Little Miss Muffet.

From Little Bo-Peep:



Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating curds and why;
There came a big spider,
And sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss
Muffet away.

The Lion Hunting With Other Beasts

From The Fables of Æsop:

A Lion, a Heifer, a Goat, and a Sheep once agreed to share whatever each might catch in hunting. A fine fat stag fell into a snare set by the Goat, who thereupon called the rest together. The Lion divided the stag into four parts. Taking the best piece for himself, he said: "This is mine, of course, as I am the Lion;" taking another portion, he added, "This too is mine by right - the right, if you must know, of the strongest." Further, putting aside the third piece, "That's for the most valiant," said he; "and as for the remaining part, touch it if you dare."

Admit for Confess

From Write it Right:

Admit for Confess: To admit is to concede something affirmed. An unaccused offender cannot admit his guilt.

The Cock and the Jewel

From The Fables of Æesop:



A brisk young Cock, scratching for something with which to entertain his favorite hens, happened to turn up a jewel. Feeling quite sure that it was something precious, but not knowing well what to do with it, he addressed it with an air of affected wisdom as follows: "You are a very fine thing, no doubt, but you are not at all to my taste. For my part, I would rather have one grain of dear, delicious barley than all the jewels in the world."

Little Bo-Peep

From Little Bo-Peep:

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And cannot tell where to find them; -
Leave them alone, and they'll come home
And bring their tails behind them.

Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep,
And dreamt she heard them bleating;
But when she awoke she found it a joke,
For still they were all fleeting.

Then up she took her little crook,
Determined for the find them; -
She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,
For they'd left their tails behind them.

The Oneirocriticon of Astrampsychus cont.

From The Complete Dream Book:

THE ONEIROCRITICON OF ASTRAMPSYCHUS
cont.

To have broad feet is a sign of misfortune.
The amputation of the feet is a bar to a contemplated journey
The burning of the body indicates a very evil reputation.
Gladness of mind shows that you will live abroad.
For a blind man to see is the best omen possible.
To wear a white robe is an excellent omen.
To wear a black one is a mournful spectacle.
To wear a purple robe thratens a long disease.
To wear a red one promises an honourable action.
To wear the pall of kings is the solution to our expectations.
The tearing of a garment is relief from the burden of anxieties.
A severed girdle speedily cuts short a journey.
To behold the stars forebodes much good to men.
Thunder-peals in dreams are the words of messengers.
To see lights indicates guidance in affairs.
The sight of withered trees declares the uselessness of labours.
Pearls denote a torrent of tears.
Milk confounds the politics of enemies.
Milk is the sign of peaceful circumstances.

Admit for Confess

From Write it Right:

Admission for Admittance. "The price of admission is one dollar."

Admission for Admittance

From Write it Right:

"The price of admission is one dollar."

Ancient Interpretations of Dreams / The Oneirocriticon of Astrampsychus (pt. 1)

From The Complete Dream Book:

Over a period of one thousand years or more there have been interpretations of dreams that people have had. On these interpretations have been built the dream books of today. Changes in modes of living and advances in science have occurred that have made considerable differences in the manner of interpreting dreams, but many of the solutions of sleeping thoughts have remained the same.

Following are some of the interpretations that have come down through the ages.

THE ONEIROCRITICON OF ASTRAMPSYCHUS

"To talk in dreams is a sign of their truth.
To move slowly denotes unfortunate journeys.
It is good to fly, for it is the sign of an honorable deed.
Laughter in sleep presages difficult circumstances.
To weep in sleep is a sign of the utmost joy.
To eat with enemies indicates a reconciliation.
To be dead in dreams announces freedom from anxiety.
An offensive odour signifies annoyance.
If anyone offer incense to you, it portends affliction.
If you seem to be an old man, you will attain to honour.
To run in dreams shows the stability of your circumstances.
To wash the hands denotes the release from anxieties.
To clean the feet denotes the release from anxieties.
To clean the body denotes the release from anxieties.
To cut the hair signifies losses in business.
To lose the hair heralds great danger.
To see white meats is exceedingly advantageous.
To see black meats forebodes evil to one's children.
To embrace your mother is to have a lucky dream.
To embrace one's best beloved is very fortunate.
All embraces bring about protracted labours.
To kiss or to love excites the long-continued opposition of one's enemies.

(to be cont.)

Action for Act

From Write it Right.

Action for Act. "In wrestling, a blow is a reprehensible action." A blow is not an action but an act. An action may consist of many acts.

The Clouds

From The New Barnes Reader:



White sheep, white sheep,
On a blue hill,
When the wind stops
You all stand still.

You walk far away,
When the wind blow;
White sheep, white sheep,
Where do you go?

OLD RHYME

A for An

From Write it Right:

A for An. "A hotel." "A heroic man." Before an unaccented aspirate use an. The contrary usage in this country comes of too strongly stressing our aspirations.

The Two Frogs

From The Fables of Æsop:

One hot summer, the lake in which two Frogs lived was completely dried up, and they were obliged to set off in search of water elsewhere. Coming to a deep and deliciously cool well, one of the Frogs proposed that they should jump in at once. "Wait a bit," cried the other; "if that should dry up, how could we get out again?"