Notes

Here's a slightly different version from The Real Mother Goose (1916), illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright:

What are little boys made of, made of?
What are little boys made of?
"Snaps and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails;
And that's what little boys are made of."

What are little girls made of, made of?
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice, and all that's nice;
And that's what little girls are made of."

Here's a long version of What Are Little Boys Made of? as found in The Baby's Opera by Walter Crane (circa 1877):

1. What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails and puppy-dog's tails,
And that are little boys made of.

2. What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and all that's nice,
And that are little girls made of.

3. What are young men made of?
What are young men made of?
Sighs and leers, and crocodile tears,
And that are young men made of.

4. What are young women made of?
What are young women made of?
Ribbons and laces, and sweet pretty faces,
And that are young women made of.

The version of this song in the recording can be found in the Notes.

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Recited by Ruth Golding.

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Performed by 17 talented university student musicians at California State University-Stanislaus in 2007. The musical score the recording is based on comes from Our Old Nursery Rhymes (1911) arranged by Alfred Moffat.

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Thanks and Acknowledgements

The 1st illustration comes from The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897) and the 2nd one is from The Baby's Opera by Walter Crane (circa 1877), with a bit of editing by Mama Lisa. 3rd illustration is by H. Willebeck Le Mair from Our Old Nursery Rhymes (1911), arranged by Alfred Moffat.

Thanks so much!