Agniya Barto
Four and forty grandchildren

Came the dandy dandelion,
Came to stay
In Granny’s kitchen garden,
Lack-the-day!

Granny gasped:
“Bless me!
Where be
The strawb’ries?

I'll fight the dandy dandelion.
I know what I’m about.
My four and forty grandchildren
Shall come to dig him out.”

Came the four and forty,
Rolling up their sleeves:
Made a mighty sortie
On the wicked weeds.
Stubbornly they clung
But out they had to come!

Granny gasped:
“Bless me!
Children — well done!
Only
Where’s strawb’ries?
I don’t see
ONE.”

Translated by Avril Pyman