A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
James Joyce
Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo...
His father told him that story: his father looked at him through a glass: he had a hairy face.
The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt.
He went down the road with his father to buy a paper: and the man that lifted him up said: Hold him up and he kissed the baby on the crown of the head: he smelled the milk on him and he said: What a fine baby!
Once upon a time there was a little boy and his name was Stephen Dedalus. He used to say his prayers: Dear God make me a good boy: and he used to say his prayers sometimes on his knees and sometimes in bed.
He lay in his cot and his mother put the blanket over him and she stroked his head. He said: I will say the good words now: Dear God make me a good boy and keep me from the bad boys.
He used to tell stories to himself and make beliefs about words. He loved the stories that were told to him. He would ask for them and when they were over he would cry and ask for them again.