1967 Christmas, Dad reading to Melissa and me.

I grew up reciting this story for fun, and for a good bit of competition with my twin sister, Melissa.  We listened to this tale, via a Danny Kaye record of children’s stories.  The irony is my Father’s name, is Daniel Kay, so we must have been good listeners.  Those days, created a childhood full of simple, gentle and good wholesome fun.  What a blessing to have loving wonderful parents!  Melissa and I still recite this as fast as we can, with proud smiles.  White-faced Simminy, the cat, created the “tail” around this English Fairy tale.  Please enjoy, and do read this to your children.

A Girl once went to the fair to hire herself for servant. At last a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her and took her home to his house. When she got there, he told her that he had something to teach her, for that in his house he had his own names for things.

He said to her, “What will you call me?” “Master or mister, or whatever you please, sir,” says she.  He said, “You must call me master of all masters.’ And what would you call this?” pointing to his bed.  “Bed or couch, or whatever you please, sir.”  “No, that’s my ‘barnacle’. And what do you call these?” said he, pointing to his pantaloons.  “Breeches or trousers, or whatever you please, sir.”  “You must call them ‘squibs and crackers.’  And what would you call her?” pointing to the cat.  Cat or kit, or whatever you please, sir.'”You must call her ‘white-faced simminy’

Kitty Blue, my Little Miss captured in the chapters of my heart

” And this now,” showing the fire, “what would you call this?” “Fire or flame, or whatever you please, sir.”  “You must call it ‘hot cockalorum’; and what this?” he went on, pointing to the water.  “Water or wet, or whatever you please, sir.”  “No, ‘pondalorum’ is its name.

And what do you call all this?” asked he, as he pointed to the house. “House or cottage, or whatever you please, sir.”  “You must call it ‘high topper mountain.'”

That very night the servant woke her master up in a fright and said, “Master of all masters, get out of your barnacle and put on your squibs and crackers. For white-faced simminy has got a spark of hot cockalorum on its tail, and unless you get some pondalorum high topper mountain will be all on hot cockalorum….”

That’s all 🙂