-o;
And tried as she could, as a shepherdess should,
To tack again each to its rump-o.

The ballad lacks sadly in particulars, to be sure. How the tails of the
entire flock disappeared in one fell swoop--whether by malice
aforethought, at the instance of a lurking enemy, or in a miraculous
accident, whilst the young shepherdess slept at her charge--has never
been told, though thousands of wondering pows, multiplied by ten, have
wanted to know. Perhaps it is better not explained. Mystery is so often
just another word for charm.

We will now have the curious tale of "The House that Jack Built." In no
sense a curious house, perhaps, but famous because of the fortuitous
events which issued in regular sequence from the simple fact of the
builder having stored a quantity of malt within its walls. It is told
best with the accompaniment of pictorial illustrations, but here these
are not available.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.

This is the house that Jack built.

This is the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the dog
That worried the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog
That worried the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog
That worried the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built

This is the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog
That worried the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the priest all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog
That worried the cat
That killed the rat
That ate the malt
That lay in the house
That Jack built.

This is the cock that crowed in the morn
And waked the priest all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered