Oh, the night was dark and the night was late,
When the robbers came to rob him;
And they picked the lock of his palace-gate,
The robbers who came to rob him--;
They picked the lock of the palace-gate,
Seized his jewels and gems of State,
His coffers of gold and his priceless plate,--
The robbers that came to rob him.

But loud laughed he in the morning red!--
For of what had the robbers robbed him?
Ho! hidden safe, as he slept in bed,
When the robbers came to rob him,--
They robbed him not of a golden shred
Of the childish dreams in his wise old head-

"And they're welcome to all things else," he said,
When the robbers came to rob him.


There is a great deal of this romantic spirit, combined with a
delightful sense of irresponsibility, which I claim above all things
for small children, to be found in our old nursery rhymes. I quote
from the following article written by the Rev. R. L. Gales for the
_Nation_.

After speaking on the subject of fairy stories being eliminated from
the school curriculum, the writer adds:

"This would be lessening the joy of the world and taking from