once upon a time there was a saucer pie. a saucer pie is one that is baked in a saucer instead of a pan; and if you have never seen one, i hope you will before you are a hundred years old.

this pie was baked in a saucer that belonged to a little girl named polly. her grandmother had given her the saucer, and it was as blue as the sky.

when her mamma took the pie out of the oven, and put it on the table to cool, she said:—

"here is a nice little, brown little pie,

baked in a saucer as blue as the sky."

the pie belonged to polly, as well as the saucer. her mamma had baked it for her because it was her birthday; and she was very proud of it.

"tell me about it again," she said, as she stood on tiptoe by the table to see it. then her mamma said:—

"here is a pie that is dainty and sweet,

baked in a saucer, for polly to eat."

but polly did not want to eat her saucer pie by herself.

"i will have a party," she said; and away she went with dancing feet to call her neighbors in.

there was martha, and margaret, and little boy john; and all of them came to polly's party.

when they got there the table was set with polly's doll dishes, and in the middle of the table was the pie.

"a nice little pie, in a saucer blue,

baked in the oven for polly and you,"

said mamma, as she cut the pie, once across this way, and once across that. each child had a slice; and then, nibble, nibble,—

all that was left of the saucer-pie,

was a crumb in the saucer as blue as the sky.