Mary Botham Howitt > Quotes

“Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly”
― Mary Howitt, The Spider and the Fly

“And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.”
― Mary Howitt, The Spider and the Fly

“God sends children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race -- to enlarge our hearts, to make us unselfish, and full of kindly sympathies and affections.”
― Mary Howitt

“I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!”
― Mary Howitt, The Spider and the Fly

“Oh no, no," said the little fly; "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again.”
― Mary Howitt, The Spider and the Fly

“Buttercups and daisies,
⁠Oh, the pretty flowers,
Coming ere the spring time,
⁠To tell of sunny hours.
While the trees are leafless,
⁠While the fields are bare,
Buttercups and daisies
⁠Spring up here and there.”
― Mary Howitt