
Would do such a trick.
We all gave her a feather,
And she wove them together.
I'd scorn to intrude
On her and her brood.
Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen,
"Don't ask me again."

"Chirr-a-whirr! Chirr-a-whirr!
All the birds make a stir!
Let us find out his name,
And all cry 'For shame!'"

"I would not rob a bird,"
Said little Mary Green;
"I think I never heard
Of anything so mean."

"It is very cruel, too,"
Said little Alice Neal;
"I wonder if he knew
How sad the bird would feel?"

A little boy hung down his head,
And went and hid behind the bed,
For he stole that pretty nest
From poor little yellow-breast;
And he felt so full of shame,
He didn't like to tell his name.

Related  Activities:

 Look at a Birds Nest is a PDF with a whole slew of Bird's Nest activities

My Backyard has some great Bird Watching activities for kids
 
Education dot com has directions for going outside and making a "real" birds nest

Here's a recipe called Bird's Nest which is basically a fried egg in a toast "nest"


 Make a Spaghetti Birds Nest (Non-edible)
 found at http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Spaghetti-Nest.html

Here's what you'll need...
• Spaghetti, cooked and cool
• Paint
• Glue
• 2 Bowls
• Spoon
• Wax paper
• Paper plates (optional)


Here's how you make it...
1. Line your bowl with wax paper. Make sure your bowl will mold a big enough nest for what you want to put in it!


2. Mix 1 Tablespoon of Glue with 1 Tablespoon of paint in a bowl. Add 1 Cup of cooked, cooled spaghetti and stir until the spaghetti is covered (if you want to use more or less spaghetti just remember, one part glue, one part paint). If you are using more than one color just place one color on a paper plate or wax paper and clean out your bowl and mix another color.


3. Line your bowl with spaghetti, one or two pieces at a time. Try to arrange the spaghetti up the sides of the bowl, so that your eggs will sit in it.

4. Put your nest up on a shelf to dry. The amount of time your nest will take to dry and harden depends on the size of your nest. At the very least it will take a day, for larger nests it will take 2 or more. You can speed up the drying process by taking off the wax paper once the 'top' of the nest has dried, so that the bottom can get some air and harden.

Chubby Little Snowman

Here's a little poem/song that I've modified slightly.
There are hand movements for each line but you can make up your own.


A chubby little snowman (echo)
Had a carrot nose (echo)

Along came a bunny (echo)
And what do you suppose (echo)

The hungry little bunny (echo)
Looking for his lunch (echo)

Ate that carrot nose (echo)
With a crunch, crunch, crunch (echo)

(chorus...sing together)
All the little bunnies like
Carrots, carrots
All the little bunnies like to
Crunch, crunch, crunch

All the little bunnies like
Carrots, carrots
All the little bunnies like to
Munch, munch, munch

National Poetry Month & Young Peoples Poetry Week

Yes!! April is National Poetry Month!!
So here is the perfect excuse to spout poetry to everyone you know!
And the third week of April is specifically Young People's Poetry Week.
Teach the kids some fun poems.
I'll be putting up great poems for kids throughout the month.
Here are a few faves....






"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.



"The Adventures of Isabel" by Ogden Nash

Isabel met an enormous bear,
Isabel, Isabel, didn't care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,
How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you!

Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry.
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up,
Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.

Once in a night as black as pitch
Isabel met a wicked old witch.
the witch's face was cross and wrinkled,
The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled.
Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,
I'll turn you into an ugly toad!

Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry,
She showed no rage and she showed no rancor,
But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.

Isabel met a hideous giant,
Isabel continued self reliant.
The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid,
He had one eye in the middle of his forhead.
Good morning, Isabel, the giant said,
I'll grind your bones to make my bread.

Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She nibled the zwieback that she always fed off,
And when it was gone, she cut the giant's head off.

Isabel met a troublesome doctor,
He punched and he poked till he really shocked her.
The doctor's talk was of coughs and chills
And the doctor's satchel bulged with pills.
The doctor said unto Isabel,
Swallow this, it will make you well.

Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She took those pills from the pill concocter,
And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.




JABBERWOCKY by Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Winter...a classic poem and a some fun "snow" games

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

Frosty aka Build a Snowperson

Supplies:
A roll of toilet paper for each team
Sheet of orange, black, red and yellow construction paper for each team
Hat for each team
A few Glue sticks for each team
Scissors for each team

How To Play:
Have several teams of four or five children.
When you say, "GO" they should wrap one of the people on their team up in toilet paper (leaving an opening for nose and eyes).
Once they've built their "Frosty" they can use the hat and construction paper to decorate him with.
Put a time limit on decorating.
Give a prize for the first completed Frosty, most unique Frosty, cutest Frosty, etc.


Snowshoe Relay Race

Supplies:
Wrapped Tootsie Rolls or any other small treat(1 for each child)
2 Shoe boxes for each team
Bell for each team
2 mittens for each team
2 bowls for each team

Place tootsie rolls, in a bowl, at the opposite end of the room.
Hang a bell, from the ceiling, over the tootsie roll bowl.

How To Play:
Divide the children into two or more relay teams.
Explain that when you say, "GO" the first person on each team will put on the mittens, step into the shoe boxes and race to the other end of the room where they will ring the bell with their nose.
They are then to pick up a tootsie roll out of the bowl and race back to their team still wearing their mittens and shoe boxes.
Pass the mittens and shoe box to the next person in line, sit down, eat your tootsie roll.
The first team to finish eating their tootsie rolls wins!


Snowball Over the Mountain

Supplies:
Sheet
White balloons blown up
2 adults to help

How To Play:
Children are divided into two teams.
A sheet (the mountain) is held above eye level between the two groups by the 2 adults (holding each end). Or you can find a way to pin it to the wall or hang across a cord.
Each side throws snowballs (white balloons) over to the other side.
It's alot like volley ball but you need not keep score.


Snowball Relay Race

Supplies:
Styrofoam ball for each team
Plastic Spoon (shovel) for each team

How To Play:
Divide into teams.
First child on each team will be given a styrofoam ball (snowball) and a spoon (shovel).
On your mark they are to bend over, place the ball on the floor, and push the ball with the spoon across the room, around an obstacle, and back to next child on team. First team to finish wins.


Snowball Making

Supplies:
Large sheets of tissue paper (one for every child)
Bucket for each team

How To Play:
Divide the children into two teams.
The first person on each team gets a piece of tissue paper and crumples it into a ball using one hand (this keeps them soft).
Then races to the end of the room to place the snowball in the bucket.
The next child repeats the first child's actions and the process continues until the team has all their snowballs made.
Follow this game with a Snowball Throw below.


Snowball Throw

Supplies:
A line drawn or taped on the floor

How To Play: Set a time for 2-3 minutes. Yell, "GO"! Each team throws their tissue paper snowballs back and forth across the lines. When the timer goes off, the team with the least amount of snowballs on their side wins.

Over The River And Through The Woods!

Lydia Maria Child was a novelist, journalist and a teacher.
"A Boy's Thanksgiving Day," most often called "Over the River and Through the Woods" was originally a poem written by Lydia Maria Child.
It celebrates her childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House.
The Thanksgiving song/poem originally appeared in Flowers for Children, volume 2, in 1844.


Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood -
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose
As over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood,
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding",
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood
Trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood -
And straight through the barnyard gate,
We seem to go extremely slow,
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood -
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

To hear this song click here to go to LaurasMidiHeaven.com

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too! --- a poem by Shel Silverstien---Oh! and a recipe too!

As I am sure I have mentioned before, or at least I should have, I love poems and poetry. And I have quite a few favorite poems and poets. One of my favorite writer's of children's poetry is Shel Silverstein.

Born Sheldon Alan Silverstein, September 25, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, "Shel" Silverstein was an American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He wrote 3 books of poetry for children Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974), A Light in the Attic (1981)and Falling Up (1996).

Just an interesting aside, Shel Silverstein also wrote the music and the lyrics for the following songs: "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash, "The Unicorn" which is popular in Irish pubs all over the world, "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" a song performed by Dr. Hook.

The following poem can be found in his book "Where the Sidewalk Ends". "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too" is a wonderful poem. It's fun to say, the children love the rhyme and the images that it creates. It is also a marvelous poem to act out. There are so many places for the children use their imagination.

If you have the time and the facilities, why not go a step further and have the kids make Mulligan Stew!(It's mentioned in the poem :)


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Went for a ride in a flying shoe,
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew,
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
knows what's
happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Written by Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)


I know from experience that your average child will ask you what mulligan stew is as soon as you finish the poem, if not sooner. So here is your answer (just in case you did not know, I didn't.)

Mulligan stew is a kind of dish said to have been prepared by hobos in camps in the early 1900s. Usually, it includes meat, potatoes, vegetables, and whatever else can be found. The hobo who put it together was known as the "mulligan mixer". A stew is generally difined as being made, literally, of "whatever is on hand" including meat, potatoes and vegetables in any combination.

I have included 2 different stew recipes. Enjoy!

Campfire Mulligan Stew
Ingredients :
Method :
In small amount of hot fat in heavy frying pan, brown: 1 pound stew meat, cut in small pieces Add: 1 tsp. salt Stir in: 1 can condensed tomato soup 1 can water Cover tightly and let cook slowly until tender (about 1-1/2 hours). If fire gets too hot, take from heat occasionally to keep at a simmer. When the meat is tender, add: 3 carrots, cut in thick slices
3 potatoes, quartered
3 onions, halved Continue cooking slowly about 30 minutes. If there is not enough juice, add water during cooking. If too thin take off lid and cook sauce until thickened. 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from the Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls


Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 each potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 each onion, chopped
- 1 pound carrots, sliced
- pound stew meat
- 1 can tomato soup
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 package stew seasoning

Directions
Cut the vegetables and meat into bite sized pieces. Mix the stew seasoning with the water. Place the meat on the bottom of the crock, cover with vegetables. Pour the soup and stew seasoning mixture over all. Cook in the crock pot on high for 6 hours or low 10 hours.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 or more hours
Servings: 6
http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/u--3732/easy-crock-pot-beef-stew.asp