High upon the hillside where the shadows play
Lives gentle Mrs. Rabbit with her family of three,
And Spillikins and Spottikins, it's only right to say,
Are the dearest little rabbits you can ever hope to see.
But Skippets is the bad one,
The mad one,
The saucy one,
Skippets is the lazy one who won't wash his face.
Skippets is the naughty one,
The haughty one,
The pushing one,
Skippets is the forward one who doesn't know his place.

Spillikins and Spottikins will never stay out late,
And wander in the gloomy woods as many rabbits do.
Why, even in the summer-time, they're always in by eight—
In case they catch a cold, you see, by sitting in the dew.
But Skippets is the frisky one,
The risky one,
The roving one,
Skippets is the wilful one whose ways are hard to trace.
Skippets is the careless one,
The won't-come-home-at-bedtime one—
Skippets is the wicked one who's always in disgrace!