James and his mother
They loved one another,
And they went to walk one day;
And as they were walking,
And laughing and talking,
They saw some boys at play.

"Let me go; let me run;
Let me see all the fun!"
Said little James then to his mother;
"Hear them laugh, hear them shout,
See them tumbling about,
And jumping one over the other."

"Pray let me go too,
O dear mother, do!"
And Jemmie ran off to the boys;
He kicked, and he thumped,
He laughed and he jumped,
He shouted and made a great noise.

But James was so small
That he soon got a fall,
And tumbled down into a hole;
He was not much hurt,
But covered with dirt—
There Jemmie lay rubbing his poll.

His mother soon ran
To her dear little man,
Holding out to him both of her hands;
And now on the ground,
All safe and all sound,
By the side of his mother he stands.

"Never mind," said his mother;
And they kissed one another;
"Never mind, though you cut such a figure;
For Jemmie shall play
With the boys some day,
When he has grown older and bigger."