Contents

Contents : introduction -- oh, there was an old woman -- a witch poem -- harry the hawk -- the cat song -- the haunted child -- when I was but a little boy -- a summery saturday morning -- the pines -- 17 Kings and 42 elephants -- the snail -- welcoming song -- dining out -- when the king rides by -- circles -- puck’s song -- magic -- the remarkable cake -- bubble trouble -- george’s pet -- gay wind -- the fantail -- the king of castile -- once upon an evening -- the burnt library -- the tin can band -- out of my ship between the stars -- dashing dog -- hide and seek in a dark house -- wonderful me -- the fairy child -- clowns -- bush wedding -- what i like ... -- plans gone wrong -- hiccups -- the storm king’s daughter -- song -- uncle james -- for the opening of books and beyond -- the reluctant hero, or barefoot in the snow -- unexpected summer soup -- how the world ended -- the star-crossed lovers -- Christmas in new Zealand -- sensible questions -- the ghastly nightmare, or the butcher’s dream -- sea song -- prefabricated -- baby is falling asleep -- the tarragon vinegar song -- alone in the house -- king of the world -- the flingamango -- the springing granny -- my sister -- further adventures of humpty dumpty -- ghosts -- the silly song -- the man from the land of fandango -- the witch and the scarecrow -- a strange old man -- down the back of the chair -- goodness gracious -- the dictionary bird -- hush! hush! hush! -- when I am old and wrinkled like a raisin -- acknowledgements -- about the poet, the editor and the artist.