Since it's Labor Day, I figured it would be good to talk to someone who is constantly working--the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. After all, she has so many children she doesn't know what to do. Let's find out what she thinks of Labor Day and back to school.
Greg: Thanks for taking time out to chat with us. I know you've got an extremely busy schedule.
Old Lady: Yes, well, I just got the last one down to bed. Now I have about two minutes to chat before I start the laundry.
Greg: Okay, I'll try to make this quick. How many children do you have, exactly?
Old Lady: So many that I don't know what to do. To be perfectly frank, I lost count at 30, and that was quite a while ago.
Greg: Wow. Did you give birth to all of them?
Old Lady: No, unlike that woman down south who has 19 and is still counting, I did not. I adopted most of my little darlings. There are plenty enough young ones in the world without homes. So, I decided to open mine to as many as possible.
Greg: Well, I must say that is very admirable. However, a shoe?
Old Lady: Be it ever so humble, it's still a good home, and I have yet to hear any of the children complain. Still, I have to admit that it does get a bit cramped at times. Why only the other day I was speaking with Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater about renting out his pumpkin shell, but he's still got his wife in there. He keeps her very well in it, so much so that now she won't come out, so that possibility has been cut off.
Greg: How do you manage to keep the shoe so clean. Where do you find the time?
Old Lady: Well, you have to make the time, dear. Recently, my neighbor, the farmer in the dell, he replaced my laces with some lovely Velcro. It make it much quicker and easier to give the entire place a thorough airing out. You know how shoes can be--Odor Eaters just don't cut it honey.
Greg: Well, that will certainly open the place up. Do your children help you?
Old Lady: The older ones watch the younger ones and help with the chores, but I still have my hands full. I'm glad that school has finally started again. Getting them all out of the shoe for six hours does give me the chance to get caught up a little. But it's not all curds and whey you know. I still have to get several lunches made and outfits laid out. Not to mention the baths, oh I can't bear to talk about them.
I swear, if I have to fight with one more child about washing their hair, I think I'll scream. Then there's breakfast in the morning and off to the bus. If just one is running late, that means the whole group misses the bus, because they won't go to the bus stop until everyone is ready. Then I have to load up the tour bus to take everyone to school, and heaven forbid if I've forgotten to fill the tank. It almost isn't worth the trouble.
Greg: It sounds like you're doing all this yourself. Isn't there, um, an Old Man Who Lives in the Shoe?
Old Lady: There was, once, but that snake couldn't take the pressure. One morning he said he was going to market of by a fat pig, and that's the last I saw of the old so-and-so. Don't get me started about him. I wish you hadn't mentioned him at all.
Greg: I beg your pardon. What do you and the family do for fun?
Old Lady: Well, I have to admit that it's not all hard work and drudgery. After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Actually, Jack's not really that dull, although he is a bit odd. You know, he actually sold his mother's cow for a handful of beans. Oh, that poor woman, the things she has to put up with. Now Jack's into gardening. He took those beans and planted them, although what that will get him, I can't imagine.
Oh, but you were asking what we did for fun, dear. Well let me see, The children are always up for a good game of ring around the rosie. Sometimes we stop by Little Boy Blue's to hear him blow his horn. He's really quite good, you know.
Greg: Yes, there's nothing like a good concert. Well, thanks for taking some precious time to talk with us. Enjoy the school year!
Old Lady: Thank you very much. Oh by the way Simple Simon is coming to pick me up at 6 o'clock on Saturday. We're going to the fair! As we discussed, I'll need you here by 5:45 to babysit.
Old Lady: Yes, well, I just got the last one down to bed. Now I have about two minutes to chat before I start the laundry.
Greg: Okay, I'll try to make this quick. How many children do you have, exactly?
Old Lady: So many that I don't know what to do. To be perfectly frank, I lost count at 30, and that was quite a while ago.
Greg: Wow. Did you give birth to all of them?
Old Lady: No, unlike that woman down south who has 19 and is still counting, I did not. I adopted most of my little darlings. There are plenty enough young ones in the world without homes. So, I decided to open mine to as many as possible.
Greg: Well, I must say that is very admirable. However, a shoe?
Old Lady: Be it ever so humble, it's still a good home, and I have yet to hear any of the children complain. Still, I have to admit that it does get a bit cramped at times. Why only the other day I was speaking with Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater about renting out his pumpkin shell, but he's still got his wife in there. He keeps her very well in it, so much so that now she won't come out, so that possibility has been cut off.
Greg: How do you manage to keep the shoe so clean. Where do you find the time?
Old Lady: Well, you have to make the time, dear. Recently, my neighbor, the farmer in the dell, he replaced my laces with some lovely Velcro. It make it much quicker and easier to give the entire place a thorough airing out. You know how shoes can be--Odor Eaters just don't cut it honey.
Greg: Well, that will certainly open the place up. Do your children help you?
Old Lady: The older ones watch the younger ones and help with the chores, but I still have my hands full. I'm glad that school has finally started again. Getting them all out of the shoe for six hours does give me the chance to get caught up a little. But it's not all curds and whey you know. I still have to get several lunches made and outfits laid out. Not to mention the baths, oh I can't bear to talk about them.
I swear, if I have to fight with one more child about washing their hair, I think I'll scream. Then there's breakfast in the morning and off to the bus. If just one is running late, that means the whole group misses the bus, because they won't go to the bus stop until everyone is ready. Then I have to load up the tour bus to take everyone to school, and heaven forbid if I've forgotten to fill the tank. It almost isn't worth the trouble.
Greg: It sounds like you're doing all this yourself. Isn't there, um, an Old Man Who Lives in the Shoe?
Old Lady: There was, once, but that snake couldn't take the pressure. One morning he said he was going to market of by a fat pig, and that's the last I saw of the old so-and-so. Don't get me started about him. I wish you hadn't mentioned him at all.
Greg: I beg your pardon. What do you and the family do for fun?
Old Lady: Well, I have to admit that it's not all hard work and drudgery. After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Actually, Jack's not really that dull, although he is a bit odd. You know, he actually sold his mother's cow for a handful of beans. Oh, that poor woman, the things she has to put up with. Now Jack's into gardening. He took those beans and planted them, although what that will get him, I can't imagine.
Oh, but you were asking what we did for fun, dear. Well let me see, The children are always up for a good game of ring around the rosie. Sometimes we stop by Little Boy Blue's to hear him blow his horn. He's really quite good, you know.
Greg: Yes, there's nothing like a good concert. Well, thanks for taking some precious time to talk with us. Enjoy the school year!
Old Lady: Thank you very much. Oh by the way Simple Simon is coming to pick me up at 6 o'clock on Saturday. We're going to the fair! As we discussed, I'll need you here by 5:45 to babysit.
What an interview! I love that most of her kiddos are adopted! I was always fascinated by this tale as a kid, so I am glad to finally know the backstory.
ReplyDelete~Jess
Thanks, Jess. Yes, I always wondered how she fit them all into a shoe! I think it's good that all the Mother Goose characters have such a close-knit community.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! I followed your blog. Looking forward to more great stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm following you as well!
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