About this book

Now we are six

A. A. Milne

An enormous leopard with coal-black fur. A little brown kitten that's nearly new Is now playing games with its big Tattoo.... And Pink looks lazily down at her: "Dear little Tat," says Pinkle Purr. WIND ON THE HILL No one can tell me, Nobody knows, Where the wind comes from, Where the wind goes. It's flying from somewhere As fast as it can, I couldn't keep up with it, Not if I ran. But if I stopped holding The string of my kite, It would blow with the wind For a day and a night. And then when I found it, Wherever it blew, I should know that the wind Had been going there too. So then I could tell them Where the wind goes.... But where the wind comes from _Nobody_ knows. FORGOTTEN Lords of the Nursery Wait in a row, Five on the high wall, And four on the low; Big Kings and Little Kings, Brown Bears and Black, All of them waiting Till John comes back. Some think that John boy Is lost in the wood, Some say he couldn't be, Some say he could. Some think that John boy Hides on the hill; Some say he won't come back, Some say he will. High was the sun, when John went away.... Here they've been waiting All through the day; Big Bears and Little Bears, White Kings and Black, All of them waiting Till John comes back. Lords of the Nursery Looked down the hill, Some saw the sheep-fold, Some saw the mill; Some saw the roofs Of the little grey town.... And their shadows grew long As the sun slipt down. Gold between the poplars An old moon shows; Silver up the star-way The full moon rose; Silver down the star-way The old moon crept.... And, one by another, The grey fields slept. Lords of the Nursery Their still watch keep.... They hear from the sheep-fold The rustle of sheep. A young bird twitters And hides its head; A little wind suddenly Breathes, and is dead. Slowly and slowly Dawns the new day.... What's become of John boy? No one can say. Some think that John boy Is lost on the hill; Some say he won't come back, Some say he will. _What's become of John boy? Nothing at all, He played with his skipping rope, He played with his ball. He ran after butterflies, Blue ones and red; He did a hundred happy things-- And then went to bed._ IN THE DARK I've had my supper, And _had_ my supper, And _HAD_ my supper and all; I've heard the story Of Cinderella, And how she went to the ball; I've cleaned my teeth, And I've said my prayers, And I've cleaned and said them right; And they've all of them been And kissed me lots, They've all of them said "Good-night." So--here I am in the dark alone, There's nobody here to see; I think to myself, I play to myself, And nobody knows what I say to myself; Here I am in the dark alone, What is it going to be? I can think whatever I like to think, I can play whatever I like to play, I can laugh whatever I like to laugh, There's nobody here but me. I'm talking to a rabbit ... I'm talking to the sun ... I think I am a hundred-- I'm one. I'm lying in a forest ... I'm lying in a cave ... I'm talking to a Dragon ... I'm BRAVE. I'm lying on my left side ... I'm lying on my right ... I'll play a lot to-morrow ... ....... I'll think a lot to-morrow ... ....... I'll laugh ... a lot ... to-morrow ... (_Heigh-ho!_) Good-night. THE END When I was One, I had just begun. When I was Two, I was nearly new. When I was Three, I was hardly Me. When I was Four, I was not much more. When I was Five, I was just alive. But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever. So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever. * * * * * NEW UNIFORM EDITION These inimitable and imperishable Milne classics with the Shepard drawings are now available, _for the first time_, in a new edition, uniform with this volume. WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG The most popular book of child-verse of modern times. NOW WE ARE SIX A companion volume of verse to When We Were Very Young WINNIE-THE-POOH Pooh and Christopher Robin are among the most treasured characters of story-land. THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER There just had to be another story about Christopher Robin and his seven friends--Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Tigger, etc. _Published by_ E. P. DUTTON & CO., INC. OTHER BOOKS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS _By_ A. A. MILNE THE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN VERSES Fully illustrated by E. H. SHEPARD, with 12 plates in color THE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN STORY BOOK Illustrated by E. H. SHEPARD THE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN BIRTHDAY BOOK Illustrated by E. H. SHEPARD THE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN READER Collected by A. A. MILNE from his four books of poetry and prose, including selections recommended by the New York City Board of Education. SONG-BOOKS FROM THE POEMS OF A. A. MILNE With Music by H. FRASER-SIMSON and Decorations by E. H. SHEPARD FOURTEEN SONGS TEDDY BEAR AND OTHER SONGS SONGS FROM "NOW WE ARE SIX" THE KING'S BREAKFAST MORE "VERY YOUNG" SONGS THE HUMS OF POOH