- MATERIALS FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING

AT RUDOLF STEINER (VUALDORF) SCHOOLS

 CONTENTS

Preface 4

V o w e I s and Diphthongs 7

C o n s o n a n t s formed by the

Lips
b, p - m - w 12
Tongue, or Tongue and Teeth
v, f - l,n, r - d, t - õ, 9 - z,s .. 19
Tongue and Hard Palate
3,J - d , tj
3 J. 30
Tongue and Soft Palate
k - g - o, og 44

Aspirate h 44

Miscellaneous .. 45

Curious Appendix 48

Last-minute Finds 54
 Preface
P E T E R P I P E R , without Pretension He Prays Parents to Purchase this Play-
to Precocity or Profoundness, Puts Pen fui Performance, Partly to Pay him for
to Paper to Produce these Puzzling his Patience and Pains; Partly to Pro-
Pages, Purposely to Please the Palates of vide for the Profit of the Printers and
Pretty Prattling Playfellows, Proudly Publishers; but Principally to Prevent
Presuming that with Proper Penetration the Pernicious Prevalence of Perverse
it will Probably, and Perhaps Positively, Pronunciation.
Prove a Peculiarly Pleasant and Profit-
ablc Path to Proper, Plain, and Precise P E T E R PIPER'S
Pronunciation. Practical Principies
ofPiam & Perfect Pronunciation

Tongue twisters have delighted children for many generations, certainly long before
'Peter Piper's collection' appeared in printed form in Lancaster, Massachusetts in 1830. A s
lona and Peter Opie, the well-known authorities on children's ianguage wrote: "Peter Piper
has indeed been picking pickled peppers since the eighteenth century."*)

As foreign Ianguage teachers at Waldorf Schools we appreciate tongue twisters as an

excellent exercise in the middle school. Practising individual sounds through tongue twisters
at the beginning of the iesson helps the pupils to grasp their speech organs in a more
conscious way before we go on to recite poetry with the class.

It is advisable to wait until the fourth grade before practising specific sounds. Before
these are practised consciously, Ianguage teaching should aim at letting clear sounds
emerge from the melody of speech.

On the other hand there is no age limit for tongue twisters in the upper school. Even a
practising time of two or three minutes at the beginning of a Iesson will often be sufficient
to achieve results.

Just as we realize that it is necessary in the lower school to change constantly between
speaking and singing in chorus and having individual children or a smali group say or sing
something while the others are listening, so we must keep in mind in the middle and upper
school that there is a world of difference between living practice and dead routine in ali
speech exercises.

We can work in various ways to avoid routine and prevent speech exercises from
becoming boring. The following examples are only meant to serve as incentives that may
stimulate colleagues to invent other approaches..

*i The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, London 1959, p. 30

4
 When practising a particular tongue twister in chorus we can tell the class to say one or
more words of it 'mute', i. e. to leave it/them out while keeping the rhythm of the exercise
flowing, e. g.

Many mighty men mount the mighty mountain.

Many mighty (men) mount the (mighty) mountain.
Many mighty — mount the — mountain.

Or we can get one group in the class to begin a tongue twister and another to take over
smoothly at a particular, pre-arranged word, again without breaking the flow and rhythm
of the exercise.

At a still more advanced stage of practising we may ask the pupils to say one word each.

To make the class more conscious of the individual qualities of particular sounds it is
helpful to use the exercises to contrast the sounds that are easily confused, e. g.

A lazy zebra, called Desmond, is dozing at the zoo. He feels flies

buzzing round his ears, eyes and nose.

Sue and Ceci/y are sisters. Sue is sixty, Cecily was seventy last
Sunday.

Johnny Jones joined the jolly jugglers. When Johnny Jones joined the
jolly jugglers, Johnny Jones, the juggler joined a jolly lot.

Charles is a cheerful chicken-farmer. He chuckles at the chance of a

choice chicken for his lunch.

This, that, these and the others they ali go together.

These thirty-three thugs threw three thick thistles.

A great many tongue twisters are 'complete' in themselves, i. e. they do not need to be
practised along with others because they are made up of or at least contain several sounds
that need to be practised for contrast. One of the classic examples for these is, of course,

She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sel/s are seashells
l'm sure.

5
 There are, of course, many tongue twisters that could appear in more than one category.

An attempt has been made to arrange the tongue twisters under two aspects. T h e vowels
appear in a sequence ieading from the darkest to the lightest, the consonants starting with
those formed by the front part of the speech organs and going on to those formed at the
back of the mouth.

Deviating from the sequence of sounds as they appear in the alphabet and trying to
arrange them in related groups turned out to be a very difficult undertaking. The outcome
is far from perfect, which is not surprising because the living Ianguage does not lend itself
to being forced into a rigid system.

It may be necessary, in some classes, to draw the pupils' attention to the final sounds of
words, whereas our tongue twisters are generally listed according to their initial sounds.
The final sonds need special care in the preliminary stages of writing and reading (fourth
and fifth grade) if we are not to struggle with and - ant, bag — back, sob - sop,pens -
pence, etc. for the rest of the school years!
%

We hope that each colleague will enjoy lookingfor combinations of exercises to suit the
needs of the children entrusted to him. After ali, we cannotmeet these needs merely by
teaching this or that specific Ianguage. Step by step we can come to consider our work as
teachers of English as an aid to the incarnation of individuais in our time.

The editor of this collection is greatly indebted to ali those colleagues who contributed
to it and aboveall to Helga Lauten, Essen, who initiated the series Aids for English Teachers
in Waldorf Schools seven years ago and who generously permitted the use of her 1977
collection of Tongue Twisters and Speech Exercises' as a basis for this revised edition. With-
out this solid foundation to build on the present edition would not be available now.

The editor would also like to thank Jutta Finkl and Christa Ruhle for their untiring help
and their infinite patience in helping to prepare the manuscript for the printer.

Stuttgart, September 1983 Christoph Jaffke Magda Maier

6
 VOWELS
Two pairs of new shoes or boots and a blue suit.

Tuesday is stew day. Stew day is Tuesday.

Oh! What shall we do? Poor Sue's shoe's at the zoo.

Said her Mum, T a k e your shoe off, when you're to the zoo off!'
But Sue wouldn't do what her Mum told her to.
So she trod in some goo at the zoo.
So Sue's shoe, sad but true, is at the zoo.

'How do you do, goose, how do you do?

Are you a new goose?' 'Quite new! Are you?'
'Yes, l'm like you, goose, a true new goose, too.'
'How do you do, new goose, how do you do?'

A cook's goose is good food.

Look, Lucy and two good cooks.

Luke pulled a poor fool out of a pool in the wood.

The fooiish, bookish duke was too full of good food to move a foot.

The wood loomed dark and gloomy, and the moon was full.

Pure food for four poor mules.

Unique New York.

Cook took a look at her cookery-book.

She wasn't quite sure what they would like her to cook.
So she took a quick look at her cookery-book.

One old owl occupies an old oak.

The old, cold scold sold a school coal-scuttle

Joe and Joan go for a stroll. Joe shows Joan his roses.

Admidst the mist and coldest frosts,

With barest wrists and stoutest boasts,
He thrusts his fists against the posts
And still insists he sees the ghosts.

7
Moses supposes his toeses are roses,
But Moses supposes erroneously;
For nobody's toeses are posies of roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be.

Oliver Oglethorpe ogled an owl and oyster:

Did Oliver Oglethorpe ogle an owl and oyster?
If Oliver Oglethorpe ogled an owl and oyster,
Where are the owl and oyster Oliver Oglethorpe ogled?

Old oily Ollie oils oily autos.

Four porters talking before a door.

Of ali the saws I ever saw saw I never saw a saw saw as this saw saws.
(A sawyer's advertisement)

Maud walked on the lawn,

Paul crawled along the wall.
Maud called to Paul, "You'll fali!"
"Not at ali!" retorted Paul.

Mr Knox keeps his socks

In a pale pink chocolate-box —
Orange socks with spots and clocks.

Nott shot Shott, but Nott was not shot by Shott.

So Shott was shot, but Nott was not.
And the shot that shot Shott, was shot by Nott and not by Shott.

One old ox opening oysters.

She stopped and talked and bought a pot.

Out of a house carne a cow and a sow.

An owl found a brown mouse on the ground.

Ask Charley's aunt for a glass.

Mark can't park his car in the barn.

I'm as snug as a bug in a rug.

8
Cuthbert puts some mustard in his mother's custard.

A lump of cake, a cup of tea.

And a buttered bun for Uncle and me.

A woman to her boy did utter:

" G o , my son, and shut the shutter."
"The shutter's shut," the boy did mutter,
"I cannot shut it any shutter."

Journalists in the dusk with gas-masks: I guess there's gas in the room.

Uncie's usher urged an ugly urchin:

Oid Uncle's usher urge an ugly urchin?
If Uncle's usher urged an ugly urchin,
Where's the ugly urchin Uncle's usher urged?

A botanist wanders about bogs,

A zoologist wonders about bugs.

He ran from the Indies to the Andes in his undies.

A black hat for a fat man.

Any man may lend a hand.

Ted has Dad's hat on his head.

The man had his hat on his head,

The men had their hats on their heads.

The mad lad had a bad, black hat on his head in bed.

He said it was sad that the bed was so bad when we sat on the mat.

If fat cats ali wore hats,

Red hats to wear in bed,
They would never catch any rats,
For rats hate cats in red.

I fear his hair and beard are rarely clean.

9
Here is our revered peer. Hestill has his beard.

Take care of Mary's fair hair.

It is time for my wife to go and buy a kite for a child.

My wife gave Mr Snipe's wife's knife a swipe.

There is no need to light a night-light

On a light night like tonight;
For a night-light's light's a slight light
When the moonlight's white and bright.

"There is no need to light a night-light

In a light night like tonight;
For a night-light is but a slight light,
And tonight is a night that is light."
" Y e s , tonight's light is a bright light,
So it really is not quite right
To light a night-light with its slight light
On a light night like tonight."
À

Andrew Airpump asked his aunt her ailment:

Did Andrew Airpump ask his aunt her ailment?
If Andrew Airpump asked his aunt her. aiiment,
Where was the ailment of Andrew Airpump's aunt?

There's a little metal kettle that is sitting near the settle.

You will hear the tittle-tattle of the lid begin to rattle
When the kettle starts to boil.
What a pretty prittle-prattle of the kettle near the settle.
Such a merry tittle-tattle when the lid begins to rattle
And the kettle starts to boil.

Say what you may: a spade is a spade.

My dame has a lame tame crane,

My dame has a crane that is lame.
Pray, gentle Jane, let my dame's lame tame crane
Feed and come home again.

10
Enoch Elkrig ate an empty eggshell:
Did Enoch Elkrig eat an empty eggshell?
If Enoch Elkrig ate an empty eggshell,
Where's the empty eggshell Enoch Elkrig ate?

Eight elegant elephants elegantly eating eggs.

My French friend lent me ten pence.

Mr Kent bent his leg and head in bed.

A n endless fence across the endless fens.

Ten well-dressed men sent ten or eleven letters.

Eleven hens with twelve eggs in ten nests.

Little Kitty and Big Billy will sit and sing.

Which of the six thin women is a wicked witch?

Inigo Impey itched for an Indian image:

Did Inigo Impey itch for an Indian image?
If Inigo Impey itched for an Indian image,
Where's the Indian image Inigo Impey itched for?

A bit of meat is a milier's meai.

Eat a meai of peas and beans.

Greedy Eve eats three pieces of cheese.

Through three cheese-trees three free fleas flew.

While these fleas flew, a freezy breeze blew.
The freezy breeze made these three trees freeze.
Freezy trees made these trees' cheese freeze.
That's what made these three free fleas sneeze.

11
 CONSONANTS
Barbara burned that brown bread badly.

Barbara's baby brother, Bobby, is bouncing a big beach-ball.

A black-backed bath-brush.

Black bug's blood.

Blame the big, bleak, black book!

Babbling Bert blamed Bess.

Betty Blue blows big, black bubbles.

A big, black bug bit a big, black bear,

And made the big, black bear bleed blood.

The big, black-backed bumblebee.

A big, blue bucket of blue blueberries.

Big boots go bump, bump, bump.

Big, blue blisters bleeding badly.

Be brave bride, the brake broke, breathe!

A boot-black blacks boots with a black blacking-brush.

The boot-black brought the book back.

Billy Button buttoned his bright brown boots and blue coat before breakfast began.

Bonnie Bliss blows big, beautiful, blue bubbles.

My big, brown bear would knock ali your prize pigs into a barn backwards.

Brisk, brave brigadiers brandished broad, bright blades, blunderbusses and bludgeons.

A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits and a biscuit-mixer.

Beautiful, babbling brooks bubble between blossoming banks.

12
Billy Bampton bought blackberries, buttons and biscuits.

The busy bee buzzed busily around the busy beehive.

The broom blooms when the bluebells bloom.

Rubber baby-buggy bumpers.

Blows the bitter blast, binds the barren bough,

Bud and blossom past — black is winter's brow.

A bat and a bali we will bring to the beach

And boats to be sailed on the breezy, blue bay.
We'll picnic and babble by the big, bare, black rocks
And bask in the sun of this beautiful day.

Betty Botter bought a bit of butter,

'But', she said, 'This butter's bitter;
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter;
But a bit of better butter — that would make my batter better.
So she bought a bit of butter, better than her bitter butter,
And she put it in her batter, and the batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.

As I went into the garden I saw five maids

Sitting on five broad beds braiding broad braids.
I said to these five brave maids sitting on five broad beds
Braiding broad braids, "Braid broad braids, brave maids."

Loudly blows the bitter blast

Blinding snowflakes pouring past,
Banks and bushes bleak and bare,
Bending boughs and biting air.

Once upon a barren moor there dwelt a bear, also a boar.

The bear could not bear the boar,
The boar thought the bear a bore.
At last the bear could bear no more
That boar that bored him on the moor.
And so one morn he bored the boar. —
That boar will bore the bear no more.

13
Bobby Bibby bought a bat,
Bobby Bibby bought a bali,
With that bat Bob banged the bali,
Banged it — bump — against the wall.
But so boldly Bobby banged,
Soon he burst his rubber bali!
Boo! sobbed Bobby. Good bye, bali!
Bad luck, Bobby! Bad luck, bali!

Blossoms beautiful and bright bursting into bloom,

Bees and butterflies in flight by the banks of broom,

Billy Button bought a butter'd biscuit:

Did Billy Button buy a butter'd biscuit?
If Billy Button bought a butter'd biscuit,
Where's the butter'd biscuit Billy Button bought?

Bright, bright, my burning blade,

Broad my bending bow.
Big the emblazoned shield I bear,
To battle brave I go.

Double bubble gum bubbles double. . ,'

Peggy Babcock packs bags.

* •

Pure food for poor mules.

Apalepink, proud peacock pompously preened its pretty plumage.

The Polish police polish their boots with Polish polish.

Peter Palmer painted a paper peacock, purple, pink and puce.

Polly Pratt and Patrick Price were picking pears for prizes.

Pretty Polly Perkins has a pair of pretty plaits.

14
Is there any pleasant peasant present?

Peter has five prize pigs pirouetting perpetually in the poppies.

And we shall have to pay the price with properly polished pennies.

Bean-pods, seed-pods, pea-pods and poppy-pods

Split, when they have ripened and open with a pop.

Palatable prescriptions properly prescribed please paying patients.

Mrs Pipple Popple popped a pebble in poor Polly Pepper's eye.

Tom bought some fine, prime, pink popcorns from the prime, pink popcorn shop.

Peter Patter popped his batter-pudding on a painted platter.

Then Peter Patter ate that batter. — Batter makes Peter Patter fatter.

Pete's pa, Pete, poked to the pea-patch

To pick a peck of peas for the pink pig
In the pine-hole pig-pen.

Five plump peas in a pea-pod pressed.

One grew, and two grew, and so did ali the rest;
Grew and grew, and grew and grew, and never stopped,
Till they grew so plump and portly that the pea-pod popped.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers:

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Peerless princess proudly dancing,

Tulips tall and peacocks prancing,
Pansies purple, poppies red,
Primrose pale with golden head.

A proper crop of poppies is a proper poppy crop.

I put a copper penny in a copper coffee-pot.

* *

15
Many mighty men mount the mighty mountain.

Merry Mary married melancholy Michael.

The minx mixed a medicinal mixture.

Mixed metaphors muddle middling minds.

The musician made music and moved multitudes.

I miss my Swiss miss, my Swiss miss misses me.

Many mincing maidens meandered moodily moorwards.

Many million Mini-Minors merrily milling round Manchester.

Meekly marched the merry men 'neath the mild and muffled moon.

Mr Matthew Mathers, my maths master, munches mashed marmalade muffins.

Musing 'mid the moonbeams mild, mindful moved the marvellous child.

A monk's monkey mounted a monastery wall and munched melon and macaroni.

The menagerie manager imagined that he managed the imaginary menagerie show.

Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary

menagerie?

Merry, merry month of May, the mavis sings his roundelay.

Marsh-marigolds embroider meads while streams go murmuring 'mid the reeds.

Merrily, merrily marches the minstrel

By meadow and marsh, over mountain and moorland.
Men are amazed by the magicai music
Of marvellous melody made by the minstrel.

Mile after mile through the meadows,

The millstream meanders along,
Meeting and merging and mingling
The mallows and shallows among.

16
Matthew Mendlegs missed a meddling monkey;
Did Matthew Mendlegs miss a meddling monkey?
If Matthew Mendlegs missed a meddling monkey,
Where's the meddling monkey Matthew Mendlegs missed?

Wee Willy Winkie went walking in the wet wood.

We're washing with warm water.

Wilful waste makes woeful want.

The wild wind whipped Whit from the wharf.

Warm.whispering winds fill woodland waves.

Whispering winds are whirling the waters;

Whither wander the wind-whipped waves?

Wheedling, weeping Winnie wails wildly.

Which is the witch that wished the wicked wish?

The wild wolf roams the wintry wastes.

William is worried about woodworm in the woodwork of his wardrobe.

Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?

Who will wet the whetstone while Willie whistles wistfully?

Wise wives whistle while weaving worsted waistcoats.

Watchful we will walk together, wander wide in windy weather.

When one has not what one wants, one must want what one has.

Winds whiff thornless thimble-weeds a-whistling.

Quick, whitewash the wicket quite white.

17
Christopher Twistle was trying to whistle and Christopher twisted his tongue.

William Whiteley's wash-housewindowswantwashing well with warm water.

Which switch, Miss, is the right switch for Ipswich, Miss?

The woman wound the wool well while the wild wind whistled.

Who washed Washington's white woollen underwear

When Washington's washerwoman went West?

Wander we by wood and water, wending still our weary way;

Wait! The wide walls of our city, where we will watch the waking day.

Wood said he would carry the wood through the wood.

And if Wood said he would, Wood would.

William Winters and Walter Wilkins always wash the walls between the windows white
with water.

We are walking through wind and weather,

Wandering near the wild waters
Under the waving willow trees.

The wind goes whispering where the willows

Wave, with waters wide between.
One by one, the wild birds, waking,
Warble sweet in woodlands green.

Whafs the wind whispering?

'Woo, woo', low in the wild wood.
Ali the night through, 'Woo, woo',
The wind whispers, 'Woo'.

Over wintry wind-whipped waves

The white-winged seagulis wildly sweep,
Weaving, winding, wheeling, whistling
Where the wide, waste waters weep.

Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot,

Whether the weather be fine or whether the weather be not,
We'll weather the weather whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.

18
Walter Waddle won a walking wager:
Did Walter Waddle win a walking wager?
If Walter Waddle won a walking wager,
Where's the walking wager Walter Waddle won?

William Weedon wiped his wig and waistcoat:

Did William Weedon wipe his wig and waistcoat?
If William Weedon wiped his wig and waistcoat,
Where are the wig and waistcoat William Weedon wiped?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck,

If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck could chuck,
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

From Wibbleton to Wobbleton is fifteen miles,

From Wobbleton to Wibbleton is fifteen miles.
From Wibbleton to Wobbleton, from Wobbleton to Wibbleton,
From Wibbleton to Wobbleton is fifteen miles.

* *

Eve's victorious in the valley.

Every evening Victor and Vivian visit Eve.

Vera valued the valley violets.

Velvet vapours veil the valley vines.

Give me very velvety, violet violas.

Valiant vassals vexed Victoria.

Virile Victor vanquished vain vendors.

Vivid, virtuous, vast and void;

Never be victim to villainous vices.

The vicious viçar vexed the Viking.

19
Violet vainly viewed that vast, vacant vista.

Vigorous Vesta voiced voluble verse vociferously.

The vapours have vanished that vaguely veiled my view.

I like white vinegar with veal very much.

Why is the worst verse worse than the first verse?

Various vigorous vipers wriggled under the whispering willow.

Voracious wasps vying with victorious whales.

The vast voyage wasted in vain the weak Vikings' forces.

William always wears a very warm, woollen vest in winter.

Vain women value vague words, and vicars warn with verbal violence, avoiding woollen
vests.

What a victory! Waggons winding, willy-nilly, down wild valleys.

* *
*

Three funny Frenchmen fishing for frogs.

Fill flagon full for feast.

Figs form fine, fancy fare!

Five French friars fanning a fainted flea.

Four fat friars frying flat fish.

Fivefrantic, fat frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.

Four famished fishermen frying flying-fish.

Frisky Freddy feeds on fresh, fried fish.

For fine, fresh fish, phone Phil.

20
Fire fairies fly through flame and fire.

Four fat dogs frying fritters and fiddling ferociously.

The fritters Fanny flipped Friday fattened fussy Fanny.

Fanny Finch fried five floundering fish for Francis Fowler's father.

Five fashionable females flying to France for fresh fashions.

Frances Fowler's father fried five floundering flounder for Frances Fowler's father's father.

Fry me fresh fish, fry me fat fish,

Fry me fresh fish with fritters on Friday.

I never felt felt that felt like that felt felt.

The farmer flings the fruitful seed afar upon the furrowed field.

Frightened fluffy fowls flying foolishly through the farmyard.

Far in the forest, on firtrees talI, feathery snowflakes flutter and fali.

Flowers, fruits and feathers rare, flocks and fields and fountains fair.

Fast we flit with flickering feet, flinging the flame fronds higher,
Fluttering, fluttering far and fleet, fashioning flaming fire.

Freckled fishes, flirting, flitting, flashing fast or floating free,

Flicking filmy fins like feathers, feeding from the flowing sea.

Once a fellow met a fellow in a field of beans.

Said a fellow to a fellow, 'If a fellow asks a fellow,
Can a fellow tell a fellow what a fellow means?'

A lively young fisher named Fischer

Went fishing for fish in a fissure.
A fish with a grin
Pulled the fisherman in.
Now they're fishing the fissure for Fischer.

Forty fat farmers found a field of fine, fresh fodder,

Now, if forty fat farmers found a field of fine, fresh fodder,
Where is the field of fine, fresh fodder those forty fat farmers found?

21
Francis Fribble figured on a Frenchman's filly:
Did Francis Fribble figure on a Frenchman's filly?
If Francis Fribble figured on a Frenchman's filly,
Where'sthe Frenchman's filly Francis Fribble figured on?

If five very fine bakers left five very fine loaves,

How many very fine loaves would those five fine fellows leave?
Those five fine fellows finally would leave
Twenty-five very fine loaves, I believe.

Five fifes, five fives, five fifths.

..

Lizards like lemon liniment.

Lisbeth lisps lengthy lessons.

Lovely lilacs line Lee's lonely lane.

A library littered with literary literature.

Lotty licks lollies lolling in the lobby.

Ali the halls have yellow, hollow walls.

In moonlit leas the lively eives — so old tales tell — enjoy themselves.

Listen, listen, lo! Good people,'bellsclinging loud in lofty steeples.

Lovely colours gleaming brightly, laughing water lapping lightly.

Lucy lingered, looking longingly for her lost lapdog.

The light that lingers long and low makes the lovely colours glow.

AH's well! Old girl, sell silver bells;

Oid Bill tells tales, wild tales Bill tells.

22
Tonight is a light night,
So you mustn't light a night-light
On a light night like this.

Lanky Lawrence lost his lass and lobster:

Did Lanky Lawrence lose his lass and lobster?
If Lanky Lawrence lost his lass and lobster,
Where are the lass and lobster Lanky Lawrence lost?

Lippy and Loppy are two little rabbits,

Lippety-loppety, lippety-lop.
Ali down the long field
They go through the stubbles,
Then — lippety-loppety back to the top,
Lippety-loppety down to the bottom,
Lippety-loppety back to the top.
Lippety-loppety, loppety-lippety,
Lippety-loppety, lippety-lop!

Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nettles.

Now nice nurses need necklaces.

Now the night is nigh its noon, nimble gnomes beneath the moon.

Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nasty, knobbly nuts.

Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster most.

Naughty Nettie's knitting knotted nighties for the navy.

Neddie Noodle nipped his neighbour's nutmegs:

Did Neddie Noodle nip his neighbour's nutmegs?
If Neddie Noodle nipped his neighbour's nutmegs,
Where are the neighbour's nutmegs Neddie Noodle nipped?

I need not your needles, they're needless to me,

For needing needles is needless, you see.
But did my neat trousers need to be kneed,
I then should have need of your needles indeed.

* *

23
Roughly rolled the roaring river and rapidly ran the rain.

Broad, brown rivers rush roaring riotously round rough, rugged rocks.

Rustle of trees and ripple of rain,

Roaring of rivers across the plain.

Around the rugged rocks the rural rascai ran to win the rural race.

Round and round the rugged rocks the ragged rascais ran their rural races.

Reading Bells ring rapidly and reeds rustle round rivers.

I can't stand rotten writing when it's written rotten.

Rolling on the roaring river the rowing-raft rolled over.

As the roaring rocket rose, the restless roosters rollicked.

As around the rising rocket the rushing rotors roared, the rattled roosters rollicked.

Rustle of trees and ripple of rain, roaring of rivers across the plain.

Richard gave Robin a rap in the ribs for roasting his rabbit so rare.

Strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants with real cream are really refreshing.

Richard is in the kitchen fetching some cheese for the children; Rose has two red rulers
from her friend in her room.

Robert Rowley rolled a round roll round:

A round roll Robert Rowley rolled round.
Where's the round roll Robert Rowley rolled round?

Rory Rumpus rode a raw-boned racer:

Did Rory Rumpus ride a raw-boned racer?
If Rory Rumpus rode a raw-boned racer,
Where's the raw-boned racer Rory Rumpus rode?

Rumbling in the chimneys, rattling at the doors,

Round the roofs and round the roads the rude wind roars,
Raging through the darkness, raving through the trees,
Racing off again across the great, grey seas.

24
Rub-a-dub dub, rub-a-dub dub, rrr-rrr, rub-a-dub dub,
You'd think twenty drummers were drumming to battle.
Rub-a-dub dub, rub-a-dub dub, but it's really the twins with two sticks and a rattle,
Rub-a-dub dub, rub-a-dub dub, rrr-rrr, rub-a-dub dub, on a tub.

A laurel-crowned clown.

Don't run along the wrong lane.

A lump of red leather, a red, ieather lump.

Truly plural. Really rural. A regai, rural ruler.

A crow flew over the river with a lump of raw liver.

The rat ran by the river with a lump of raw liver.

Literally literary literature.

Let little Nellie run a little.

i

A rat ran leaping round the room. Leap, rat,

Leapand run! Or the cat will catch you! .

* *

Dreadful dragons dwell in deep, dark dungeons.

Deep in the earth when days are dark, dwells the summer's dawn.

Down, down, down, — down in dungeons deep,

Dreams a dreadful dragon, direful to defeat.

The dustman daily does his duty to dislodge the dirty dust deposited in disgusting, dusty
dustbins.

Davy Dolldrum dreamed he drove a dragon:

Did Davy Dolldrum dream he drove a dragon?
If Davy Dolldrum dreamed he drove a dragon,
Where's the dragon Davy Dolldrum dreamed he drove?

25
If one doctor doctors another, does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor
the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does he doctor the doctor the way the
doctor who doctors doctors doctors?

A maid with a duster made a furious bluster

Dusting a bust in the hall. —
When the bust it was dusted the bust it was busted;
The bust it was dust, that's ali.

* »

Tying tapes takes time.

A tidy tiger tied a tie tighter to tidy her tiny tail.

Two tiny dwarfs tickle the tall treetops. g

Three tall tigers tippling tenpenny tea.

t

Typical, topical, trivial, trite trash.

T w o tubby Teddies toasting tasty teacakes.

Tiny Tim toddles to the tiny toddlers' toyshop.

Ten tenpenny tinkers tinkering tenpenny tinder-tins.

Two toads, totally tired, trying to trot to Tetbury.

The tracker tracked and tricked and trapped the tricky trickster.

Tommy Tweedledums twiddles his thumbs.

Twenty talented teachers teaching tiny tots their two times table.

Ten tame tadpoles tucked tightly together in a thin, tall tin.

The twenty-to-two train to Tooting tootled tunefully as it tore through the tunnel.

Tom took two tiny tots to tea at Tooting,

Tiny Tim told the tale to Ted and Tony.

26
Timothy Titus took two ties
T o tie two tups to two tall trees
T o terrify the terrible Thomas oTullamees.

A train and its trucks were trapped by a tree-trunk across the track.

Tip-Toe Tommy turned a Turk for two-pence:

Did Tip-Toe Tommy turn a Turk for two-pence?
If Tip-Toe Tommy turned a Turk for two-pence,
Where's the Turk for two-pence Tip-Toe Tommy turned?

Toadstools, toadstools 'neath the tree,

Turn your painted tops to me.
Tall is my tower but still I see
Toadstools, toadstools 'neath the tree.

A twister of twists once twisted a twist,

And the twist that he twisted was a three-twisted twist.
Now in twisting the twist, if a twist should untwist,
The twist that untwisted would untwist the twist.

A tree-toad loved a she-toad

That lived up in a tree.
She was a three-toed tree-toad,
But a two-toed toad was he. „ _J
The two-toed toad tried to win
The she-toad's f riendly nod,
For the two-toed toad loved the ground
On which the three-toed toad trod.
But no matter how the two-toed tree-toad tried,
He could not please her whim.
In her tree-toad bower,
With her three-toed power,
The she-toad vetoed him.

Smooth breathing is rather soothing.

This, that, these and those.

This, that, these and the others — they ali go together.

27
These are these and those are those as long as we go hither,
But these are those and those are these as soon as we are thither.

This is a zither.

* »

They threw three thick things.

Three thrushes thrilled them.

Three Scotch thistles in the thicket.

Throw three threads through your throat.

Thea thanks Arthur for thrashing the three thugs.

The Catholic author went to the Orthodox cathedral.

Three thick thistles are thinner than three thin thumbs.

These thirty-three thugs threw three thick thistles.

Is this the sixth, the seventh or the eighth?

The third Thursday of this month is the thirteenth.

Six thick thistle-sticks and three thousand thorny thistles.

Theodore Thrustle threw thirty-three thimbles into a thicket of thistles.

Three sick thrushes sang thirty-six thrilling songs.

Through the thick and thorny thistles thrust and thrashed the thirsty throstles.

Though the threat of thirst or thunder thin the crops or flood the wheat,
Thickly thrive the thorny thistles through the wet and through the neat.

I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.
If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn't have
thought so much.

28
For healthy warmth in ali the weathers
Birds build nests with thick, warm feathers;
Feathers thick and feathers thin,
With thick without, and thin within.

A thatcher of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a-thatching:

Did a thatcher of Thatchwood go to Thatchet a-thatching?
If a thatcher of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a-thatching,
Where's the thatching the thatcher of Thatchwood has thatched?

They thanked them thoroughly.

This is the thumb with the thimble.

Three eighths of them.

These bathers are breathing through their mouths.

This thistle seems like that thistle.

Three tree-twigs.

Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks.

The two-twenty-two tore through town.

Thrice times three, twice times two.

Tim, the thin twin tinsmith.

Though the three smiths thought the weather threatening,

Three other youths, their brothers, thought otherwise.

Can you say, ' T h e s e six thimbles?"

Simply, ' T h e s e six thimbles", E h ?
If you practise, ' T h e s e six thimbles",
"These six thimbles", soon you'll say.

29
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! What bees are these!
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Busy, brown bees.

A lazy zebra, called Desmond, is dozing at the zoo.

He feels flies buzzing round his eyes, ears and nose.

What kind of noise annoys an oyster?

A noisy noise annoys an oyster.

It rains, it hails, it batters, it blows, and I am wet through ali my clothes.

* *

A ship saileth south soon.

A skunk jumped over a stump in a skunk-hole.

I never smelt a smelt that smelled as bad as that smelt smelled.

Sammy Smellie smelt a smell of small-coal:

Did Sammy Smellie smell a smell of small-coal?
If Sammy Smellie smelt a smell of small-coal,
Where's the smell of small-coal Sammy Smellie smelt?

Seven Severn salmon sailing south.

Seven slick, slimy snakes sliding siowly southward.

Seventeen slimy slugs in satin sunbonnets sat singing short, sad songs.

Seventy-seven sea serpents swam hissing across the sea.

Shirley slid the scissors down the slippery, slanting slates.

Six Sicilian snakes sibilantly sang six silly serenades to six Serbian serpents.

Six silent snakes slithering siowly southward.

Six silly sisters sell silk to six sickly seniors.

Six slim saplings.

Six slippery seals slipping silently ashore.

30
Six southern sailors sailing southern seas.

Six twin-screw cruisers.

Sixty-six sick chicks.

Slim Sam slid sideways.

Sly Sam sat sipping Sally's soup.

Snow and ice and silvered hedges,

Sleet and slush and slides and sledges.

Stanley stood sturdy and strong.

Strange and sweet is Sylvia's singing; siowly sinks the setting sun;
Soon the silver stars come bringing softest sleep when songs are sung.

Sue and Cecily are sisters.

Sue is sixty this summer,
Cecily was seventy last Sunday.

Swan swam over the sea, swim, swan, swim!

Swan swam back again, well swum, swan!

Swiftly slides the slippery snake, see him slither by!

Softly over stock and stone, slipping secretly.

Sailing ships on sweiling seas,

Shining sun and summer breeze.

In summer shall the shining sun

Surely bless the slender shoots.

Swiftly, splendidly speeds the knight,

Shield, spear and silver spurs shining in the light.

Swim, Sam, swim;

Show them you're some swimmer.
Six sharp sharks seek small snacks.
So swim, Sam, swim!

The skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk.

But the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

The sleepless sleeper seeks sleep.

31
A few pens costing a few pence.

See these six eggs in a box on the desk.

A n endless fence across the endless fens.

The news in the newspaper said that ali houses except one house used to be used as store-
houses.

The sinking steamer sunk.

Quinn's twin sisters sing tongue twisters.

Stella stole stealthily to the strand.

Strange streams stir stormily.

Strange, strategic statistics.

I»

The seething sea ceaseth seething.

The seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething sea sufficeth us.

Six thick swamps.

"The sheep is s i c k ! " said the sixth son of the shepherd.

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

Miss Smith dismisseth us.

Three silly thieves stole seven silver spoons in a thick sack.

Smooth paths run along the mouth of the river.

Is this the path that passes to the south of the house?

Splendid stars in sparkling throng sing their silver Christmas song.

The cook thickens the soup, but the soup sickens the cook.

Cecil thought he saw six thick thistles.

The sixth thick thistle Cecil saw was Cecil's sixth thick thistle.

32
"I can think of thin things, six thin things, can y o u ? "
" Y e s , I can think of six thin things, and of six thick things, too."

She is a thistle-sifter.

The miller shifts six sacks with care.

And first sifts three, the first three there.
Then when the fourth and f ifth are past,
He sifts the sixth sack last.

Peter has a thistle-sifter which sifts thistles.

Would Peter's thistle-sifter sift very fine, sifted flour?
Peter's sister's sifter is finer than Peter's sifter.
Then we will sift the flour on Peter's sister's thistle-sifter.

There was a woman who sifted thistles;

She had a sifter for sifted thistles
And she had a sifter for unsifted thistles —
And this woman was a thistle-sifter.

Theophilus, the thistle-sifter, sifted a sieve of sifted thistles.

If Theophilus, the thistle-sifter, sifted a sieve of sifted thistles,
Where's that sieve of sifted thistles Theophilus, the thistle-sifter, sifted?

Theophilus Thistledown, the successful thistle-sifter,

In sifting a sieve of unsifted thistles,
Thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb.
If then, Theophilus Thistledown, the successful thistle-sifter,
In sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles,
Thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb,
See that thou, in sifting a sieve of unsifted thistles,
Dost not get the unsifted thistles stuck in thy tongue.

Bertha sews with thin thread, Martha sews with thick.

For Bertha sews a thin silk smock, but Martha sews a tick.
So Bertha sews with thin thread, while Martha uses thick.

There were three brothers of Leith,

One upon the earth, two underneath;
For didn't they smother each other with bath-cloths
For the theft of a scythe and a sheath?

33
The Leith police dismisseth us, l'm thankful, sir, to say;
The Leith police dismisseth us, they thought we sought to stay.
The Leith police dismisseth us, we both sighed sighs apiece.
And the sigh that we sighed, as we said goodbye, was the sigh of the Leith police.

"What a thick sort of thicket this thick thicket i s ! "

Said Bunny the third to his brother.
"I'd much rather live in those thin thickets there.
Let's show those thin thickets to mother!"

Thin sticks, thick bricks.

Three free thugs set three thugs free.

Ted threw Fred three free throws.

On thethird Thursday of the fifth month they send thirty-three thousand toothbrushes in
thirty-three thousand boxes to thirty-three thousand children.

* *

The unusual confusion surrounding the revision of the decision regarding the seizure and
closure of the garage is surely due to some measure of confusion.

The treasure chest chased leisurely is surely chipped.

A traditional politician at a mission station in the bush.

Splish, splash, splish, splash, through the puddles T o m is splashing.

Splish,splash, splish, splash, soon his clothes will need a washing.

Soldiers' shoulders.

A ship saileth south soon.

34
A shy, little she said, " S h o o ! " to a fly and a flea in a flue.

A woman in a plaid shawl shovelled soft snow siowly.

Does the wristwatch shop shut soon?

His shirt soon shrank in the suds.

Does this shop stock short socks with spots?

Six selfish shellfish.

She's so selfish she should sell shellfish, but shellfish shells seldom sell.

If neither he sells seashells, nor she sells seashells,

Who shall sell seashells? Shall seashells be sold?

In summer shall the shining sun surely bless the slender shoots.

I see a ship in sight of the shore.

f

I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit, upon a slitted sheet I sit.

When does the Swiss wristwatch strap shop shut?

Of ali the saws I ever saw, I never saw a saw saw as well as that sort of short saw saws, says
Mr Shaw.

Susan shineth socks and shoes, socks and shoes shineth Susan,

She ceaseth shining socks and shoes, for socks and shoes shock Susan.

Please sell me some short silk socks and some shimmering satin sashes.

Sailing ships on swelling seas, shining sun and summer breeze.

Sally's selfish selling shellfish, so Sally's shellfish seldom sell.

Sarah saw a sash-shop full of showy, shiny sashes.

Seaside shoe-shops shut at six sharp.

Seven Severn salmon swallowing shrimps.

\

Seven shivering sailors swam steadily shoreward;

Seventh sailor shouted, "Swim swiftly — sighted shark!"

35
Seventy shuddering sailors standing silent

As short, sharp, shattering shocks shake their splendid ship.

Shallow shores show some sign of sunshine.

She sells shells, snowshoes and sweet sherry.

She sells seashells by the seashore,

The shells she sells are seashells, l'm sure.

Shall Sally sell shells?

Shall Sally sell shells?
Shall Sally sell seashells and fishes?
Sally shall sell shells,
Sally shall sell shells.
Shells Sally shall sell if she wishes.

Sheep shouldn't sleep in a shack,

Sheep should sleep in a shed.

Swedish sword-swallowers shift short swords swiftly.

The sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

The shuddering soldier shrugs his shoulders.

Some shun sunshine.

The sun shines on shop signs.

We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

The sunshade sheltered Sarah from the sunshine.

Shoes and socks shock Susie.

She sewed shirts seriously. —

She says she shall sew a sheet.

Shipshape suit-shops ship shapely suits.

Silver spray and swelling seas swirling seek the shining shore.

Six short soldiers sang a short song while scrubbing six short shirts sister Susie sewed.

36
Six sixpences stood shimmering on a shop counter.

Six Swiss ships swiftly shift.

Slim Sam shaved six slippery chins in six seconds.

Sunshine Susie shone her shoes with soap and shoeshine.

Shy Susie Shipton sewed the seams of Sammy's Sunday shirt.

Shy Sarah saw six Swiss wristwatches and pre-shrunk shirts.

Shy Sheila sat shivering in her slim, shiny shot-silk smock.

Shy Sheila shakes soft, shimmering silks.

Sooty Sukey shook some soot from sister Susie's sooty shoes.

* *

Joan joyously joined jaunty John in jingling jigs.

â

Jeremy Jones is jostling a jar.

Jean, Joan, George and Gerald judged generally.

Jingiing George jingled gherkins in a jar.

A courageous judge has a huge knowledge.

The aged judge urges the jolly jury to be just but generous.

Jolly Jack and joyful Jill jumping down the jagged hill.

John Johnson joined jealous Jenny Jerry making apple-jelly.

Jane and Jenny in their blue jackets are watching the jaguar in the cage.

It was a joy for Jack and George, the German boys, to cross the large bridge before
entering the village.

Johnny Jones joined the jolly jugglers.

When Johnny Jones joined the jolly jugglers,
Johnny Jones, the juggler, joined a jolly lot.

37
Jangling our jam-jars and jumping for joy,
Far from the village a journey we make,
Ranging the generous hedges and fields,
Juicy, jet blackberries gently to take.

Jumping Jackey jeered a jesting juggler:

Did Jumping Jackey jeer a jesting juggler?
If Jumping Jackey jeered a jesting juggler,
Where's the jesting juggler Jumping Jackey jeered?

» *
*

Children chuckle cheerily.

Charles Dickens has chickens.

Charlie chooses cheese and cherries.

Cheerful children chant charming tunes.

Chimes chalienged the changing year.

One must not touch the Dutch too much.

The child watched his teacher and fetched him the chalk.

Cheek, chin, cheek, chin, cheek, chin, nose,

Cheek, chin, cheek, chin, cheek, chin, toes.

Charles and Richard chewed cheese and chewed gum,

Which they stuck under their chair in the church.

Charles is a cheerful chicken-farmer.

He chuckles at the chance
Of a choice chicken to chew for his lunch.

Mrs Chip is very old, and when she settles down to stitch —
Unless she uses spectacles— she cannot see which stitch is which.

Chip-chop, chip-chop, the woodman with his chopper chops,

Chip-chop, chip-chop, stout and strong and proper chops.
On beeches, oaks and larches, too, his hatchet brightly rings,
And while he chops so cheerily, as cheerily he sings:
Chip-chop, chip-chop, stout and strong and proper chops,
Chip-chop, chip-chop, the woodman with his chopper chops.

38
Come watch the chuckling chickens as they search for things to eat,
They chirp and chatter cheerily and scratch about their feet.
From garden patch and wayside ditch — as much as they can catch —
They eat, and then each other chase a choicer bit to snatch!

He shears a cheap sheep chained, cheerio!

If a dog chews shoes what shoes should he choose to chew?

CheryCs cheap chip-shop sells cheap chips.

The fish-and-chips shop's chips are soft chips.

Cheap ship trips.

The Swiss witch bewitched this switch, wished the switch bewitched.

Sister Susie's sewing shirts for soldiers,

Some skill at sewing shirts our shy, young Susie shows.
Some soldiers send epistles,
Say they'd sooner sleep on thistles
Than the saucy, soft, short shirts for soldiers
Sister Susie sews.

I shot three shy thrushes. Y o u shot three shy thrushes.

Shave a cedar shingle thin.

Shy Sam Smith thought Sarah Short so sweet.

Charlie Chaplin and George Jenkins.

A church for George, a chair for Jeremy Jones.

A huge treasure-chest on a large Chinese junk.

Joe plays jazz and Richard plays chess.

Shaky John has jolly children.

Georgia's gorge is gorgeous.

* *

39
Cross crossings cautiously!

A crazy, crooked critic.

He's a criticai cricket-critic.

A wicked cricket-critic.

A cricket-critic cricked his neck at a criticai cricket match.

A queer, quick, questioning quiz.

The cringing coon cowered in the corner.

The courtiers could not curb the cruel Calvinist.

Cook cooked a cup of creamy custard for Cuthbert.

Can consuming cold cod cutlets cause corns?

Cut Clara's cauliflower and catch crawling crabs.

Can Kitty cuddle Clara's kitten?

Quick,quiet quilis quote Quinney's quarreL

Clearly comes the curlew's call, scudding clouds across the sky.

Coffee from a proper copper coffee-pot.

Quickly comes the cutter's call across the com and cowshed.

Three crooked cripples went through Cripplegate,

And through Cripplegate went three crooked cripples.

Cliff Cross crossed the criss-cross crossing,

The criss-cross crossing Cliff Cross crossed.

Cold, cold, the cruel king, cold the crystal cave,

Crafty gnomes there creep and cling, cunning clefts they cleave.

A canner, exceedingly canny, one day remarked to his granny,

'A canner can can anything that he can,
But a canner can't can a can, can he?'

40
How many cans can a canner can if a canner can can cans?
A canner can can as many cans as a canner can
If a canner can can cans.

White cats — black cats, slick cats — slack cats,

Rough cats — sleek cats, fierce cats — meek cats:
A thousand famous crack-cats collected in a row,
Cooped in cosy cages for the kit-kat show.

Come quickly, come quickly! Oh can you not hear

In countryside copses the carolling clear?
One close and one echoing quite far away,
The clamorous calling of cuckoos in May.

Careful Katie cooked a crisp and crinkly cabbage:

Did careful Katie cook a crisp and crinkly cabbage?
If careful Katie cooked a crisp and crinkly cabbage,
Where's the crisp and crinkly cabbage careful Katie cooked?
t

Mygrandmothersentmeanew-fashioned, three-cornered, cambric, country-cut handkerchief.

Not an old-fashioned, three-cornered, cambric, country-cut handkerchief.
But a new-fashioned, three-cornered, cambric, country-cut handkerchief.

Captain Crackskull cracked a catchpoll/s cockscomb:

Did Captain Crackskull crack a catchpoICs cockscomb?
If Captain Crackskull cracked a catchpolTs cockscomb,
Where's the catchpolTs cockscomb Captain Crackskull cracked?

Kimbo Kemble kicked his kinsman's kettle:

Did Kimbo Kemble kick his kinsman's kettle?
If Kimbo Kemble kicked his kinsman's kettle,
Where's the kinsman's kettle Kimbo Kemble kicked?

Quixote Quicksight quizzed a queer quid-box:

Did Quixote Quicksight quiz a queer quid-box?
If Quixote Quicksight quizzed a queer quid-box,
Where's the queer quid-box Quixote Quicksight quizzed?

Six twin-screw cruisers.

41
A school coal-scuttle, a scuttle of school coal.

The school coal in the school coal-scuttle was scattered by a cool scholar.

The gum glue grew glum.

Eight grey geese grazing gaily in Greece.

Cows graze in groves on grass which grows in grooves in groves.

Three grey geese in a green field grazing,

Grey were the geese and green was the grazing.

G o , go, gallant, good knight, gallop over the ground,

Give the gift of thy great heart's gold t
i
Tillthe Grail's gold thou hast found.

Go, you grim and grisly bear growling in your gloomy lair.

Grandfather Grumps grizzles and grunts as if he had mumps,

Grouses and grumbles, and grizzles and grunts,
T m glad l'm a stranger', says Grandfather Grumps.

Gaffer Gilpin grabbed a goose and gander:

Did Gaffer Gilpin grab a goose and gander?
If Gaffer Gilpin grabbed a goose and gander,
Where's the goose and gander Gaffer Gilpin grabbed?

Three grey geese in a green field grazing:

In a green field grazing are three grey geese.
The grey geese graze while I am gazing:
I gaze and gaze till the grey geese cease.

Grow the grasses, cut the corn, carry gleanings carefully.

42
Don't cling with your tongue to an unsung song.

Strong Tom carne aiong from Hong Kong and sang a long song.

Y o u must linger longer on your stronger finger.

43
 ASPIRATE 'h'
'Hold him here!' hollered Harold.

How Harry hates hounding hares.

Has Helen heard how Hilda hurried home?

Bees hoard heaps of honey.

The hares' ears heard ere the hares heeded.

Hull has huge houses and high holidays.

How has Harry hastened so hurriedly to the hunt?

How high His Highness holds his haughty head!

Hear the happy hunter's horn high over hill and hedge and thorn.

The horses' hard hooves hit the hard high road.

It's not the heather on the heath that hurts the horses' hooves,
lt's the hammer, hammer, hammer on the hard, high road.

A hunter went a-hunting, a-hunting for ã hare,

But where he thought the hare would be he found a hairy bear.

He bade him eat his own hot ham,

So his own hot ham he ate.

Henry Hall hops on his heels. What an odd habit, how horrid it feels!
Hopping on heels isn't hopping at ali.
Why not hop properly. Henry Hall?

Humphrey Hunchback had a hundred hedgehogs:

Did Humphrey Hunchback have a hundred hedgehogs?
If Humphrey Hunchback had a hundred hedgehogs,
Where are the hundred hedgehogs Humphrey Hunchback had?

44
 MISCELLANEOUS
One old Oxford ox in the orchard,
Two toads, totally tired, trying to trot to Tetbury,
Three thumping threshers throw three thimbles through the thistle thicket,
Four fat frogs flopping from the river-bank,
Five fishermen feed the fat fish on flabby fruit,
Six strapping sportsmen sitting in the slippery slush,
Seven salmons swimming upstream after the splendid swans,
Eight Englishmen eating Easter eggs,
Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nuts,
Ten tinkerstinkling on tin tinder-boxes with tenpenny tacks.

One old Oxford ox opening oysters,

Two tee-totums, totally tired of trying to trot to Tetbury,
Three tall tigers tippling tenpenny tea,
Four fat friars fanning fainting flies,
Five frippery Frenchmen foolishly fishing for flies,
Six sportsmen shooting snipes,
Seven Severn salmons swallowing shrimps,
Eight Englishmen eagerly examining Europe,
Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nonpareils,
Ten tinkers tinkling upon ten tin tinder-boxes with ten tenpenny tacks,
Eleven elephants elegantly equipped,
Twelve typographical typographers typically translating types.

The black cloud drifts its swift course,

Drifts straight across the cold dusk skies,
Tempest-toss'd boatsstrain strongly against the wind's force,
T o struggle steadily homeward each tries.

Growls the gale in gloomy glee,

Tempest-tossed, the tender tree
Hurling helpless leaves on high,
Sweiling seas to seek the sky,
Fast the foamy feathers fly.

Buds and blossoms born in light

'Mid the meadow's matchless day.
Dawn has chased the dewy night
Down the newest narrow ray,
Now the river rolling bright
Lightly leaps its laughing way.

45
 'No moon, no fun', your son. —
'How sad, too bad', your dad.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back.
(Test sentence for telex equipment containing the full alphabet)

There was a man, and his name was Dob,

And he had a wife, and her name was Mob.
And he had a dog, and he called it Bob,
. And she had a cat called Chitterabob.
'Bob', says Dob. 'Chitterabob', says Mob.
Bob was Dob's dog, Chitterabob Mob's cat.

LIMERICKS

There was a young fellow from Lynn,

Who was so remarkably thin,
That when he essayed
To drink lemonade,
He slipped through the straw and fell in.

There was a young fellow named Paul,

Who went to a fancy-dress bali.
They say, just for fun,
He dressed up like a bun.
And was eaten by a dog in the hall.

A flea and a fly in a flue

Were imprisoned, so what could they do?
Said the flea, 'Let us fly!'
Said the fly, 'Let us flee!'
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

A young man while dining at Crewe

Found quite a large mouse in his stew.
Said the waiter, 'Don't shout
Or wave it about,
Or the others will ali want one too!'

A tutor who tooted the flute,

Tried to teach two young tooters to toot;
Said the two to the tutor:
'Is it harder to toot, or
To tutor two tooters to toot?'

46
There was a young lady of Crewe,
Who wanted to catch the 2.02.
Said the porter, 'Don't worry,
Or f lurry, or scurry,
lt's a minute or two to 2.02.'

THE T W E E T L E - B E E T L E B A T T L E

When tweetle-beetles f ight,

lt's called, a tweetle-beetle battle.

And when they battle in a puddle,

lt's a tweetle-beetle puddle-battle.

And when tweetle-beetles battle

With paddles in a puddle,
They call it,
A tweetle-beetle puddle-paddle-battle.

And when beetles battle beetles

In a puddle-paddle-battle,
And the beetie battle-puddle
Is a puddle in a bottle,
They call this,
A tweetle-beetle bottie-puddle-paddle-battle-muddle.

And when beetles f ight these battles

In a bottle with their paddles,
And the bottle's on a poodle
And the poodle's eating noodles,
They call this,
A muddle-puddle-tweetle-poodle-beetle-noodle-bottle-paddle-battle.

And when a fox is in the bottle

Where the tweetle-beetles battle
With their paddles in a puddle
On a noodle-eating poodle,
This is what they call,
A tweetle-beetle noodle-poodle-bottled-paddled-muddled-duddled-fuddled-huddled fox in
socks, sir.

The following facsimi/es of the famous 'Peter Piper collection' have been included with the kind permission of the
publishers DOVER PUBLICATIONS INC., New York. The woodcuts first appeared in the original edition of 1830.

47
 P E T E R PIPER'S
Practical Principies
of Plain &Perfect Pronunciation
A a C c

Andrew Airpump ask'd his Aunt her Ail-

ment : Captain Crackskull crack'd a CatchpolFs
Did Andrew Airpump ask his Aunt her Cockscomb:
Ailment? Did Captain Crackskull crack a Catch-
I f Andrew Airpump ask'd his Aunt her poll's Cockscomb ?
Ailment, I f Captain Crackskull crack'd a Catch-
Where was the Ailment of Andrew Air- poll's Cockscomb,
pump^ Aunt ? Where's the Catchpoll's Cockscomb Cap-
tain Crackskull crack'd ?

B b D d

Davy Dolldrum dream'd he drove a Dra-

Billy Button bought a Butter'd Biscuit: gon:
Did Billy Button buy a Butter* d Biscuit ? Did Davy Dolldrum dream he drove a
I f Billy Button bought a Butter'd Biscuit, Dragon ?
Where's the Butter'd Biscuit Billy Button I f Davy Dolldrum dream'd he drove a
bought? Dragon,
Where's the Dragon Davy Dolldrum
dream'd he drove ?

48
 E e G g

Enoch Elkrig ate an empty Eggshell:

Did Enoch Elkrig eat an empty Eggshell ? Gaffer Gilpin grabbed a Goose and Gan-
I f Enoch Elkrig ate an empty Eggshell, der:
Where's the empty Eggshell Enoch E l k - Did Gaffer Gilpin grab a Goose and Gan-
rig ate ? der?
I f Gaffer Gilpin grabbed a Goose and Gan-
der,
Where's the Goose and Gander Gaffer
Gilpin grabbed ?

F f H h

Francis Fribble figured on a Frenchman's

Filly: Humphrey Hunchback had a Hundred
Did Francis Fribble figure on a French- Hedgehogs:
man's Filly ? Did Humphrey Hunchback have a H u n -
I f Francis Fribble figured on a French- dred Hedgehogs?
man's Filly, I f Humphrey Hunchback had a Hundred
Where's the Frenchman's Filly Francis Hedgehogs,
Fribble figured on? Where's the Hundred Hedgehogs Hum-
phrey Hunchback had ?

49
 K k

Inigo Impey itched for an Indian Image:

Kimbo Kemble kick'd his Kinsman's Ket-
Did Inigo Impey itch for an Indian Image?
tle:
I f Inigo Impey itched for an Indian Image,
Did Kimbo Kemble kick his Kinsman'$
Where's the Indian Image Inigo Impey
Kettle?
itched for ?
I f Kimbo Kemble kick'd his Kinsman's
Kettle,
Where's the Kinsman's Kettle Kimbo
Kemble kick'd ?

Jumping Jackey jeer'd a Jesting Juggler: Lanky Lawrence lost his Lass and Lobster:
Did Jumping Jackey jeer a Jesting Jug- Did Lanky Lawrence lose his Lass and
gler? Lobster ?
I f Jumping Jackey jeer'd a Jesting Juggler, I f Lanky Lawrence lost his Lass and Lob-
Where's the Jesting Juggler Jumping ster?
Jackey jeered ? Where are the Lass and Lobster Lanky
Lawrence lost ?

50
— M m O o

Oliver Oglethorpe ogled an Owl and

Matthew Mendlegs miss'd a meddling Oyster:
Monkey: Did Oliver Oglethorpe ogle an Owl and
Did Matthew Mendlegs miss a meddling Oyster ?
Monkey ? I f Oliver Oglethorpe ogled an Owl and
I f Matthew Mendlegs miss'd a meddling Oyster,
Monkey, Where are the Owl and Oyster Oliver
Where's the meddling Monkey Matthew Oglethorpe ogled ?
Mendlegs miss'd ?

N n

Neddie Noodle nipp'd his Neighbor's Nut-

Peter Piper pick'd a Peck of Pickled
megs:
Peppers:
Did Neddie Noodle nip his Neighbor's
Did Peter Piper pick a Peck of Pickled
Nutmegs ?
Peppers?
I f Neddie Noodle nipped his Neighbor's
I f Peter Piper pick'd a peck of Pickled
Nutmegs,
Peppers,
Where are the Neighbor's Nutmegs Ned-
Where's the Peck of Pickled Peppers
die Noodle nipp'd ?
Peter Piper pick'd ?

51
Q q S s

Sammy Smellie smelt a Smell of Small-

Quixote Quicksight quiz'd a queerish coal :
Quidbox: Did Sammy Smellie smell a Smell of
Did Quixote Quicksight quiz a queerish Smallcoal ?
Quidbox ?
I f Sammy Smellie smelt a Smell of Small-
I f Quixote Quicksight quiz'd a queerish coal,
Quidbox, Where's the Smell of Smallcoal Sammy
Where's the queerish Quidbox Quixote Smellie smelt ?
Quicksight quiz'd ?

R r T t

Rory Rumpus rode a rawboned Racer: Tip-Toe Tommy turn'd a Turk for Two-
Did Rory Rumpus ride a rawboned Racer ? pence :
I f Rory Rumpus rode a rawboned Racer, Did Tip-Toe Tommy turn a Turk for
Where's the rawboned Racer Rory Rumpus Two-pence ?
rode? I f Tip-Toe Tommy turn'd a Turk for
Two-pence,
Where's the Turk for Two-pence Tip-Toe
Tommy turn'd ?

52
 U u W w

Walter Waddle won a walking Wager:

Uncle's Usher urg'd an ugly Urchin: Did Walter Waddle win a walking Wager?
Did Uncle's Usher urge an ugly Urchin ? I f Walter Waddle won a walking Wager,
I f Uncle's Usher urg'd an ugly Urchin, Where's the walking Wager Walter
Where's the ugly Urchin Uncle's Usher Waddle Won?
urg'd ?

X Y Z have made my Brains to crack-o,

Villiam Veedon vip'd his Vig and Vaist- X smokes, Y snuífs, and Z chews tobacco;
coat: Yet oft by X Y Z much learning's taught;
Did Villiam Veedon vipe his Vig and But Peter Piper beats them ali to naught.
Vaistcoat ?
I f Villiam Veedon vip'd his Vig and Vaist-
coat
Where are the Vig and Vaistcoat Villiam
Veedon vip'd ?

*EDITORS NOTE: lsn't this a wonderful tongue twister for showing how not to pronounce English? It seems a take-off on our Ger-
man compatnots.

53
 LAST-MINUTE FINDS
Anthea and Andy ate acid apples accidentally.

The bleak breeze blights the bright blue blossom.

Plain bun, plum bun, bun without plum.

Vile Willy's wily violin.

The drain in the train dripped again and again until the drain in the train dripped dry.

A clipper ship shipped several clipped sheep.

Were these clipped sheep the clipper ship's sheep,
Or just clipped sheep shipped on a clipper's ship?

If a shipshape ship shop stocks six shipshape shop-soiled ships,

How many shipshape shop-soiled ships would six shipshape ship shops stock?

If a dog chews shoes, what shoes should he choose to chew?

Mrs Snelling's selling six sick shorn sheep.

Quick — Quack — Quock, Quack — Quock — Quick, Quock — Quick — Quack.

Give George green gloves and gleaming galoshes.

George Gabs grabs crabs:

Does George Gabs grab crabs?

If George Gabs grabs crabs
Where are the crabs George Gabs grabs?
Even the hare's hair hides the hare's ears.

Try three tries

Trying to say these thirteen tongue twisters
Thirty-six times without ceasing! (M, MJ

54