“Millions of Massive Raindrops”
(Deans Mother Goose Book of Rhymes, now out of print.)
When I was growing up, one of my very favorite books was an old copy of nursery rhymes illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone. I’m not sure where my mother found the book (it was the American version of a British publication), but my sisters and I spent hours reading the poems and studying the pictures, which are incredibly detailed and lovely. I’m fortunate enough to have the book in my possession today, and though it’s not in the best of shape, I try sharing it with my boys from time to time. They are more interested in books about animals, trucks, and trains at the moment, but I’m hoping that, eventually, they will come to love this old collection of nursery rhymes as much as I do.
(The book’s inside page.)
We’ve had a really rainy winter so far, and this weather always reminds me of my favorite nursery rhyme, “Millions of Massive Raindrops.”
(“Millions of Massive Raindrops”)
As a little girl, this was my all-time favorite poem in the book, and my mother would recite it to me until I had it memorized. It’s really fun to say, but I was most enamored with the tiny fairies dancing in the rain. The illustrations are incredibly detailed and life-like, and every single rhyme within the book is drawn in a similar way.
(My favorite fairy.)
My favorite fairy plays a harp as others run for cover in the rain, and there are a few brave creatures who dance and peek into windows.
(The boy fairies on the roof remind me of James and Rhys.)
I love this poem and its illustrations, and it’s such a sweet memento to share with my boys. Do you have a favorite book from your childhood?
I showed this to William and we read over and over again. He has it memorized! Thank you for sharing this sweet memory and precious poem. I am copying it down. 🙂
Yay! I’m so thrilled he loves it. 🙂
I also had this book as a child! It was my favorite! I’m looking for a copy now. So nice to see it again!
It’s a great book!
This was one of mine too and i have been raking my brain for the longest time for all the words
Glad you found the words, Anna!
I always loved reading this book to my girls when they were little and this was definitely my favorite verse. I recently took the book to Hawaii to give it to my daughter who now has two children of her own now. She was so thrilled to get it. We both agreed the illustrations make it one of a kind. I decided to purchase a used one through Amazon so her younger sister would have a copy to share with her children some day.
Hi Noni! I’m so glad you share happy memories of this book, too, and how nice that you’re able to pass it along to your daughters and grandchildren.
I have this book also. I lived in Scotland and purchased this book there as a very small child. The sticker with the British Pound price is still on the upper right hand corner as a foil sticker. My parents created an obsession with me about nursery rhymes with this book. I had every page committed to memory by age 3 and learned to read very soon after by matching letters and sounds with this rhyme. While that one was one of my top choices, my favorite in the book is:
Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe-
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
“Where are you going, and what do you wish?”
The old moon asked the three.
“We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!”
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea-
“Now cast your nets wherever you wish-
Never afeard are we;”
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam-
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
‘Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought ’twas a dream they
dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea-
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wyken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies,
Is a wee one’s trundle bed.
So shut your eyes while Mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Omg! L I found your site because this poem and book was my favorite as a child and i googled that first sentence and this is where it landed me! My book has for sure seen better days! Thank you for posting this!