Wynken, Blynken, and Nod: a free Grade 2 story

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod: the full story

Part One · Eugene Field

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’d dreamed Of sailing that beautiful sea-- But I shall name you the fishermen three: Wynken, 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.

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod was written by Eugene Field. With Trumpet and Drum was published in 1892.

About Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

A free Grade 2 story from the Peabody library, Level 7. It has 4 short pages and about 279 words, so it reads in a few minutes.

Words this story teaches

herring: small silver fish

afeard: afraid

ruffled: made rough

trundle: to roll on wheels

sped: went fast

At reading level 7, Peabody's practice works on phonics (sounding words out), sight words, spelling; the level page says what is in each.

The short version

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod is a bedtime poem about three sleepers sailing in a wooden shoe. It was written by Eugene Field, also called Dutch Lullaby, and is in With Trumpet and Drum, printed in 1892.

Quick facts

Eugene Field was a writer who lived from 1850 to 1895.

The book's contents page gives the poem a second name, Dutch Lullaby.

At the end the poem says Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, and Nod is a little head.

Who wrote Wynken, Blynken, and Nod?

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod was written by Eugene Field. The book's contents page also calls it Dutch Lullaby. It is in his book With Trumpet and Drum, printed in 1892.

To print it or save it as a PDF, tap the ⓘ button above the story, then “Print this story”.