
BY - RUTH McENERY STUART - ILLUSTRATED BY G. H. CLEMENTS
FOREWORD
DADDY'S WEATHER PRAYER
THE OLD ROOSTER
THE BUTTERFLY
THE WREN
THE WATERMELON
THE GOURD
JUDGE OWL
THE MOSQUITO
A genial, weather‑worn elder steps forward from the porch of a bygone plantation, offering his “wisdom jingles” with the easy charm of a man who has watched generations rise and fall. In his plain‑spoken cadence he spins brief, rhyming sketches of roosters, butterflies, owls and other creatures, each a tiny vignette that captures a slice of everyday life. Though his education is limited to the rote letters of his youth, his observations are sharp, and his humor carries a quiet pride in the freedom he now enjoys.
The verses flow like a chorus of familiar folk songs, each stanza a playful lesson wrapped in the language of the South’s rural heartland. From a weather prayer that beckons rain or shine to a cheeky commentary on a mischievous mosquito, the collection mixes gentle moral counsel with light‑hearted teasing. The tone is warm and unpretentious, inviting listeners to smile at the quirks of nature and the simple truths they reveal.
Listening feels like sharing a rocking‑chair conversation with a beloved grandfather, his voice steady and his wit ever ready. The short, melodic pieces are perfect for a brief respite, offering both nostalgia and a fresh perspective on timeless observations. Whether you’re a fan of folk poetry or simply enjoy a good‑natured chuckle, these jingles linger long after the last line fades.
Language
en
Duration
~37 minutes (36K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Janet Blenkinship and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2006-09-25
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1856–1917
A vivid storyteller of Southern life, she built a national readership with warm, observant fiction and a sharp ear for regional speech. Her stories and poems often drew on Louisiana and Arkansas settings, blending humor, character, and everyday detail.
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