Three Children Sliding on the Ice
A cautionary tale…
Three Children Sliding on the Ice
Nursery Song
Three children sliding on the ice,
All on a summer's day,
As it fell out, they all fell in,
The rest they ran away.
Now, had these children been at home,
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
They had not all been drowned.
You parents all that children have,
And you that have got none,
If you would have them safe abroad,
Pray keep them safe at home.
Notes
Here's a slightly different version from The Little Mother Goose (1912), illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith:
Three children sliding on the ice
Upon a summer's day,
As it fell out, they all fell in-
The rest they ran away.
Now had these children been at home,
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
They had not all been drown'd.
Ye parents who have children dear,
And eke ye that have none,
If you would keep them safe abroad,
Pray keep them safe at home.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
The illustration, score and tune all come from The Baby's Opera by Walter Crane (1877). The 2nd image is from The Sleeping Beauty Picture Book, illustrated by Walter Crane
